Johannesburg — Chery is facing mounting scrutiny after one of its vehicles received a two-star rating for adult occupant protection in Africa, prompting sharp criticism from both the Automobile Association of South Africa and Global NCAP over what they describe as concerning safety performance and misleading public communication.
According to the Automobile Association of South Africa, the two-star rating raises serious questions about vehicle safety standards offered to African consumers. The AA expressed concern that buyers may be misled by marketing language that does not fully reflect the actual safety performance recorded in independent crash tests.
The rating was issued under the Safer Cars for Africa programme by Global NCAP, which conducts independent crash testing across emerging markets. While Chery’s vehicle reportedly performed better in child occupant protection, its adult occupant protection score fell short of higher safety benchmarks, resulting in the two-star classification.
The controversy escalated after Global NCAP publicly criticised media statements attributed to Chery, arguing that the communication created a potentially misleading impression about the vehicle’s safety credentials. Global NCAP said that selective presentation of results risks confusing consumers about the actual rating achieved in testing.
At the heart of the dispute is how safety ratings are communicated. Star ratings are based on a combination of adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, safety assist technologies, and structural integrity during crash simulations. A two-star rating for adult protection signals limited protection in certain crash scenarios when measured against global best practice standards.
The AA warned that transparency is critical in a market where many first-time buyers are entering the automotive space. With Chinese brands, including Chery, rapidly expanding their footprint in South Africa’s competitive vehicle market, safety messaging is likely to face greater scrutiny.
Chery, like several emerging-market manufacturers, has positioned itself as a value-driven alternative in South Africa’s passenger vehicle segment. However, the debate now centres not only on crash performance, but on whether marketing narratives are keeping pace with independent test outcomes.
The episode may have broader implications for how vehicle manufacturers communicate safety results in Africa. As safety testing programmes expand across the continent, brands could face increasing pressure to ensure that star ratings are clearly presented without ambiguity.
For South African consumers navigating a crowded and fast-evolving automotive market, the key question remains whether price competitiveness is being matched by transparent, independently verified safety performance.
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