SA-bound Chery Himla bakkie officially unveiled

The new Chery Himla double-cab bakkie has been unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2025 and looks likely to launch in South Africa in 2026. Here’s what we know so far…

Yes, Chery is officially entering the cut-throat bakkie segment. Meet the new Chery Himla, the Chinese brand’s 1st real stab at a modern double-cab pick-up and a model that is confirmed for South Africa.

Unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2025, the Himla is effectively the production version of the “KP11” concept we saw in Wuhu in October 2024. As we reported then, Chery’s box-fresh bakkie is scheduled to launch in Mzansi either late in 2025 or (perhaps more likely) in 2026.

The new Chery Himla features a body-on-frame construction and will take on everything from the segment sales leaders (think Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max) to fellow Chinese contenders like the GWM P-Series and Foton Tunland G7.

While confirmed details – and even official press images – are unfortunately still exceedingly thin on the ground, Australian publication carsales.com.au reports that the new Himla will be available with a fresh “Chery-developed” turbodiesel engine.

In addition, some form of hybrid powertrain is likely on the cards, with a fully electric option mentioned, too. Furthermore, a turbopetrol motor seems a sure bet for certain countries. Of course, considering the make-up of Mzansi’s bakkie segment, we’d expect the turbodiesel to be 1st choice for our market.

So, why did Chery decide on the “Himla” badge? Well, the Chinese firm says the nameplate was – under the tagline of “Master the Terrain” – inspired by the Himalayas, the famous mountain range that includes Mount Everest. The word is also an acronym for High performance, Innovation, Multifunctional, Longevity and All-terrain.

The Himla on display at Auto Shanghai 2025 stood on black 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in chunky rubber. Inside, the cabin was dominated by a large, centrally positioned infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster.

It’s not yet clear whether Chery will offer its new bakkie exclusively in double-cab form or whether the single-cab body style is also part of its plans. Look out for more technical details on the new Chery Himla as they become available…