Safety concerns raised over popular car brand after crash test results
The Automobile Association (AA) has stated it has cause for concern about one specific car brand that is fairly new to SA.
The influx of international car brands into South Africa has increased massively over the last few years.
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An analysis by BusinessTech found that Asian vehicles, such as Chery and Suzuki, have seen massive growth over the last decade.
As of May 2025, 41 Chinese passenger cars, mostly SUVs, are available in South Africa.
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In the new year, even more Chinese car brands are set to make their way to SA.
However, few people are aware of the #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign, launched in 2017.
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The AA and Global NCAP have collaborated to promote safer vehicles across Africa by conducting crash tests on locally available vehicles in South Africa, rating them according to the safety they provide occupants.
Recently, the Automobile Association revealed that the Chery Tiggo 7 SUV performed poorly in the crash test, with disappointing results.
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TopAuto said that the AA and NCAP tests award vehicles a score out of five stars for both adult and child occupant safety, with these findings applying to the entry-level Tiggo 7 range currently on sale in South Africa.
The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro has been available in SA for a couple of years, but received a poor two-star rating for adult occupant protection and a three-star rating for child occupant protection
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The low rating for adult occupant protection is due to a lack of standard side head protection for occupants in the front and rear of the car.
The Child Restraint System failed the installation test in all front- and rearward-facing positions, and the vehicle lacked the option to disconnect the passenger airbag when a rearward-facing child seat is placed in the passenger seat, resulting in the three-star child occupant score.
The AA reports: "Tested by Global NCAP is the previous-generation Tiggo 7 Pro Distinction (currently on sale locally), while worth noting is that the current-generation Tiggo 7 Prime, the entry-point into the current-generation range, lacks the same highlighted safety features as the Tiggo 7 Pro Distinction.
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The organisation feels the results are also representative of the lower safety standards for cars sold in Africa.
Other findings in the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro safety performance testing:
- The footwell area and bodyshell were found to be unstable and not capable of withstanding further loadings
- Side pole impact was not performed as the car does not offer standard side head protection for front and rear rows (the lack of this kind of protection exposes the head to the risk of severe injury even in a low-speed side impact with a pole or tree)
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) was standard, as were Seat Belt Reminders (SBRs) in all positions, although these did not meet Global NCAP requirements.
The results of this test are also about more than just Chery's results and highlight bigger local and global issues.
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Global NCAP Chief Executive Officer, Richard Woods, stated: “A two-star rating for the Tiggo 7 Pro is very disappointing, but this poor result is seriously compounded by the publication of misleading information on crash test results from other markets. South African consumers need independent and accurate information to inform their purchasing decisions. Transparency and accountability on vehicle safety, not marketing smoke and mirrors, is fundamental to consumer safety”.
There is no NCAP model tailored for African markets, so all cars sold in South Africa are rated differently depending on the manufacturer and model’s region of origin.
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Examples include:
- Euro NCAP
- Global NCAP
- C-NCAP (Chinese)
- Bharat (Indian) NCAP
- ASEAN (Southeast Asian) NCAP
Cars sold under the same name in different countries do not have the same standard features.
Global NCAP notes Chery SA’s recent dual-vehicle collision test which saw two Chery Tiggo 9 SUVs collide in a 50% offset head-on impact at 50 km/h in South Africa last year. These results and findings are not recognised by Global NCAP.
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The AA encourages consumers to:
- Look for market-specific NCAP test results
- Conducted in an NCAP environment
- Take into account NCAP-specific testing criteria and parameters
Bobby Ramagwede (AA CEO) argues that Chery’s recent media releases about the Tiggo 7 CSH’s five-star Euro NCAP rating are misleading to local consumers.
Euro NCAP ratings are also specific to that market, for a rating to be recognised locally the vehicle needs to be assessed under the #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign conducted by Global NCAP.
The Automobile Association once again insisted it will continue to push for stronger safety regulations and greater transparency from vehicle manufacturers, and called on carmakers to correct misleading NCAP findings, either on the assembly line or via a recall.
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