Chery E5 Reviews

Chery is prepping something it hopes will shift the Australian ute market forever.The ute segment has long been dominated by diesel powerhouses that sit on top of the sales standings in Australia, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux among the top-selling vehicles for many years.Now the BYD Shark 6 has broken this mould by introducing a petrol plug-in hybrid set-up on a rigid ladder frame chassis ute. This set-up has been well-received in the Australian market, with BYD’s ute one of the only models in the segment that is currently experiencing growth.While the Shark 6 put the rest of the competition on notice, it originally lacked the towing and carrying power of its diesel-only counterparts.The Performance grade of Shark 6 has sought to rectify this issue, now boasting a 3500kg towing capacity, but that has come at an extra cost.Chery’s new ute aims to address those initial concern, with its diesel PHEV promising a 3500kg towing capacity and a 1000kg payload. It has also been given some serious off-roading capabilities, with front, rear and centre differential locks, unlike on the Shark 6. We recently learned this ute will be called the Stockman, but here’s what else we know so far about Chery’s special Oz-bound pick-up. Chery has confirmed the Stockman will be fitted with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and electric motor set-up. Official power and torque figures have not been established yet, but it is expected to provide some serious output to make it a strong alternative to diesel-only competitors.Chery currently does not offer a 2.5-litre engine in Australia, nor a diesel, so there are no clear pointers as to what performance will look like. There will also be a petrol PHEV coming in 2027.The Stockman was first shown off as the ‘KP31’ concept earlier this year, and its design has stayed true to that original look. It has an overall boxy and imposing stance. The front grille features a large ‘Chery’ logo. The headlights either side illuminate a circular shape with horizontal strips inside. The ute has appeared with two exterior paint colours, which are a pale green and metallic silver colour.The interior features a large central touchscreen and a digital driver display, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel.Pricing for the Stockman has not been revealed yet, and it's hard to get a gauge on where it could land. Chery is known for its budget offerings across its range so there is no reason why the Stockman won’t be any different. The Stockman’s main rival will be the BYD Shark 6 that starts from $55,900 (before on-road costs), so there potential for it to be available in a similar $50,000-$60,000 price bracket.The Stockman is still on target for a fourth quarter arrival this year, but Chery is yet to pin down a more specific timeframe in that period. It has been making steady progress towards an official launch, following an extensive campaign that saw the car named the Stockman recently. More details on the car are expected to be revealed in the third quarter of 2026, before it goes on sale towards the end of the year. The petrol plug-in hybrid version of the Stockman arriving in showrooms in 2027.Chery's ute could also be rebranded for other sub-brands under the group's name.Omoda Jaecoo Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz told CarsGuide earlier this year, he would be keen for the ute if it became available.Any move like this would only be likely to happen after 2027.

Diesel dual-cab utes are in decline, but there could be a saviour from an unlikely source.The Chery Stockman is coming this year packing a diesel hybrid set-up, which some of the biggest names in the business haven’t been able to develop.GWM is also developing diesel-electric technology to fit to its range of utes and 4WDs.Chery’s will arrive first and it will determine whether the tech is a winner or an also-ran, and it could decide the fate of diesel dual-cabs as we know it.Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is starting to bite, with carmakers that sell too many high CO2-emitting vehicles to be slugged with fines.These fines in most cases will be passed onto consumers, which means high-polluting vehices — such as utes — could become more expensive.The threshold for CO2 gets lower every year until 2030, which means the fines will keep rising until utes — in their current form — are prohibitively expensive.However, carmakers can offset the fines by selling a large number of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.That’s bad news for brands like Ford, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubsihi and Toyota that only have small electric vehicle sales or none at all.Chery and GWM could now be throwing the industry a lifeline.The Chery Stockman will use a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with an electric motor or two and a sizeable battery.Details are scarce, but its torque outputs will be mega.The high torque figures delivered by the combination of diesel and electric power — two fuel sources that create a lot of torque — is one of the benefits of this new set-up compared to more conventional petrol-electric plug-in hybrids, according to Chery’s Executive Director of Engineering Peter Matkin.BYD, Ford and GWM already have petrol plug-in hybrids on sale, and Toyota is believed to be preparing one, too.Matkin suggested carmakers had shied away from the diesel hybrids in favour of petrol plug-ins as the latter was easier to engineer.Petrol plug-in hybrids lack the grunt and capabilities dished out by diesel dual-cabs.Both the Shark 6 and Ranger Hybrid have weak points. The Shark 6 can’t tow or carry enough and isn’t as surefooted off-road, while the Ranger can do this but it sacrifices electric driving range in the process. Neither add up to an ideal hybrid dual-cab.This is where the diesel hybrids come in, according to Chery Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris.“I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” said Harris.“And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”Chery said the new ute will be able to tow 3500kg and handle a one-tonne payload.It will have front, centre and rear diff locks, and it should have low gearing for proper off-roading.If this new breed of diesel hybrids don’t change the game and attract a meaningful amount of buyers, then the writing is on the wall for diesel dual-cabs… petrol hybrids have won.

Chery has officially launched its Q small, pure-electric hatch in Thailand with pricing starting at the equivalent of around $20,400 and an introductory offer of roughly $19,500.Called QQ3 and priced from ¥68,920 (~$14,000) in the Chinese domestic market, the value-focused small EV will be offered across three tiers in Thailand - the entry-grade Qlick referenced above, mid-level Qool (~$21,700) and top-spec Quint (~$22,500).All but confirmed for local sale, the rear-motor, rear-wheel drive city car has regularly been spotted testing in Australia with CarsGuide invited to a preview drive in China only last month.And if Australian pricing is even close to the Thai Q line-up it will throw a ferocious cat amongst the EV pigeons, undercutting the current electric car price leader, BYD’s Atto 1 Essential at $23,990, before-on-road costs.In China, two powertrains are available – one with 58kW/90Nm and another producing 90kW/115Nm, the latter offered in Thailand, the first confirmed export market for the latest iteration of the car.Again, there are two LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery options in China, rated at 29.5kWh and 41.3kWh, respectively, but it’s the bigger pack only for Thailand, with range quoted at 400 km (NEDC).It’s safe to assume Australia would follow the Thai market battery and powertrain template.Measuring just under 4.2m long, a fraction more than 1.8m wide and close to 1.6m tall, the Q is shorter (-95mm) but wider (+41mm) than the BYD Dolphin while riding on an identical 2700mm wheelbase.DC fast charging at 85kW translates to a 30-80 per cent fill in 16.5 minutes with 6.6kW AC charging capability onboard. The car is also V2L (vehicle-to-load) capable.Boot capacity is a useful 375 litres with the rear seat upright and an impressive 1450L with it folded. A front boot adds another 70 litres and there’s a 35-litre compartment tucked under the rear seats.The Q is underpinned by Chery’s ‘T12’ battery-electric platform and rides on a strut front multi-link rear suspension set-up with disc brakes all around (ventilated at the front).Equipment highlights on upper grades for the Thai market include auto LED headlights and LED tail-lights, an 8.9-inch instrument display, 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen, dual-zone climate-control and wireless device charging as well as an electric front boot lid and tailgate.The flagship Q Quint picks up 17-inch alloy rims, ambient lighting, voice recognition, six-speaker audio, auto-parking, a powered driver’s seat and front proximity sensors.Safety includes up to 10 airbags and a suite of 21 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functions including AEB, adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic parking assist.Interestingly, Thai introductory pricing for the Q includes an eight-year/200,000 km warranty (seven-year/unlimited km in Australia), a lifetime high-voltage battery warranty (eight-year/unlimited km in Oz), five years’ 24-hour roadside assistance (up to seven years conditional here), a year’s “free insurance”, an AC portable charger and a carpet set.When contacted for comment on the car’s likelihood for Australian sale a Chery spokesperson told CarsGuide, “There’s a lot of interest around the Chery QQ3, but at this stage it is not confirmed for Australia.“However, a number of international models are currently under consideration for the local market,” they said.Stay tuned.

Chery sub-brand Jetour has detailed its Chinese F700 ute, which is a spin-off from the Stockman diesel-hybrid due to launch in Australia.Sporting tough and angular styling a little different from the rounded-headlight look of the incoming Chery ute, the Jetour F700 shares the same newly-developed and hybrid-first platform and underpinnings.Unlike the Stockman, which will launch with a diesel hybrid powertrain specifically designed to set it apart in the Australian market, the F700 will use a 2.0-litre petrol plug-in set-up instead.The F700’s 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine produces 155kW/340Nm and is expected to follow in the footsteps of the G700 SUV that came before it. This means maximum combined power could be as high as 665kW/1135Nm.This could preview the future petrol plug-in hybrid version of the Stockman, which is due to launch in Australia in 2027.The space between the front and rear axles will be taken up by an Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which maximises EV range over mechanical capability. The related G700 SUV has an electronic front and rear differential, with a software-simulated centre differential.If the F700 follows in the footsteps of the G700, it will use a 34.1kWh battery pack. In the G700 this grants it a 150km EV-only driving range and a 1400km combined driving range according to the CTLC standard. Jetour confirmed via its social media that the F700 will have a 1300km driving range and a combined fuel consumption of 1.39L/100km.While it appears the F700 will also use independent coil-sprung rear suspension instead of a solid rear axle, data filings with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information technology confirm it will have a towing capacity of 3500kg.The new ute’s interior hasn't been fully revealed, but one teaser image shows a far more tech-heavy cabin than the Stockman. It features a large 15.6-inch central screen, and a second dash-topping panel which extends the entire length of the vehicle, acting as both an information screen and a digital instrument cluster.We know it will have wheel sizes of either 18- or 20-inches and an 800-volt electrical platform, which supports ultra-fast charging with confirmation of a V2L system.Jetour is expected to launch in Australia in 2027, although its range of boxy off-roaders will be distributed separately from its Chery parent company, which includes the Omoda, Jaecoo, and Lepas sub-brands.It will directly compete with GWM’s Tank and Cannon brands, with its products also squaring off against BYD’s smash-hit Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute and the related Denza B5 SUV.Stay tuned for more on Jetour as the brand gears up for an Australian launch. It has been hiring staff locally for some months.

A popular family SUV has just been subject to an urgent recall in Australia for a potential brake issue. There have been 5556 Chery Tiggo 8 units from the 2023 to 2026 model years recalled, according to a notice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. "Due to a manufacturing defect, the brake pipe may chafe against the engine and become damaged. This could lead to a brake fluid leak resulting in reduced braking performance,” the notice read. “A reduction in braking performance could increase the risk of an accident, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”A spokesperson for Chery Australia said the brand was not aware of any reported incidents of the issue occurring in AustraliaThe brand will contact owners of recall-affected vehicles to schedule an appointment with a dealer to have the vehicle inspected and repair work carried out for free. The Tiggo 8 competes in the busy large SUV segment, priced from $41,990 (drive-away).It is available with petrol and plug-in hybrid set-ups.

Chinese carmakers are leading the way went it comes to EVs, but this one brand is flipping the script.Every car in the top 10 best-selling EVs for May 2026 was built in China, including the Jaecoo J5 EV.The J5 EV claimed the title for the best-selling small SUV in May 2026. Omoda Jaecoo’s Australian Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz said the brand is not classed as a specialist electric carmaker, despite this result.The J5 EV was one of Chery Group’s first fully-electric models put on sale Down Under, with much of its range adopting petrol or hybrid set-ups. It was the group’s most successful model in May, but Munoz said it is doing so while tackling more EV-specific competition.“Being that Omoda Jaecoo, and I guess Chery as a wider group, is not just an EV brand. We are a traditional car company,” Munoz on CarsGuide.  “It also proves that we are a technology company where an EV is within our capability as well. “To be able to achieve that, not being known as an EV brand is a true testament to the capabilities of Omoda Jaecoo and Chery as a group.”A petrol variant of the J5 recently launched in Australia, with Omoda Jaecoo still eager to cater for an internal combustion engine consumer base. This approach contrasts many of Chery’s key rivals, such as BYD, that does not offer any petrol-only models in Australia. It demonstrates Omoda Jaecoo trying to cover all bases. A plug-less version of the J5 is also due in showrooms before the end of the year. It comes as many legacy brands also phase out petrol-only options for key models. One of the J5’s rivals the Kia Seltos will launch for its new generation with a hybrid offering, ditching its popular pure petrol variant. It will become more difficult for brands to have pure internal combustion engines in their lineups with Australian emissions regulations becoming more stringent in the coming years. Munoz said Omoda Jaecoo is aware of the potential impacts of New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) fines on a strong sales return for the petrol J5. He said the brand would balance to ensure it meets its NVES obligations, with J5 EV acting as a shield to provide credits at this stage. 

Fuel prices in Australia are about to rise again. The federal government has announced the Fuel Excise cut will continue at a lower rate until the start of August.The original 50 per cent discount equated to 32 cents per litre off fuel prices, but this was due to end on the 30th of June.The government will now extend a smaller discount of 16 cents per litre until the 2nd of August. This announcement means fuel prices will increase across the board in addition to any other fluctuations from external factors. A 16 cent increase will see diesel fuel prices increase back above the $2 per litre mark across the country, having been more than $3 per litre at times over the past few months. The diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes remain two of the best-selling cars in Australia.E10 petrol will also creep up towards the $2 point as a result of this decreased discount. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not ruled out further extensions to the Fuel Excise discount in the future if circumstances require it. "Of course we do live in a volatile world. Were there to be a massive global shock, my government will always respond,” Mr Albanese told Sky News. The news comes as rumours of an end to the Iran war heat up, with the conflict being the key driver of high fuel prices. There is still no freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz - the key gateway for many ships carrying oil globally.It has seen electric vehicle uptake in Australia soar, with budget Chinese options like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Geely EX5 growing by more than 200 per cent between May and June 2026. Tesla experienced a record-breaking month in May, shifting 6433 units - its highest sales number since the Electric Vehicle Council started collecting data. The government will also increase the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to 16 cents per litre, with it being free since April. 

Chery’s isn’t slowing down on the new model launch front with a plugless hybrid variant of the popular Tiggo 7 mid-sized SUV breaking cover with global export all-but confirmed.The new variant has been sighted in China recently. This one is different from the others current sold in that it’s not a plug-in hybrid, nor a pure combustion version, but a regular hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) in that it charges itself.Motoring publication Car News China shared images from Chinese social media of the mid-sized SUV spotted in China and reports that its export for global markets is likely due to the “export-exclusive” interior design and badging.In China the Tiggo 7 is badged as the Tiggo 7 Plus, whereas this vehicle spotted here wears the same Tiggo 7 badging as Australian models, along with a “Hybrid” badge. As for the battery and powertrain, the Tiggo 7 HEV is expected to use a 5.1kWh battery. The images from Car News China show the battery positioned between the front and rear axles under the vehicle (as opposed to under the boot floor like many plugless hybrids).A motor producing up to 150kW will likely be paired with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine in a similar layout to the smaller Tiggo 4 HEV.Interestingly Chery says its HEV system has vehicle to load (V2L) capability allowing the SUV to power external appliances. The feature is normally only seen in pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles with larger high-voltage batteries.Chery also says the HEV will have longer pure electric driving range compared to other similar HEVs.Chery’s Australian Tiggo 7 line-up currently consists of the petrol variants and a 'Super Hybrid' PHEV version, meaning the new hybrid could fit well between them for customers wanting better fuel economy without having to plug in externally to charge.CarsGuide has contacted Chery Australia to confirm if and when the Tiggo 7 Hybrid will arrive locally, but the company has yet to respond.Pricing for the Tiggo 7 Hybrid would likely be more than the $29,990 drive away starting price of the petrol variant but  less than the $34,990 drive-away starting price for the Super Hybrid. The Tiggo 7 is Chery Australia's best selling model after the smaller Tiggo 4. Recently the brand revealed its its diesel-hybrid Stockman ute which will rival Ford's Ranger, Toyota's HiLux and the BYD Shark 6.

Chery has revealed its game-changing diesel plug-in hybrid ute will be called the Stockman when it lands in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year. The Chery Stockman, previously known as 'KP31', was confirmed today after the brand put a call out for names that prompted more than 20,000 submissions. The Stockman was one of nine names shortlisted among Bushwalker, Ironbark, Longreach, Mate, Orca and Outrider.Chery said the Stockman name reflects the capability, endurance and versatility of its first ute.The Stockman will join the Australian market as the first-ever PHEV diesel ute in what could shake-up the diesel-only dominant segment. It will also look to build on the work done by the BYD Shark 6 turbo-petrol PHEV, which has been one of the only few utes to experience sales growth in Australia over the past few months. The Stockman will be powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and electric motor duo said to produce substantial amounts of power and torque.Chery has claimed the ute will have a 1000kg payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity, matching much of its diesel-only competition Down Under. The brand has high expectations for its new ute model with Australian Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris telling CarsGuide earlier this year that it needs to be successful.“I believe that Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly-capable ute,” Harris said.“We are being a bit demanding. We want all of that diesel capability so that we can deliver what we say we want to deliver. But we also want the on-highway and the fuel efficiency benefits and the NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) benefits of having super hybrid at the same time.”Chery will reveal more details about the Stockman closer to its launch Down Under.

New mandatory national standards for vehicle safety in China have cracked down on battery safety in an effort to make battery fires a thing of the past.This will affect cars manufactured in China and subsequently exported to Australia. The new standards increase the requirements on safety equipment for high-voltage batteries fitted to both fully electric and hybrid vehicles.The new rules, according to Chinese state-backed media outlets, stipulate that high voltage batteries must have defined power on and off states, define allowable temperature ranges for high-voltage batteries and include a requirement for a ‘thermal event’ alarm that allows at least a five-minute warning prior to explosion.It also states smoke from batteries must not be able to harm vehicle occupants, and introduces a new impact test to ensure batteries can survive debris strikes, or the vehicle bottoming-out.There is a new safety requirement for fast charging, which requires an external short circuit test after 300 cycles to ensure the battery doesn’t ignite or explode after such rigorous energy exchange.It is worth noting that many electric vehicle batteries sold in Australia have already been tested to a higher standard, including batteries from the world’s largest manufacturer, China’s CATL.BYD also subjects its signature ‘Blade’ batteries to higher testing standards than the new national requirements, and the company uses a less volatile LFP chemistry.Experts quoted by Chinese state media say the new rules will continue to cause a consolidation of EV automakers as compliance costs for producing electric cars increase, and that the cost of batteries is expected to increase. The new safety rules are also expected to reduce insurance premiums and increase used car values, at least for Chinese consumers.The rules will have an impact in Australia, as over 34 per cent of new cars sold into our market are now manufactured in China (regardless of their brand) and many more still use batteries sourced from BYD or CATL even if they are sourced from another country.Other new Chinese regulations impacting the Australian market include the country recently banning sunken or concealed door handles and yoke-style steering wheels over safety concerns.The changes are visibly impacting many new Chinese cars headed to our market in the coming 12 months, with many updated or facelifted models complying with the new rules by featuring traditional door handles. There has also been an increase in physical buttons and control dials in many upcoming cars as both Chinese and European regulators look to crack down on key vehicle functions being touchscreen-based in the near future.The local safety body, ANCAP, is expected to follow suit with European regulations, which it broadly follows, although the organisation told CarsGuide earlier this year that it regularly monitored safety developments in other countries from which Australian new cars are sourced. It updates its policies on a three-year cycle.The news will no doubt come as an additional peace of mind for a wave of new car buyers looking to make the switch to fully electric or hybrid vehicles for the frist time, although increasing insurance costs for many new brands in Australia are affected by multiple factors including confidence in service networks and parts availability, which for some new brands still sees increased premiums.