All-new Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux rival from China? Chery ute in development as cut-price alternative that could feature plug-in hybrid power when it launches in 2025

It won’t be the first time Chery has produced a ute but given its world-conquering aims, this attempt is likely to be better than the 2015 Karry Higgo. 

Following the announcement of a ute to challenge the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in a business conference earlier this year, Chery Vice President Zhang Guibing told CarsGuide the model is deeply important to the marque’s success in Australia. 

“In the future we will also have a pick-up, it’s now in progress – in development,” said Zhang. This follows reports from CarScoops, which produced the render you see here. 

“We know this market at the moment [is more] than 20 per cent pick-up and customers really like them,” he continued. 

It was previously thought Chery would rebadge another Chinese pick-up for global sale under its joint venture project with ZX Auto, however the brand appears to have changed tack and is developing the vehicle itself. 

As for its name, Chery is very invested in sub-brand segmentation overseas (with Omoda, Jaecoo and others) so the ute could revive the now-defunct Karry brand globally. 

Pick-ups like the HiLux and Ranger aren’t just popular in Australia, they are also crucial to other strategic markets for Chery. The brand has launched in South America, South Africa and Southeast Asia — where utes rule the roost. 

China is also taking up the dual-cab fad, albeit only in regions where regulations allow. It means the pick-up would have to offer a broad variety of powertrains. 

Though Zhang admits to Chery being a little slow on the electric technology take-up next to BYD, he promises all models from now will be available with an array of motivation. 

“Also, all new models this year we are launching – even for the future – all new models will have different versions: EV versions, PHEV versions and also ICE.

“Now the domestic, all the cars shift to NEV but international markets, sometimes different markets demand and customer taste means they still maybe need more time [to adopt] new energy vehicles,” explained Zhang. 

At present, the only other brand with a true hybrid ute in Australia is GWM with its Cannon Alpha. Ford is due to launch its plug-in hybrid Ranger in 2025, Mitsubishi is readying a Triton PHEV and other rivals such as JAC are pushing fully electric models. 

Following the lead of Japanese manufacturers, Chery’s product planning slide also showed a seven-seat large SUV alongside the ute in its new ‘M-Series’ of vehicles. We expect this to be a wagon version of the yet-unnamed ute like the Ford Everest or Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. 

Diesel is not trendy in China so many of Chery’s sub-brand models, including off-roaders like the Jetour T2, use petrol engines. In the T2’s case, its 187kW/390Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder could be put to use in a ute. The vehicle has an electronically-controlled LSD at the rear to enhance its capability. 

There are also plug-in hybrid AWD systems, for example that in the Jaecoo J7 medium SUV that’s soon to launch in Australia. It develops impressive figures, with 259kW and 525Nm sent to all four wheels. 

We are expecting more details of the Chery pick-up — including its final name — some time in 2025. Australia will be a key market for the vehicle and local evaluation and feedback will be crucial to its success.