Chery's Tiggo 7 Pro Max, launched in South Africa last November, has secured a noteworthy 5-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) in Australia. Following Chery's return to the Australian market last year, this achievement marks the second top-ranking for the brand, with the Omoda 5 being the first. The Tiggo 7 Pro underwent rigorous testing against the latest and most stringent crash-test criteria in effect until 2025.
In ANCAP's assessment, the Tiggo 7 Pro excelled with an 88% score for Adult Occupant Protection, 87% for Child Occupant Protection, 72% for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 86% for Safety Assist crash-avoidance technology. Notably, the Vulnerable Road User Protection score, evaluating the SUV's safeguarding of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, exceeded the five-star threshold by just 2 percentage points.
The overall ANCAP star rating is contingent on a vehicle's lowest-performing category. In this case, had the Tiggo 7 Pro scored 69% in any category, it would have received a four-star overall rating. ANCAP acknowledged the Tiggo 7 Pro's "good" crash protection for adults and children but raised concerns about weak scores in specific areas, including the driver's chest in frontal offset and side-impact pole crash tests. Additionally, it docked points for pedestrian head and pelvis protection in collisions.
Despite earning praise for advanced safety features such as a commendable lane-keep assist system, the Tiggo 7 Pro fell short in certain aspects. Notably, its forward-facing autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keep assist systems were deemed ineffective in preventing collisions with motorcycles. Similarly, the rear AEB tech faced criticism for its inability to detect pedestrians.
Chery, however, supplied data emphasizing the Tiggo 7 Pro's door functionality during emergencies and included a safety escape hammer to facilitate window exit. ANCAP highlighted that starting in 2023, manufacturers are awarded points for door and window opening functionality when submerged in water. The Tiggo 7 Pro distinguished itself as the first model to provide a safety escape hammer for window exit, setting a precedent in this safety measure among the nine vehicles rated by ANCAP that year.