In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mustang Mach-E are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
With its standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q8 e-tron, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
|
Mustang Mach-E |
Q8 e-tron |
| Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
| 12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-10 MPH |
| 25 MPH |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
|
|
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 |
Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mustang Mach-E offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.
The Mustang Mach-E’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 Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Mustang Mach-E and the Q8 e-tron 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning 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 Ford Mustang Mach-E is safer than the Audi Q8 e-tron:
|
|
Mustang Mach-E |
Q8 e-tron |
|
|
Driver |
|
| STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
| HIC |
170 |
212 |
| Neck Stress |
231 lbs. |
253 lbs. |
|
|
Passenger |
|
| STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
| HIC |
163 |
323 |
| Chest Compression |
.5 inches |
.5 inches |
| Neck Compression |
66 lbs. |
67 lbs. |
| Leg Forces (l/r) |
257/9 lbs. |
244/319 lbs. |
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 Ford Mustang Mach-E is safer than the Audi Q8 e-tron:
|
|
Mustang Mach-E |
Q8 e-tron |
|
|
Rear Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| HIC |
93 |
123 |
| Spine Acceleration |
26 G’s |
44 G’s |
| Hip Force |
267 lbs. |
579 lbs. |
|
|
Into Pole |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Max Damage Depth |
8 inches |
8 inches |
| Spine Acceleration |
45 G’s |
60 G’s |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E (built after August 2024) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Q8 e-tron has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

