Chery’s new ute to tackle HiLux, Ranger and the brand new wave of Chinese language pickups
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CarExpert has been given an early preview of Chery’s first dual-cab ute Down Beneath, a mannequin being developed collectively between Australia and China forward of a neighborhood launch anticipated late subsequent 12 months.
Carefully associated to China’s Rely KP3X (one other model beneath the Chery umbrella), the car will journey on a brand new ladder-frame platform and is designed to compete head-on with phase leaders just like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
It can additionally face a fast-growing checklist of Chinese language rivals, together with the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon and Cannon Alpha, JAC T9, LDV T60 and Terron 9, and the not too long ago launched MG U9.
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Chery Australia chief working officer Lucas Harris informed CarExpert the challenge has concerned Australian enter from the outset, with native tuning and validation work deliberate to begin earlier than manufacturing begins.
“For the ute that’s been developed at the moment, it’s very a lot a joint effort between Australia and China, and I feel we’ll be the primary two markets to get that new [model] from a quantity perspective,” Mr Harris mentioned.
CarExpert believes the ute can be out there within the Chinese language market with petrol, diesel, petrol plug-in hybrid and diesel plug-in hybrid powertrains, making it one of the vital numerous powertrain lineups within the phase.
At this stage, there are robust indications that Australia will go for the diesel plug-in hybrid possibility, combining the pulling energy of a diesel engine with the effectivity of a hybrid.
Anticipated to ship a 3.5-tonne braked towing capability and a circa one-tonne payload, the Chery will line up squarely in opposition to Australia’s best-selling utes in each work and life-style configurations.
Mr Harris mentioned the ute can be one of many firm’s most vital automobiles for Australia, describing it as central to the model’s subsequent part of development.
“If we’re not attempting to do 1000 a month in that vast phase, then why carry one?” he mentioned.
CarExpert believes the mannequin will launch first in China earlier than reaching Australian showrooms late in 2026, with pricing and specs to be revealed nearer to launch.
If it hits its 1000-a-month goal, the brand new ute may rapidly turn into one in all Chery’s core fashions — and its first true rival to Australia’s best-known workhorses.
Chinese language vs Non-Chinese language Ute Gross sales (Jan–Oct 2025)
| Origin | Ute gross sales (Jan–Oct 2025) | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| China | 32,084 | 17.1% |
| Different | 155,360 | 82.9% |
| Complete ute market | 187,444 | 100% |
fashions account for roughly one in six utes bought in Australia this 12 months up to now, a exceptional footprint in what’s historically the nation’s most conservative phase.
A desk of ute gross sales 12 months up to now (Jan-Oct 2025) is beneath, with the choices from China bolded for context.
| Rank | Ute Mannequin | Jan–Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Ranger | 46,452 |
| 2 | Toyota HiLux | 45,257 |
| 3 | Isuzu D-Max | 22,615 |
| 4 | Mitsubishi Triton | 15,795 |
| 5 | BYD Shark 6 | 15,181 |
| 6 | Mazda BT-50 | 12,410 |
| 7 | GWM Cannon | 8249 |
| 8 | Nissan Navara | 6539 |
| 9 | Volkswagen Amarok | 4649 |
| 10 | LDV T60 | 3699 |
| 11 | Chevrolet Silverado | 3126 |
| 12 | RAM 1500 | 2321 |
| 13 | GWM Cannon Alpha | 2053 |
| 14 | JAC T9 | 1362 |
| 15 | Ram 2500 | 448 |
| 16 | LDV Terron 9 | 399 |
| 17 | MG U9 | 141 |
| 18 | Ram 3500 | 12 |
MORE: Discover the Chery showroom
