Chery Stockman platform was designed to accommodate an SUV, but nothing is confirmed
Chery's Stockman chief product manager says the new ladder-frame ute platform can support a three-row SUV and multiple powertrains, while stopping short of confirming an SUV programme. The diesel plug-in hybrid ute itself remains on track for Australian deliveries in February 2027.
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SUV considered from the start, but not confirmed
The Chery Stockman ute could provide the basis for a three-row SUV, with the model's chief product manager confirming an SUV was considered from the start of the platform's development. Speaking to CarExpert and other Australian media in China, Stockman chief product manager Mark Qi said: "When we designed the platform, we already considered an SUV." However, he stopped short of confirming an SUV was being developed alongside the ute. "That isn't clear now. We know this platform has the capability to develop an SUV as well. That is easy, but there are many other things: the brand, the price and so on," he said. Neither an SUV production programme nor an Australian launch has been confirmed. CarExpert's report was also published by 7News, which carried the article with permission. 13
Qi was also asked whether a three-row SUV could use the Stockman's diesel plug-in hybrid technology. "That isn't certain now. It depends on the brand and which markets the SUV would be for, and whether it would use diesel PHEV, petrol PHEV or something else," he said. "What I can tell you is that the platform can support petrol PHEV, diesel PHEV and conventional diesel ICE. For pickups in Mexico or the GCC, for example, some people also like petrol. The platform can support that." 13
A familiar route to a large off-road SUV
The Stockman uses a ladder-frame chassis, giving Chery a starting point for the type of ute-derived SUV already familiar to Australian buyers. The Ford Everest shares its underpinnings with the Ranger, while the Isuzu MU-X is related to the D-Max. CarExpert notes the market for such vehicles is substantial: in the first nine months of 2026, Ford delivered 16,203 Everests, Toyota delivered 15,665 Prados and Isuzu delivered 10,556 MU-Xs in Australia. 1
Diesel remains central to that part of the market. The Everest and MU-X offer conventional turbo-diesel engines, while the Prado combines a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. None currently offers a plug-in hybrid powertrain in Australia, according to CarExpert. Among Chinese brands, GWM competes in this class with its Tank 500 Hi4-T petrol plug-in hybrid, but that version has five seats, with its larger battery taking the space used by the third row in the diesel variant. 1
The Stockman itself: specifications still preliminary
The Stockman ute is scheduled to reach Australian customers in February 2027. Its preliminary Australian specifications list a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid system producing a combined 350kW of power and 800Nm of torque, with a 34kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. The diesel PHEV ute has a listed braked towing capacity of 3495kg, low-range four-wheel drive, and front, centre and rear differential locks. 4X4 Australia's overview adds a claimed electric driving range of up to 96km on the WLTP cycle, more than 247mm of ground clearance and an 80-litre fuel tank, while noting that some figures including GVM, GCM and kerb weight remain indicative and could change before the Stock reaches showrooms. 15
A petrol PHEV Stockman is also due in the second half of 2027, with announced outputs of 395kW and 1000Nm. It will use coil-spring rear suspension, while the diesel PHEV has leaf springs. Qi reaffirmed the February 2027 timing during the same interview: "Yes. We have discussed it with our Australian team. For now, the target is still February next year. In February, we will deliver the Stockman in Australia." 1
Milestones from concept to local testing
The vehicle was previewed as the KP31 Concept in February 2026, which 4X4 Australia describes as billed as the world's first plug-in hybrid diesel ute, with a production dual cab then due in the fourth quarter of that year. A public naming competition followed, with the Stockman name confirmed in June 2026 after more than 20,000 entries; the winning entrant, Victorian Steve Kodikara, is set to receive the first example to arrive in Australia. Chery opened online reservations on October 1, 2026, with early customers offered a $2,000 Bunnings gift card and three years or 45,000km of complimentary scheduled servicing until official sales commence, subject to terms and conditions. Australian pricing and final model grades have not been announced. 5
Local preparation is underway. Chery enlisted Melbourne-based engineering firm Premcar to test and validate the Stockman's ride and handling across Australian conditions, from urban streets to remote off-road tracks, and 4X4 Australia reports Australian-owned Ironman 4X4 is developing an accessory range including bull bars, canopies, roof racks and a 50mm suspension lift, with Ironman matching Chery's seven-year manufacturer warranty on accessories ordered with the ute. Chery Australia's own news page confirms both the reservation programme opening and the Ironman 4X4 partnership in October 2026. 52
Strategic context for Chery in Australia
The Stockman is Chery Australia's first ute and a significant part of the brand's push up the local sales charts. In a separate CarExpert report in September 2026, Chery Motor Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris pointed to incoming product as he dismissed a one-month slip out of the top 10: "Don't forget some of the product that's about to launch in the very near future, which I think is going to change Chery's position in the market again." The Stockman will line up against the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux as well as Chinese rivals including the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon and Cannon Alpha, LDV T60 and Terron 9, and MG U9. 4
Whether a Stockman-based SUV follows remains an open question that only Chery can resolve. For now, the confirmed facts are the February 2027 diesel PHEV launch, the second-half 2027 petrol PHEV variant, and a platform its chief product manager says could support a three-row SUV with a choice of petrol PHEV, diesel PHEV or conventional diesel power — with brand, price and target markets cited as the factors still to be settled. 1
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Why these labels?Chery Stockman ute could spawn a Ford Everest-rivalling SUV
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Cited in 7 paragraphs: SUV considered from the start, but not confirmed; A familiar route to a large off-road SUV; The Stockman itself: specifications still preliminary; Strategic context for Chery in Australia.
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- Chery shrugs off Geely surge as Stockman ute, other new ...News publisherSource extract saved
Why these labels?Chery shrugs off Geely surge as Stockman ute, other new ...
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