Chery provided a first official taste of its Himla bakkie at a wet and muddy test facility in Wuhu, China.
The Chery Himla is set to arrive in South Africa before the end of 2026. It is still not known whether or not it will use the same moniker in Mzansi. The same bakkie has been marketed in its home country as the Rely R08 since June.
The Citizen Motoring‘s short drive was done at low speed and only involved the slush fest course comprising a number of tight turns, slow straights and a few crests.
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2.5-litre turbodiesel engine
The left-hand drive Himlas present, apart from the Chery specific grille and branding inside, also receives a bigger engine of which nothing is presently known. While the Rely makes do with a 2.3-litre turbodiesel pumping out 120kW/420Nm, identification stickers on the Himla identified the powerunit as a new 2.5-litre unit.
From what could be established, the engine is also paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox similar to the 2.3-litre. It also features a low range transfer case as part of the part-time four-wheel drive system.
Known internally as the KP11, the Himla rides on a newly developed body-on-frame platform and not a unibody as previously reported.
Chery Himla very comfortable
The latter seemingly being reserved for the still unknown KP31, the short drive involved a number of surprises both power and comfort-wise. Despite the lingering presence of the usual Chinese vehicle throttle calibration quirks, the delay isn’t as annoying as on other non-electrified offerings. This means significantly better response and no scrambling of the transmission to find the correct gear.
Along with a steering that strikes an almost perfect balance between heavy and light, comfort is extremely high. Given its foundation and leaf spring rear suspension, the ride drew parallels with that of the Ford Ranger.
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A waiting game
Noticeable though was the lack of the Himla “hitting through” on the course. Or rebounding awkwardly from the admittedly anything but daunting crests. Although far from the ride setup provided by a Ford Ranger Raptor or even a Toyota Hilux GR Sport, comfort is likely to be the Himla’s possible main drawing card. But it remains to be seen how its suspension will be tuned for South Africa.
As is stands, details about the Himla’s dimensions, the engine’s output, ground clearance and tow ratings are all unknown. More details will only be announced next year, which will include final pricing local Chery representatives have remain tight-lipped on.
*Charl Bosch is in China as a guest of Chery South Africa
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