As expected, the redesigned A6 sedan has earned the coveted Top Safety Pick+ accolade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The executive model demonstrates structural engineering and active safety performance across the board, yet a closer look at the IIHS report also reveals a few instances where Ingolstadt's midsizer earned "acceptable" sub-ratings.

        

While the 2026 model year A6 for the United States market earned "good" overall in every major crash test, three specific areas were dinged with lesser sub-ratings. The nonprofit organization designed its moderate overlap front crash test specifically to challenge vehicles on rear occupant safety, introducing a second crash test dummy seated behind the driver.