Since Chery returned to the South African market in 2021, the brand — alongside a wave of other Chinese automakers — has rapidly asserted itself locally. A string of affordable, well-equipped offerings has helped Chery carve out a meaningful slice of market share, and the next chapter of that story is a bakkie: the Himla.
The Himla is scheduled to land in South Africa in 2026, and while pricing hasn't been confirmed, Chery's track record suggests it'll arrive sharply priced to undercut established rivals. We were given early access to a near-production version at Chery's home base in Wuhu, China, to see what local buyers can expect.
Design
Standout exterior features include 18-inch alloy wheels, a bold front grille stamped with the Chery name, LED headlights with integrated daytime running lights, and a rubberised load bed as standard. The styling is contemporary without being shouty — closer in spirit to the GWM P-Series than the more aggressive BYD Shark 6.
Rivals
When it lands, the Himla will go head-to-head with the segment heavyweights — the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max — while also squaring up against fellow Chinese challengers like the GWM P-Series and BYD Shark 6.
Interior
Inside, the cabin leans modern: a two-tone treatment, a large central infotainment screen and a fully digital instrument cluster. Chery confirmed that the units we saw and drove are very close to what the production version will look like, so this is a fair preview rather than a concept tease.
Powertrain
Chery representatives at the Wuhu unveiling indicated that the South African version is likely to be powered by a 2.5-litre turbodiesel. Globally, the Himla will also be offered in petrol hybrid, diesel hybrid and full-electric forms, though local availability of those variants will depend on market demand.
How does it drive?
We drove left-hand-drive double cab versions in both automatic and manual guise, fitted with a slightly smaller 2.3-litre engine than the unit expected for South Africa. The eight-speed automatic and six-speed manual both send power through a selectable rear- or four-wheel-drive system.
Of the two, the manual impressed us more — shifts were clean and the power delivery between gears felt more linear and predictable than in the auto, which occasionally felt hesitant. It's worth stressing that these were pre-production units on Chinese roads, so final calibration for SA could shift the picture meaningfully.
Spec, pricing and aftersales
Official specifications and pricing have yet to be confirmed and will be released closer to the local launch in 2026. Based on Chery's pricing strategy with the Tiggo range, expect the Himla to undercut the Hilux and Ranger while offering a longer standard kit list.
First impressions
It's too early to call a winner — this was a pre-production drive on foreign roads, and final SA-spec cars could feel quite different. But the fundamentals are promising: the styling is grown-up, the cabin feels a generation ahead of where Chinese bakkies were even three years ago, and the manual drivetrain showed real promise. If Chery prices the Himla as aggressively as it has the Tiggo SUVs, the Hilux and Ranger will have a genuine new contender to worry about. We'll reserve full judgement for the local launch in 2026.
Looking at a bakkie in the meantime? There are thousands listed on Gumtree right now — browse Cars & Bakkies to see what's available in your area.
