Chery ute to be called Stockman

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Chery’s new plug-in, diesel-hybrid ute will be called Stockman.

If the name sounds familiar, you’re right. It was the name of a small Suzuki 4×4 ute that was sold here close to 30 years ago.

Guess Suzuki had no further plans for the name, or simply forgot to file the paperwork to prevent anyone else from using it.

Chery staged a competition to name the forthcoming utility to which more than 20,000 people responded.

Stockman emerged from a shortlist of eight possible names that included Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate.

The name, submitted by a Victorian man, received more than 25 per cent of votes cast by more than 12,000 Australians during the public voting phase.

Winner, Steve Kodikara, will receive the first Stockman planned for delivery in Australia as the prize for the winning entry.

Chery said Stockman evoked the resilience, dependability and hard-working spirit of Australia’s stockmen — characteristics that it believes define its first ute.

Obviously, the name Jackaroo was already taken, as it was once used by GM-H for its Isuzu-based 4×4 wagon, produced from 1998-2002.

It must have kept up the paperwork. LOL.

Chery ute to be called Stockman

Kodikara described the stockman as Australia’s original workhorse, someone able to navigate challenging terrain, overcome obstacles and earn trust through reliability and perseverance.

He drew parallels between that spirit and Chery’s ute, which combines traditional capability with next-generation technology.

“I’m incredibly honoured that Stockman was chosen from the thousands of entries submitted to title Chery’s new ute,” he said.

“I felt the name captured the spirit of Australia’s original workhorse and everything a ute should represent: reliability, capability and resilience. I’m glad it resonated with Australians, and I’m thrilled to see it become part of Chery’s story.”

Stockman will be Chery’s first ute and the nation’s first diesel-hybrid plug-in (PHEV) ute, combining diesel power with advanced plug-in hybrid technology.

Foton already produces a diesel-hybrid ute called Tunland, but it’s not a PHEV.

BYD’s Shark is a petrol-hybrid.

The ute. previewed as the KP31, is due in showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2026, with further details, including pricing and specification to be revealed closer to launch.

Suzuki Australia’s Michael Pachota is apparently flattered by Chery’s choice of Stockman.

“As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” he said.

“While others may adopt the name, its place in Australian automotive history will always be closely linked with Suzuki.”