New three-row SUVs achieve five-star results

The GWM Tank 500, recently introduced into Australia and New Zealand, has been awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating following a full suite of testing against ANCAP’s 2023-2025 protocols. A five-star safety rating has also been awarded to the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max.

The GWM Tank 500 met five-star thresholds across each of ANCAP’s key areas of assessment. Good scores were seen across the range of destructive crash tests, with maximum points awarded for the level of protection provided to adult and child occupants in the side impact test. The full 8.00 point vehicle compatibility penalty was however applied to the Tank 500 for its increased risk to occupants of a struck oncoming vehicle.

The GWM Tank 500 achieved the highest score (93%) to date for Child Occupant Protection under ANCAP’s current 2023-2025 protocols. This high score was assisted by the presence and function of a direct child presence detection (CPD) system – a feature encouraged through ANCAP’s protocols since 2023. The CPD system fitted to the Tank 500 uses a range of sensors fitted within the vehicle that detect physical and respiratory movements, and therefore presence, of an occupant that may have been inadvertently left inside once the vehicle is locked. Where motion is detected, the vehicle sounds its horn and issues mobile phone and email notifications to alert the driver.

“Our protocols encourage the fitment of direct child presence detection systems in an effort to reduce instances where children are inadvertently left in a car,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

“The CPD system fitted to the GWM Tank 500 is one of the more advanced systems assessed by ANCAP so far, and it's great to see manufacturers implementing this potentially life-saving technology,” Ms Hoorweg added.

In collision avoidance tests, the GWM Tank 500 is fitted with the full range of autonomous emergency braking and lane support systems assessed by ANCAP, and high scores were awarded in braking and lane support tests with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, and other vehicles.

Entering the Australian market this month, the three-row Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max has achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating based largely on tests of its closely-related partner model, the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro. ANCAP testing of the Tiggo 7 Pro took place last year, and supplementary pedestrian protection tests were carried out on the Tiggo 8, along with an assessment of additional technical information provided by the manufacturer, to evaluate any potential differences.

“Chery’s latest offering adds to their current five-star SUV line up, with safer options for buyers,” said Ms Hoorweg.

While the GWM Tank 500 and Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max are both three-row vehicles, consumers should note that top-tether child restraint anchorages are not fitted to third row seating positions in either model, and these seating positions are therefore not suitable for transporting young children.

Full details on the performance of the GWM Tank 500 and Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max can be viewed here.