Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rav4 (except LE/XLE) offers optional Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
The Rav4’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Rav4 and the Q3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Audi Q3:
|
Rav4 |
Q3 |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
152 |
326 |
Neck Injury Risk |
29.3% |
39% |
Neck Stress |
306 lbs. |
343 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
284 |
346 |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.6 inches |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Audi Q3:
|
Rav4 |
Q3 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
83 |
88 |
Chest Movement |
.5 inches |
.7 inches |
Hip Force |
246 lbs. |
333 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
146 |
159 |
Hip Force |
508 lbs. |
632 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
299 |
504 |
Spine Acceleration |
36 G’s |
47 G’s |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Q3:
|
Rav4 |
Q3 |
Overall Evaluation |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
120 |
190 |
Neck Tension |
134 lbs. |
335 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
.47 in |
1.06 in |
Shoulder Force |
178 lbs. |
290 lbs. |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Pelvis Force |
1093 lbs. |
1406 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
.94 in |
2.01 in |
Shoulder Force |
290 lbs. |
379 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
.83 in |
1.73 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
8 MPH |
11 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
692 lbs. |
1049 lbs. |
For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 145 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q3 last would have qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2019.