This August, Chery will take on an unprecedented safety challenge in South Africa, with the first real-world dual-vehicle collision test on the African continent. Two identical Tiggo 9 SUVs, built to the world’s highest safety standards, will collide in a 50% offset impact at 50 km/h. This Africa-first safety trial is more than just Chery putting its standards to the test. It’s the demonstration of its safety philosophy: that progress comes from pushing boundaries.
Road safety in South Africa faces unique challenges. Research shows that head-on collisions in the country occur more frequently and have a higher fatality rate than the global average. A Kantar survey confirms that safety has become a decisive factor (even a non-negotiable requirement) for South African car buyers. Against this backdrop, Chery will conduct its test on a long, straight paved road, accurately replicating a high-risk scenario: a 50% offset impact (on the right-hand side of the vehicle) with an oncoming vehicle.
When the two Tiggo 9 SUVs collide head-on at 50 km/h, their performance will be evaluated across multiple safety dimensions, including body structure integrity, restraint system responsiveness, airbag and curtain airbag coordination, passenger compartment stability, fuel system sealing, and post-crash rescue accessibility. This test is designed to mirror real-world accident conditions as closely as possible, providing the most authentic assessment of the Tiggo 9’s safety capabilities.
Since its global debut at the Burj Khalifa in the UAE in December 2024, the Tiggo 9 has entered key markets across the Middle East and Latin America, garnering widespread acclaim. As Chery’s flagship model, it embodies Chery’s philosophy that safety is the ultimate luxury.
The Tiggo 9 has been engineered to meet global five-star safety standards. The body structure incorporates 85% high-strength steel and 21% hot-formed steel for uncompromising protection. Enhancing its passive safety credentials are innovative features like a dual-impact-beam design, the segment’s only standard far-side airbag, and an industry-leading 2,060 mm side curtain airbag—together forming a comprehensive passive safety shield.
On the active safety front, Tiggo 9 comes equipped with 19 advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) designed to make every journey safer. Prior to this real world-challenge, the Tiggo 9 has already proven its mettle in Chery’s in-house crash tests, including a 100% full-frontal rigid barrier impact test and a demanding 32 km/h side pole impact test.
From passenger compartment integrity and airbag deployment timing to high-voltage system cut-off and post-crash readiness, the Tiggo 9 has demonstrated strong crash protection, cementing safety as one of the cornerstones of the driving experience.
The head-on collision test in South Africa is more than just a standalone event. It serves as a critical pillar of Chery’s 2025 global Safety Challenges initiative. This comprehensive program subjects vehicles to extreme conditions, such as heat, cold, dryness, humidity, high-speed conditions, and rough terrain. Through a unique combination of real-world global testing and user co-verification across strategically selected regions worldwide, Chery continues to evaluate the durability of its vehicles and the reliability of the Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) technology.
“South Africa’s high rate of serious road accidents calls for solutions that go beyond the ordinary. By replicating one of the country’s most dangerous crash scenarios, we’re not only putting the Tiggo 9’s safety systems to the test, but also demonstrating how advanced engineering can play a role in reducing the impact of real-world collisions,” commented Verene Petersen, National Brand and Marketing Manager at Chery South Africa.
Earlier demonstrations include a 53+ hour battery seawater immersion test conducted in Indonesia and an intensive battery scraping challenge completed in Mexico. The selection of South Africa for this particularly extreme collision scenario reflects Chery’s fundamental philosophy: a dedication to maintaining consistent global quality standards across all markets and conditions.
