Chery has considered an SUV using the ladder-frame architecture developed for its Grootman double-cab pickup, according to the model’s chief product manager, Mark Qi, speaking to Australian media. The company says the platform is capable of supporting an SUV, and Qi described such a project as feasible. However, Chery has not confirmed development of a Grootman-based rival to the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest or Isuzu MU-X. Pricing is among the factors still to be assessed.
The Grootman, called Stockman in Australia, is due to reach South Africa in the first quarter of 2027. Local pricing has not been announced; the article estimates it could be around R1 million, in line with the BYD Shark 6. The pickup is initially planned with a diesel plug-in hybrid system combining a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine, an electric motor and a 34 kWh LFP battery. Chery quotes combined output of 350 kW and 800 Nm, with an electric-only WLTP range of 96 km. A petrol plug-in hybrid version is also confirmed for 2027.
The pickup is 5,450 mm long, 2,010 mm wide and 1,890 mm tall, with a 3,250 mm wheelbase and 247 mm of ground clearance. Its load bed measures 1,560 mm by 1,560 mm by 500 mm and has a 765 kg payload. These figures describe the pickup; Chery has not provided specifications for a possible SUV.