A study of numerical simulation for aluminum foam-filled thin-walled metal tubes under lateral impact loading is performed utilizing the finite element software Ls-dyna. By comparison with the results of numerical simulation and experiment, the validity of the finite element model and the accuracy of the calculation results are verified. Then, the influence on tube deformation and energy absorption properties is investigated, from such factors as geometric parameters of tube, density of aluminum foam and impact velocity. The results reveal that the compression of aluminum foam-filled tubes under lateral impact loading is obtained in three stages, initial collision stage, platform stage and densification stage. Compared with those of hollow tubes, the lateral impact load, energy absorption and specific absorbed energy of foam-filled tubes are all enhanced distinctly. Geometries of tubes, density of aluminum foam and impact velocity all have effects on them to some extent. When the impact velocity exceeds a certain value, the deformation mechanism of foam-filled tubes is changed to asymmetric deformation from symmetry deformation.