A rational approach to improved fuel efficiency in vehicles includes tailoring the use and selection of materials so that the structure is optimized for functionality and weight, while maintaining structural integrity and crashworthiness. The success of multi-material assemblies depends on the selection of appropriate joining techniques that provide the necessary structural, fatigue and crash strength; which is made possible by using adhesives instead of traditional joining methods. Effective use of adhesives for such a challenging application requires complete mechanical data to support design requirements. The mechanical response of a toughened epoxy adhesive was investigated under varying strain rates and load conditions. Differences in the modulus of elasticity as well as the mechanism of failure were present between tensile, compression and shear modes of loading. Strain rates affect both the tensile and shear response of the material, but the strain rate dependency is not the same between the two modes of loading, being lower and possibly non-linear for the shear data. Strain rate dependency in the modulus of elasticity was identified with a 29 % difference between quasi-static load and dynamic load (0.77 and 100 1/s). This study demonstrates the data and modes of loading required to characterize a toughened epoxy adhesive, and the corresponding requirements for constitutive models and numerical implementations.