New Chery Tiggo V, the SUV that converts into a double-cab bakkie for SA!
What do South Africans love? SUVs and bakkies. What will they love even more? An SUV that converts into a double cab! Chery aims to please with the new Tiggo V that does just that. We flew to Beijing for the China Auto Show and Chery International Business Summit to bring you all the details on its local release.
SA-bound Tiggo V unveiled at 2026 China Auto Show in Beijing
The love affair South Africans have with bakkies and SUVs is so passionate that even the loveliest sedans on the planet don't stop here anymore. Instead, versatile vehicles like the new Chery Tiggo V are likely to attract thousands of new buyers.
The Tiggo V made its global debut at the Beijing Auto China 2026, and we also saw it on display at the Chery International Business Summit in Wuhu, where we had the opportunity to get comfortable inside it, though we weren't allowed to take any photos. We were also told that the Tiggo V nameplate hasn't been 100% confirmed either.
What exactly is the Tiggo V?
Chery says it's a multi-functional seven-seater that "redefines versatility". This isn't your typical SUV; Chery calls it "the first transformable multifunctional family SUV in the Tiggo family, but with a scenario-driven product concept."
In short, it's a family SUV that can perform triple duty. Modern car buyers are scaling down, and many households are now making do with just one car. The Tiggo V aims to fulfil the needs of everyone in the family.
One SUV, three options: SUV, MPV, and double-cab bakkie
What makes the modular Tiggo V special is that it can be used for multiple applications thanks to its removable rear shell. The Tiggo offers three options:
1. SUV mode
Business as usual; you're driving kids to school and sports events, viewing game in the Kruger Park, or doing your weekly grocery shop.
2. MPV mode
This means seven seats up to bring along the grandparents or friends, or you can use it as a camp-mobile, with a 'bed mode' for sleeping or resting, but this is nothing new; we've been doing it in Isuzu mu-Xs for years (unless it also adjusts interior ambient lighting, plays soothing background music/sounds or keeps air-conditioning active throughout the night, like some other Chinese SUVs). But just having a flat, comfortable surface for a good night's rest is always a pleasure, and you save megabucks on accommodation.
3. Pickup mode (The Chery bakkie conversion)
This is where you can go all out and remove the rear cover and the third-row seats, converting the Tiggo V into a bakkie with up to 600 litres of cargo space (a speculated figure) and a 500 kg payload capacity. Unbraked towing is likely rated at 750 kg, making it ideal for light weekend work. You're not going to be moving any large cupboards to your neighbour's new city apartment, but it will come in handy when you're fetching gardening supplies from Builder's Warehouse.
In other Chery news: iCaur brand charges into SA
But as they say, that's not all: Chery also mentioned a "6=1" layout that included a variety of seating/camping/general utility configurations.
Potential Chery Tiggo V engines
Considering what's available in the rest of the Chery lineup, South Africa will likely get two proven powerplant options, though more details will be released closer to the local launch.
We might receive the well-known 1.6 or 2.0-litre TGDI turbocharged engine, or perhaps the PHEV (CSH Super Hybrid): 1.5T petrol + electric motor (with up to 455 kW/920 Nm, and 1000+ km of range). Plug-in hybrids are becoming increasingly popular as fuel prices fluctuate widely.
These are already confirmed for overseas markets.
Wondering about fuel efficiency in a Chery NEV? We went on a road trip to see how much fuel we could save.
Is the Tiggo V a hardcore 4x4 or a soft-roader?
The Tiggo V will probably be suited mostly to light off-road adventures. Without a ladder-frame chassis, we're not talking Ford Everest or Fortuner 4x4 capability here.
Suspension will likely be coil-sprung at the back, while traditional bakkies are usually fitted with leaf springs, underscoring that the V is more comfort-seeking soft-roader than Chuck Norris rock-crawler.
At over 5 000 mm long with a 2 800 mm wheelbase, the Tiggo V could have a maximum wading depth of up to 700 mm in the PHEV version, if we get it, while the ICE version may cross rivers and streams up to 650mm deep. Yet again, we're still mostly playing a guessing game, as sub-Saharan Africans (and their requirements) are an entirely different kettle of fish! (For example, we thought we were getting the Himla, but now we're getting something tougher, codenamed the KP31.)
Thinking about something more traditional? The Tiggo 7 arrived in April '26.
Experiencing the Tiggo V first-hand at Chery HQ in Wuhu
At the Chery International Business Summit, the SA media were ushered into a secluded boardroom at a specific time slot, but we had to hand in our phones at the door to prevent any spy shots of the Tiggo V's interior. (It was here that I wished I were wearing a pair of video/audio smart-glasses!)
There were a few other upcoming Chery models on display, including the upcoming Tiggo X flagship, but it was still sealed shut, with the windows darkly tinted. There were other Chery models too, including a smaller (than the recently updated Tiggo 4 Pro), edgier crossover that looked like it could be the mechanical twin to the Cyber-mecha-inspired Omoda C4.
What's the Tiggo V like inside?
We explored the impressively spacious cabin of the Tiggo V, replete with its 42 storage spaces, N95 air filtration, and a very family-focused layout. It is properly suave and sophisticated, with switchgear that looks unlike anything else in the local lineup. The Tiggo V opts for a more squared-off, horizontal interior layout over the usual rounded, flowing lines. It’s a welcome shift, especially since so many Chery Tiggo cabins have started to look indistinguishable from one another.
The second row reclines and slides generously, providing easy access to the back and actual legroom for adults, unless they're pro basketball players, of course. In short, occupants will have all the mod-cons they require, and then some.
How quickly does the Tiggo V go from SUV to double-cab bakkie?
There were various Chery representatives on hand, and I managed to extract some information, but there was a bit of a language barrier, so there are still some uncertainties about how easy or quick the conversion from SUV to bakkie will really be.
The rear body is engineered to transform without needing an entirely new chassis. In pickup mode, the rear supposedly uses a quick‑detach barrier structure that converts the SUV into a pickup‑style load bay, while keeping the front cabin intact.
It doesn’t look like a simple 20‑minute Saturday‑morning driveway job, though, and the conversion will likely be handled at dealerships; one South African dealer even suggested offering a number of free conversions per year, so exactly how this will roll out is still a bit of a question mark.
One representative reckoned that, if you know what you’re doing and you’ve got the right tools, you could pull off the conversion in about 45 minutes on your own, while other sources insist it’s more of a two‑person endeavour.
There was no Tiggo V converted into a bakkie on display, but the presentation at the Beijing Auto China show included images and video, which we captured and then rendered with AI. These visuals are in line with Chery’s own concept renderings and various other in-the-metal spy shots of the SUV‑to‑bakkie transformation.
Chery is betting big on this SUV-double-cab-combo, and South Africans might just fall in love with the idea. Will Chery get the price right, though? Judging by the cost‑effectiveness of their various other models, we reckon they will.
This is one to watch, and we will be updating this article as more information becomes available. The Tiggo V is expected to launch in South Africa in the fourth quarter of '26.
