Chery has announced that it will launch its offshoot Lepas brand into the Australian market in 2026, GoAuto News has reported.
According to the report, it will bring with it a “new generation of bold, design-led SUVs that blend passion with practicality and speak to drivers seeking more than just functionality”.
Launched globally earlier this year, Lepas is said to combine the words ‘leap’ and ‘passion’ in an attempt to target a youthful audience. It will join a suite of Chery brands that include Aiqar, Exeed, Exlantix, Himla, iCar, Jaecoo, Jetour, Kaiyi, Karry, Luxeed, Omoda, Rely, and others.
While the Chinese importer has not confirmed which models it intends to offer locally, supplied images of the L8 mid-sized SUV suggest that model is the first cab off the rank.
The Lepas L8 is said to offer leopard-like aesthetics with sleek styling and innovative lighting signatures that target “next-generation urban elites”. It debuted in April this year and has made its way into select markets in Africa, Asia, and Russia, with more to come.
The manufacturer told GoAuto News that it hopes to sell into a total of 45 countries by the end of 2027.
The 2026 Lepas L8 is available with internal combustion (a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol), plug-in hybrid, and battery electric drivelines, though it is unclear which of these options will be offered in Australia.
Lepas said earlier that it plans to offer five other models across its range within three years and aims to sell 500,000 units globally by 2028.
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