Chery has filed patent designs for a new compact crossover ute based on an upcoming unibody SUV, with registrations confirmed in South Africa, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Key Details:
- The vehicle is described as a “crossover pick-up” that merges an enclosed passenger cabin with an open or semi-enclosed rear cargo deck, featuring angular fenders and C-pillar-mounted door handles
- If launched in Australia, it would slot below the Chery Stockman dual-cab ute (arriving later in 2026) and create a new market niche, as unibody utes are extremely rare in Australia since the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore were discontinued
- The model is expected to follow Chery’s typical formula using the T1X platform with turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines, and likely offer hybrid or plug-in hybrid options
- Unibody utes are common in Latin America and were once prevalent in South Africa, while competitor BYD is also planning to launch a unibody ute
- Chery’s chief engineer confirmed the brand is exploring both body-on-frame and unibody designs globally, citing Ford’s successful Maverick unibody pickup as inspiration
Why It Matters: This represents Chery’s expansion into new vehicle niches and signals potential future product diversity for the Australian market, though no official confirmation for local launch has been announced yet.
Source: carscoops.com, cars.co.za