Chery, it seems, is quietly rewriting the compact pickup rulebook — and this time it's borrowing straight from Ford's Maverick playbook. Not a heavy body-on-frame truck, but a lighter machine with crossover manners and a modest cargo bed. Patent images have already leaked online, and the debut, according to Tarantas News' assessment, could land within the next 12 months.
The concept points to a four-door dual-cab ute with a short bed and unmistakably SUV-flavored styling. The patents reveal a full-width LED light bar up front, a large Chery badge, chunky plastic body cladding, protective trim, and an almost vertical tailgate. The brand clearly isn't chasing tradespeople and farmers here — it's after buyers who want one vehicle that can handle city driving, weekend trips, and the occasional hauling job.
And here's where it gets genuinely interesting. The pickup is expected to ride on the unibody T1X platform rather than a traditional frame. That means less off-road “toughness,” but better comfort, handling, and fuel economy. The rear suspension will likely be independent. The lineup could include turbocharged 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gas engines making up to 208 hp, while the headline variant is expected to be a Chery CSH plug-in hybrid system pairing a 1.5-liter turbo with up to 90 km of electric range.
That puts Chery in the same lane as the Ford Maverick, Fiat Toro, Chevrolet Montana, Ram Rampage, VW Tukan, and Toyota's upcoming Corolla Cross-based pickup. And the Maverick itself has already proven a compact pickup can double as a family car in the US: the 2026 hybrid gained all-wheel drive as an option, while the starting price climbed to $29,840.
Chery hasn't confirmed the project officially. But if these patents really do lead to a production vehicle, this won't be a toy-sized pickup — it'll be a genuine attempt to make a cargo bed part of the mainstream SUV market.
