Chery's new double cab - what you need to know

South Africans love their bakkies; there's no denying that. When there's news of a new release or an update, tongues wag, and the fan bases light their torches. We saw this unfurl when we posted some snaps of a rather attractive Chery double cab concept on a recent trip to China.

Related: New Horizons for Chery at Beijing Auto Show 2024

Our trip saw us get up close and personal with a few new Chery products that we can look forward to seeing released in South Africa in the months to come. These included refreshed variants of the existing Chery range and a few new models to look forward to. In addition to the vehicle showcase, their display allowed us to interact with their robotic and AI efforts. A humanoid robot named Mornine can converse with you and provide you with information, while Argos, the Chery-developed robotic dog, provides companionship and entertainment. These efforts help illustrate how Chery is more than just an automobile manufacturer; it invests in future technology.

The KP11 double cab concept

As the South African contingent arrived at the exposition, our attention was instantly drawn to the blazing blue familiar figure of a double cab. Outfitted with a roof rack and accessory mounts, the double cab, dubbed the KP11 Concept, was kitted out with outdoor shower, a rooftop tent, an extendable side awning, and a meaty set of BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres.

The dark window tint and unpainted black plastic trim pieces around the wheel arches, rear bumper, and window trims offset the rich, blue paintwork. Up front, a large, octagonal grille in gunmetal grey sported a rather bold Chery logo with slimline, angular LED DRLs set off to either side. Slightly lower in the bumper were the main beams and foglamps, while around the rear, LED combination lamps reminded us of the GWM P-Series offerings. 

This concept drew much attention, and visitors to the display were asked to complete a survey offering various choices in design and features. This sort of research seemed popular at the exposition, with the visitors being polled for their preferences across multiple products.

It's worth noting that as this is an early concept offering, there was no mention of intended power and drivetrain, nor was an example of an interior offered (which explains the limo-tint windows). Nevertheless, the KP11 is an attractive double cab LCV proposition that has the looks to compete with South Africa's best-selling Hilux and Ranger.

Chery bakkie for South Africa?

There's both good and bad news here. Currently, the production version of the KP11 will not be offered in South Africa. Chery is not yet ready to take on the highly competitive, premium double cab market in South Africa. This is the closest we will get to it - for now.

The good news is that a double cab offering is planned for South Africa, and we can expect to see it late next year or early in 2026 (coincidentally, when we anticipate the new Toyota Hilux to be launched). According to the South African Chery representatives, this will not be a direct competitor for the Ranger and Hilux and may capture a segment of the market that has largely been ignored for the last few years: that of the half-tonner segment.

While testing some of Chery's new NEVs, we were surveyed on the usage and requirements for such a vehicle - a light-duty double cab offering that may include a modular configuration, combining the best crossover and LCV practicality. If you are familiar with the doomed Renault Oroch plans, then you will have some idea of what this vehicle will be about.

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to photograph the concept sketches but rest assured that this proposed offering is striking and modern. We anticipate this new bakkie will be based on the existing Tiggo 7 platform.