Freelander 8 detailed ahead of 2027 Australian launch as JLR-Chery brand outlines PHEV and off-road credentials

A revived name returns as its own brand, with Australia in the first wave

Freelander has detailed the engineering, cabin equipment and off-road hardware of its first SUV, the Freelander 8, ahead of the JLR-Chery brand's Australian launch during 2027. CarExpert reports the detail was presented at a event in China, where the brand named Australia and New Zealand as priority markets in its right-hand-drive rollout. Australian pricing, servicing and warranty details, final local specifications and a precise arrival date have yet to be announced. ¹

The Freelander name originated with the Land Rover Freelander launched in 1997 and discontinued when the Discovery Sport replaced it in 2015. RACQ notes the revived nameplate is now positioned as a standalone premium, technology-focused SUV brand, similar to JLR's 'House of Brands' approach with Range Rover, Defender and Discovery, with no Land Rover or Chery badges on the vehicles. JLR owns the name and leads design through a dedicated hub in Shanghai, while Chery supplies the underlying technology. Production takes place at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, China, where the first Freelander 8 left the line on July 30, 2026, according to 4X4 Australia. ¹⁵³

Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao outlined a rollout beginning with the United Arab Emirates and other left-hand-drive markets, followed by right-hand-drive markets prioritising Australia and New Zealand, with continental Europe and then the UK and Ireland later in the plan, CarExpert reports. 4X4 Australia adds that the brand plans six models over five years, will sell through established dealerships in Australia and New Zealand with dealer appointments to be announced, and notes the Freelander 8 has gone on sale in China with more than 10,000 pre-orders within 48 hours. ¹³

Plug-in hybrid powertrain figures for the international version

The international plug-in hybrid version pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine developed for hybrid applications with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system. Chery R&D Centre chief engineer Antonio Maresca quoted peak power of 460kW and torque of 662Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.8 seconds, CarExpert reports. The engine has a 14:1 compression ratio and claimed thermal efficiency of 45.95 per cent. CarExpert notes these figures apply to the international left-hand-drive version and provide only a guide, with Australian specification still to be confirmed. ¹

A 34.12kWh lithium iron phosphate battery provides a claimed electric-only range of at least 110km on the WLTC cycle, with combined petrol and electric range quoted at at least 886km, and DC charging from 20 to 80 per cent claimed to take 20 minutes or less, according to the CarExpert report. The publication notes these figures differ from those previously reported for the Chinese-market extended-range electric version. Chasing Cars separately reports that in China the only current choice is an extended-range powertrain using a 60.3kWh battery, dual motors, a 115kW 1.5-litre generator and an 800V electrical system enabling 350kW DC charging, with Chinese-market combined output reportedly 610kW and 813Nm. It cautions Australian specifications may differ. ¹⁴

Dimensions, seating and a screen-heavy cabin with physical controls

The international Freelander 8 measures 5118mm long, 2050mm wide and 1926mm tall on a 3040mm wheelbase, which CarExpert notes makes it 83mm longer, 54mm wider and 44mm lower than a Land Rover Defender 110 on an 18mm longer wheelbase. Chasing Cars also compares it with the Land Rover Discovery, which it lists at 4956mm long, and reports the Freelander 8 weighs a reported 2980kg against the Discovery's 2367kg. Five- and six-seat configurations were displayed, with Ms Mao describing the event as the first public showing of the five-seat layout. ¹⁴

Inside, CarExpert details a 46.3-inch Mini LED full-width dashboard display measuring 1.2 metres across with 8K resolution and a claimed 1000-nit peak brightness, alongside a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and seven physical buttons plus two programmable ones. Hardware includes a Qualcomm SA8295P automotive processor and a large-language-model voice assistant. Other equipment includes a Harman Kardon system with up to 23 speakers, a 17.3-inch rear ceiling entertainment screen, a 10-litre refrigerator able to cool to between minus 6 and 8 degrees Celsius, and second-row 'zero-gravity' seats with leg rests and a 10-point massage function. Ms Mao said the third row was designed to accommodate adults and is ventilated. ¹

Design chief Phil Simmons, who worked on the original Freelander at JLR, said the SUV retains references to the original including its triangular rear-quarter window, interlocking headlight shapes and twin raised bonnet sections, CarExpert reports. RACQ, reporting from the vehicle's Beijing motor show appearance, quoted Simmons describing a 'clean, confident design paired with genuinely useful technology' and noted the Land Rover 'castle body' design language in the exterior. ¹⁵

Off-road hardware and claimed capability figures

The Freelander 8 uses dual-chamber air suspension with continuously controlled damping, able to raise the body by 70mm or lower it by 50mm, with maximum ground clearance quoted at 266mm. Its terrain management system offers nine modes - seven terrain programs, a smart mode and an expert mode - with a virtual centre differential lock and an electronic limited-slip differential in the traction hardware, CarExpert reports. Braking hardware includes six-piston fixed front calipers and 404mm ventilated discs. ¹

Freelander quotes a maximum 800mm cross-axle articulation test result, 240mm of wheel travel, 35-degree slope climbing ability and a maximum wading depth of 900mm, with a radar-based water-depth measuring system displayed on the central screen, according to CarExpert. A Chery Group press release distributed via Yahoo Finance describes the same capability figures under the relevant test conditions, notes the suspension has completed 15,000 durability compression tests, and adds the capabilities are subject to the vehicle's operating limits and appropriate driving conditions. ¹²

Global validation programme and what remains unconfirmed for Australia

Freelander's validation programme involved more than 1000 test vehicles across more than 50 road types worldwide, with more than 200 vehicles dedicated to all-terrain durability covering a combined 2.15 million kilometres, per the Chery Group press release. Testing spanned deserts, gravel, rocky terrain, steep inclines, water crossings and paved roads, plus 12 hours of extreme rain testing, and included cold-weather work in Northern Europe alongside Middle East development conditions. CarExpert separately quotes Mr Maresca citing testing in Northern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and notes Australian roads form part of the programme. The press release also repeats the internal stationary air-conditioning test cited by CarExpert, in which temperature at the driver's head position fell by about 33 degrees Celsius within 10 minutes after two hours in the sun. ²¹

The international model is presented with more than 30 driver assistance functions including adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, plus a surround-view system with a 'transparent chassis' view and automatic, remote and supervised parking functions, CarExpert reports. Australian availability of these features, final variant equipment lists, pricing and launch timing all remain to be confirmed. Chasing Cars reports Chinese-market pricing equivalent to AU$66,570 to AU$85,900 and suggests an Australian price around $100,000, while clearly framing that as its own estimate rather than an announced figure. ¹⁴