Freelander 8 revealed: Chery-JLR brand confirms global SUV launch with Australian testing

At a private event after the 2026 Beijing motor show, the new Freelander brand launched by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has revealed its first production model.

It’s called the Freelander 8, and it’s the first of six new SUVs the joint venture has confirmed will arrive over the next five years. Every model in the new Freelander lineup will be an SUV.

The brand has also confirmed three international variants from launch: left-hand drive, right-hand drive, and a dedicated European specification. All three will be built on a single global architecture, which Freelander says has been engineered to meet every major regulatory standard from day one.

That approach extends to the launch itself. Freelander has confirmed it’ll hold a synchronised worldwide launch rather than starting in China and rolling out abroad later, which is the typical pattern for Chinese brands.

There are currently 1000 prototype vehicles being prepared for testing across the world, and Freelander has confirmed Australian roads are part of that program.

It’s a strong signal the right-hand drive Freelander 8 is being calibrated for our market, although local timing hasn’t yet been confirmed.

The Freelander 8 is a mid-to-large six-seat SUV that rides on an 800V electrical architecture. It’ll be offered with plug-in hybrid, electric and extended-range electric powertrains.

The extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant uses CATL’s new Freevoy battery, which is 6C-capable and supports peak DC charging of 360kW.

On the off-road side, the Freelander 8 features a rear electronic limited-slip differential paired with a virtual centre lock, and dual-chamber air suspension. The setup is designed to deliver proper off-road capability without the weight or complexity of mechanical lockers.

Headline features include 8000-pixel projection headlights, and a class-leading sensor package that includes Huawei’s 896-line LiDAR. The Freelander 8 will be the world’s first all-terrain SUV to launch with Huawei’s next-generation Qiankun ADS 4.1 driver assistance system.

The exterior carries clear visual links to the original Freelander, including the distinctive triangular rear three-quarter window. Inside, a dashboard-spanning curved screen is paired with physical switches and a rotary console controller.

While the interior is yet to be fully revealed, the production prototype on stage at the event showed a pillar-to-pillar screen, plus a floating infotainment system central to the cabin.

Importantly, Freelander operates as an independent brand. It sits outside JLR’s portfolio of Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar, and it’s separate from Chery’s portfolio of Chery, Exeed, Omoda Jaecoo, iCar, Lepas and Luxeed. There’s no Land Rover badge anywhere on the vehicle.

Production of the Freelander 8 will take place at the Chery-JLR plant in Changshu, near Shanghai, where the final petrol-powered Range Rover Evoque rolled off the line just hours before the brand was first revealed in March 2026.

China sales begin in the second half of 2026. Right-hand drive markets, including the United Kingdom and likely Australia, are next on the list. The Middle East has been confirmed as the brand’s first launch market.