diff --git a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.spec.ts b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.spec.ts
index 62c07b1389b2b37cffffe9e509728da6a229e794..d41d3e6cad3571631b8350d3372d09609a9edc05 100644
--- a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.spec.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ describe('modules/manager/cargo/range', () => {
     expect(getRangeStrategy(config)).toBe('widen');
   });
 
-  it('defaults to bump', () => {
+  it('defaults to update-lockfile', () => {
     const config: RangeConfig = {
       rangeStrategy: 'auto',
       currentValue: '1.0.0',
     };
-    expect(getRangeStrategy(config)).toBe('bump');
+    expect(getRangeStrategy(config)).toBe('update-lockfile');
   });
 });
diff --git a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.ts b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.ts
index a04628d55c127d2c3a2c139ac258c435ea5fcfe5..fbfe99da61a6f7f9c3bb7d2bac492ba9b65707d3 100644
--- a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/range.ts
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ export function getRangeStrategy({
   if (currentValue?.includes('<')) {
     return 'widen';
   }
-  return 'bump';
+  return 'update-lockfile';
 }
diff --git a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/readme.md b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/readme.md
index 46195044aebb2a2e3e8e779d9b88540c89855441..94baa4638720b7343c409a42a307307e0a95fce0 100644
--- a/lib/modules/manager/cargo/readme.md
+++ b/lib/modules/manager/cargo/readme.md
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ Extracts dependencies from `Cargo.toml` files, and also updates `Cargo.lock` fil
 When using the default rangeStrategy=auto:
 
 - If a "less than" instruction is found (e.g. `<2`) then `rangeStrategy=widen` will be selected,
-- Otherwise, `rangeStrategy=bump` will be selected.
+- Otherwise, `rangeStrategy=update-lockfile` will be selected.
+
+The `update-lockfile` default means that most upgrades will update `Cargo.lock` files without the need to change the value in `Cargo.toml`.
 
 ### Private Modules Authentication