China’s leading car exporter, Chery Group, is showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to launching new sub-brands. The latest addition to its growing portfolio is ‘Lepas’, which officially came to life in October last year. According to Chery, Lepas is designed for the “next-gen urban elites with a focus on family lifestyles.”
The name ‘Lepas’ is a creative blend of the words “leap” and “passion”, symbolizing a balance of energy, elegance, and excitement. Whether that resonates with buyers is up for debate — but the intention is clear: to deliver a stylish and dynamic new brand experience.
Fast forward to now, and Lepas has just reached a major milestone — its first-ever production model, the Lepas L8 SUV, has officially rolled off the assembly line.
While Chery has yet to release full specifications, the Lepas L8 looks quite similar to the Chery Tiggo 8 Plus, which launched in China in July of last year. If the similarities run more than skin-deep, the L8 might share the same mechanical setup.
To recap, the Tiggo 8 Plus is a D-segment SUV available in both 5- and 7-seater configurations. It measures 4,715 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width, 1,745 mm in height, and rides on a 2,710 mm wheelbase. Under the hood, it offers two turbocharged petrol engine options: a 1.6-litre producing 194 horsepower and 290 Nm, and a 2.0-litre delivering 251 horsepower and 390 Nm. These engines are paired with either a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) or an 8-speed automatic, both sending power to the front wheels.
Interestingly, reports from Chinese media suggest that the Lepas L8 will also be available with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options alongside the regular internal combustion engines (ICE). It’s likely that it could borrow the PHEV system used in the Jaecoo J7.
What’s even more notable is Chery’s intention to make Lepas an export-driven brand, following the footsteps of its other offshoots like Omoda and Jaecoo. Priority markets for Lepas reportedly include the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia — including ASEAN countries.
We expect more details about the Lepas L8 to surface later this week during the Auto Shanghai 2025 event. Until then, what are your thoughts on yet another Chery sub-brand making its way to the global stage? Would you like to see the Lepas L8 arrive in your local showroom soon? Let us know what you think!
