The Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q7 doesn’t offer knee airbags.
The Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q7 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q7, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
Highlander Hybrid |
Q7 |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-10 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-23 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
2 sec |
1.9 sec |
Both the Highlander Hybrid and the Q7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q7:
|
Highlander Hybrid |
Q7 |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
28.4% |
44% |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Q7:
|
Highlander Hybrid |
Q7 |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head injury index |
102 |
225 |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
19 cm |
30 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
4%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Tibia index R/L |
.52/.4 |
.57/.7 |
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, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q7:
|
Highlander Hybrid |
Q7 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
55 |
187 |
Chest Movement |
.3 inches |
.8 inches |
Abdominal Force |
79 lbs. |
128 lbs. |
Hip Force |
300 lbs. |
350 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
114 |
337 |
Spine Acceleration |
37 G’s |
62 G’s |
Hip Force |
152 lbs. |
888 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.