Crash testing has been very much in the news lately. First it was the Hyundai Grand i10 that received a zero-star rating for adult occupant protection in crash tests conducted by Global NCAP. This is a rating that indicates the car poses a high risk of serious injury in a crash.
Hyundai hits back after zero-star safety score
Hyundai SA hit back immediately, stating that their Grand i10 meets all the minimum legal and homologation requirements as stipulated by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) in South Africa.
Toyota Corolla Cross only gets two stars
Next up it was the turn of the Toyota Corolla Cross to be in the firing line when this top seller only received two stars for adult protection in tests also done by the same Global NCAP. The body stated that the lack of side head protection counted against the car. But Toyota SA were also quick to fire back.
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The company stated that their car also meets all the South African compliance regulations. And the lack of side curtain airbags are limited to the XI and XS models only. Both the XR and GR-S models offer this protection and much more.
Chery Tiggo 7 CSH scores five stars
It is obvious from these recent results that there is not much parity between the testing bodies and what is required at a local level when it comes to your car’s safety rating. And Chery SA were quick to remind everybody that there is nothing ‘cheap and nasty’ about their Chinese offerings, with their Tiggo 7 CSH receiving a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
The Euro NCAP crash test programme is one of the world’s most demanding independent vehicle safety assessments. And the five-star rating achieved by the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH was scored as follows:
- Adult Occupant Protection: 82%
- Child Occupant Protection: 85%
- Vulnerable Road Users: 80%
- Safety Assist Systems: 78%
This Euro NCAP testing confirmed that the passenger compartment of the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH remained stable during frontal offset testing, with good or adequate protection recorded for critical body regions in both front and full-width impact scenarios. Side-impact and pole tests also demonstrated good protection across key areas, while the vehicle showed effective control of occupant movement under more severe side-impact conditions.
The Cherry Tiggo 7 CSH further demonstrated strong performance in rear-impact testing, with front seats and head restraints providing good protection against whiplash injuries. Additional safety technologies, including post-collision braking support, which enhances protection beyond the moment of impact.
“South African families need to know their vehicle will look after them in the real world, not just on paper,” commented Verene Petersen, National Marketing & Communications Manager at Chery South Africa. “The Tiggo 7 CSH’s five-star Euro NCAP rating, strong structure and comprehensive safety systems give that confidence, while the electrified powertrain and practical features and technology make it easy to live with every day.”
Safety is engineered into the platform
Safety is not an afterthought in the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH. The car is equipped with eight airbags as standard. And a comprehensive suite of advanced driver-assistance systems that support both collision avoidance and mitigation. Its body structure incorporates approximately 60% high-strength steel, with key load-bearing areas reinforced using 1 500 MPa hot-formed steel to improve crash energy management.
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For electrified variants, such as the Tiggo 7 CSH plug-in hybrid, the IP68-rated LFP battery is protected by a 780 MPa high-strength steel underplate, supported by continuous monitoring and rapid power isolation capability in the event of a collision.
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