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Audi Q3 and Toyota RAV4 PHEV underperform in updated IIHS moderate overlap crash test
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that the 2026 Audi Q3 and the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid fell short in its updated moderate overlap frontal crash test, despite strong crash protection in most other scenarios.
By George Kensington · 2 min read
The 2026 Audi Q3 and the plug-in hybrid version of the Toyota RAV4 have both underperformed in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's updated moderate overlap crash test, a result that highlights the gaps that remain even in modern, well-regarded vehicles.
Modern cars offer impressive protection across most crash scenarios, and the IIHS has built its testing programme around the idea that there is always room for improvement. The moderate overlap frontal test, which simulates a partial front-end collision with another vehicle, is one of the scenarios in which the institute has repeatedly pushed manufacturers to raise their standards.
The updated assessment means that both models were judged against a more demanding benchmark than before. Their shortfalls in this test do not mean they perform poorly across the board, but they do show that protection in partial-overlap impacts is not yet uniform across the current market.
For buyers, the findings are a reminder that crash ratings can differ significantly depending on the type of impact being simulated. A vehicle that scores well in one configuration may still show weaknesses in another, which is why the IIHS publishes results for several separate tests rather than a single headline score.
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