A Chery ute to rival the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux is earmarked for Australia, but it may not be this Himla pick-up revealed in China.
Chery may use the Rely name for its first ute in Australia – aimed at the top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux dual-cabs – skipping the Himla badge for local showrooms.
The Chinese car maker has long signalled its intention to introduce a ute in Australia, and last year confirmed rumours of a HiLux rival when it showed the Chery KP11 concept.
A production version of the concept was revealed at the Shanghai motor show last week (above), looking near-identical to the concept.
However, it is yet to be confirmed for Australia – and it is instead believed Chery will introduce a different, yet-to-be-seen pick-up to Australian showrooms.
Chery is yet to formally outline its ute plans for Australia, but one possibility is the car maker will introduce a ute under a revived Rely brand for pick-ups, announced in China in the lead-up to the Shanghai show.
Plug-in hybrid power is a possibility – in lieu of turbo-diesel propulsion – to challenge the BYD Shark 6 PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) currently sold in Australia, as well as the Ford Ranger PHEV due in showrooms in mid-2025.
Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris told Drive in September 2024 the arrival of a dual-cab in showrooms is contingent on the success of the brand locally.
If Rely is sold in Australia – and becomes its own brand, rather than a Chery model – it would bring the number of brands sold by the Chinese car giant in local showrooms to five, alongside Chery, Jaecoo, Omoda and the yet-to-be-locked-in Jetour.
In March 2025 Chery told Drive its Jetour brand is ‘highly likely’ for Australia, which could see it bring a range of hybrid and petrol-powered SUVs here to challenge the Toyota RAV4, GWM Tank 300 and Hyundai Santa Fe.
A new record of 12,603 sales in Australia was posted in 2024, smashing the brand’s 2023 result – its first full calendar year on sale since relaunching in Australia – by 114 per cent.
Chery Australia’s sales in the first three months of 2025 were up 216.6 per cent on its 2024 record – the biggest increase of any brand – led by the Tiggo 4 Pro small SUV launched in late 2024 as a rival to the MG ZS and Hyundai Venue.
