New Models / 13 May 2026 / Michael Taylor

New 7-seater Chery SUV bakkie coming to South Africa – Photos

Chery’s newest car is an SUV that can be converted to a 7-seater MPV or a double-cab bakkie, and it’s coming to South Africa.

TopAuto recently travelled with iCAUR to attend the 2026 Beijing Auto Show in China, where we got to see all of the Chery Group’s upcoming models.

This includes the new iCAUR V27, the Omoda C4, Jaecoo J8, and Lepas L6; all of which have been confirmed for South Africa.

Not to be outdone by its sub-brands, Chery also showcased two new cars tailored for very different audiences.

The first is the Chery Q, an electric hatchback that is set to compete in South Africa’s entry-level EV market against models like the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf.

If EVs aren’t your thing, you’ll be pleased to know that Chery also has a new “bakkie” in the pipeline, called the Tiggo V.

Is it a bakkie? An SUV? Both!

The Tiggo V is arguably the most unusual car the Chinese automaker has unveiled to date, as it is an SUV with a modular design where the rear shell can be removed to suit a variety of needs.

The keyword here is “versatile”, which also explains the name Tiggo V. Yes, it is called the “V” and not “5” as some may initially assume, given that Chery’s other cars are called the Tiggo 4, 7, and 8.

The default V is an SUV with styling that doesn’t stray far from what we’ve come to expect from Chery’s cars, with slim LED headlights, and a large grille with bold CHERY lettering on the front.

The overall shape is more angular and boxy than something like the Tiggo 8, which makes sense given this car’s dual nature.

The automaker describes the Tiggo V as a “transformable multifunctional family SUV,” because it can feature up to seven seats, hence the MPV designation.

AutoTrader, which travelled to the event with Chery, reported that the seven-seater version includes a ‘bed mode’ where the rear seats can be folded flat for sleeping, ideal for short camping trips.

Alternatively, you can remove the rear cover and third-row seats entirely, effectively turning the Tiggo V into a double-cab bakkie with a load bed.

We saw the Tiggo V on two occasions in China. The first was at the Beijing Auto Show, and the other was at a Chery exhibition at the carmaker’s headquarters in Wuhu.

In both cases, the vehicle was displayed in SUV form, but we also happened to stumble across the bakkie version in a car park outside the exhibition hall.

The load bed is obviously not as big as the one on a full-fledged pickup like the Ford Ranger, but it should still prove useful for owners grabbing supplies for a DIY project at home.

Chery hasn’t revealed the powertrain selection for the Tiggo V, but, based on the direction Chery, Omoda, and Jaecoo are going, it’s fair to assume it will feature both an internal combustion engine (ICE), and a plug-in hybrid option.

Pricing is another unknown factor, so it’s currently unclear where the V will slot in Chery’s Tiggo family when it arrives in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2026.