Chery’s new bakkie finally gets a name and a launch date in South Africa

After months of waiting and anticipation, Chery has finally announced that its new bakkie will arrive in South Africa in the first quarter of 2027, and it will be called the Grootman.

The new vehicle, previously referred to as the KP31, is an upcoming double-cab pickup truck that was unveiled back in February 2026.

It is set to become Chery’s first bakkie in South Africa, marking the Chinese brand’s debut into the country’s most fiercely contested segment.

However, the model has lacked a dedicated name until now, as Chery instead elected to host a public voting competition to give motorists the chance to submit their own ideas on what it should be called.

In Australia, this competition led to the name “Stockman,” which was chosen from a list of finalists that included other labels like the Orca, Terra, Outrider, Ridgeback, Ironbark, Longreach, Bushwalker, and Mate.

Chery opened a similar competition in South Africa this August, which received over 20,000 submissions and led to a list of six finalists, including:

• BAKKIE
• BRAHMAN
• CHIEF
• GROOTMAN
• NDUNA
• ORCA

Now, the automaker has confirmed that “Grootman” was the winning entry, meaning we can expect to see the new Chery Grootman in showrooms early next year.

“Rooted in Afrikaans and literally meaning “big man”, Grootman has become a familiar South African expression of respect. It describes someone who has earned their standing through experience, achievement and the way they take responsibility,” said the company.

“At a family gathering or around a business table, the Grootman is someone whose opinion matters and who can be relied on when a decision needs to be made, or a problem needs solving.”

Chery said that the name is meant to encapsulate a vehicle that an owner uses to build a business and represents both the dependability those owners need and the sense of achievement a new bakkie can represent.

“Chery brings its Chinese heritage and global engineering expertise to this bakkie, and we wanted South Africans to have a hand in shaping its identity here,” said Jay Jay Botes, General Manager for Chery South Africa.

“Grootman is a word people use with respect, often for someone who has worked hard to get where they are and can be counted on. Having South Africans choose it makes the name particularly meaningful, and we recognise that it comes with expectations we will have to live up to.”

The vehicle itself is a plug-in hybrid, built on a dedicated platform, which pairs a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor and a four-wheel-drive system.

It has a combined output of 350kW and 800Nm, which will make it South Africa’s most powerful bakkie when it goes on sale in 2027.

For reference, this title is currently held by the BYD Shark 6 Performance, which has the same power reading of 350kW, but less torque at 700Nm.

Chery confirmed that the Grootman will have an electric range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, or 85km on the WLTP cycle more commonly used in South Africa.

It can tow up to 3,500kg, and has a load bin measuring 1,560mm long, 1,560mm wide, and 500mm high. Ground clearance clocks in at 230mm when the bakkie is fully loaded.

The pickup also supports vehicle-to-load charging, meaning the battery can be used to power external devices such as tools or camping appliances.

More information on the Grootman, such as its final specifications, pricing, and model selection, will be announced closer to launch.