This study introduces an arc-shaped hourglass re-entrant auxetic honeycomb (AHRH) and examines its impact-induced dynamic response and energy-absorption behavior via finite-element simulations. The conventional re-entrant honeycomb (RH) is adopted as the baseline, and side-by-side simulations are performed at impact speeds of 10, 20, and 30 m/s. The mechanical response of both lattices is assessed through force-displacement characteristics, absorbed-energy histories, and representative deformation modes. Results indicate that the AHRH significantly reduces the initial peak force, prolongs the plateau stage, and exhibits a distinct dual-plateau feature, thereby achieving the desirable crashworthiness mode of “low initial peak-extended plateau-high densification”. Compared with the RH, the AHRH achieves increases of approximately 42.9%-59.7% in total energy absorption and 42.8%-56.1% in specific energy absorption while maintaining nearly identical mass. The enhanced performance arises from the arc-edge geometry, which alleviates local stress concentrations, promotes progressive buckling, and generates multiple plastic hinges. These mechanisms lead to smoother load transfer, avoidance of excessively high initial impact loads, and more efficient crash energy management. Overall, the proposed AHRH structure demonstrates superior energy absorption capacity and deformation stability compared with the conventional RH, providing new insights and practical references for the lightweight design and optimization of advanced protective and crashworthy structures.