Freelander 8 Shown as Five-Seater, Europe Comes Later

Freelander 8 Five-Seater Debuts in China: 610 kW Range-Extender SUV, Europe in Phase Three

The revived Freelander brand, a joint venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, has shown its first model, the Freelander 8, in five-seat form for the first time. The large SUV appeared at the 2026 Chery International User Summit in Wuhu, China, alongside the six-seat version that was already known.

Key takeaways

The Freelander 8 is a 5.1-metre SUV, now offered with two rows and five seats as well as three rows and six seats.

A 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine works as a generator for two electric motors with a combined 610 kW (829 PS).

It has a 60.3 kWh battery, an 800-volt system and up to 221 km of electric range on the WLTP cycle.

Europe comes in the third phase of the roll-out, starting with Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain; no dates yet.

A new brand, not a Land Rover

Freelander is now a standalone brand, separate from JLR's Range Rover, Defender and Discovery, and its cars will not be sold through Land Rover dealers. JLR chief executive PB Balaji described the split: "From a design perspective, we'll take ownership of it, but thereafter in terms of engineering, manufacturing and of course selling it, it's Chery's car."

All Freelander models are built at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, China. The name itself is familiar in Europe from the original Land Rover Freelander, sold from 1997.

Powertrain and key facts

The Freelander 8 is a range-extender: the petrol engine is not connected to the wheels and mainly charges the battery.

Parameter	Value
Length	5,118 mm
Seats	5 or 6
Range extender	1.5-litre turbo petrol, 105 kW (143 PS)
Electric motors	Front 360 kW (490 PS), rear 250 kW (340 PS)
System output	610 kW (829 PS), 813 Nm
0-100 km/h	4.6 s
Battery	60.3 kWh, 800 V
DC charging	Up to 350 kW, 20 to 80 % in 12 min
Electric range	221 km WLTP, 310 km CLTC

The off-road system was developed with Huawei and uses three locking differentials, and Chinese cars get air suspension and rear-wheel steering of up to 10 degrees. The dashboard is a 46.3-inch display that runs almost the full width of the cabin.

When will it reach Europe?

Freelander plans a phased roll-out. The Middle East and North Africa come first, starting with the United Arab Emirates, followed by right-hand-drive markets such as Australia and New Zealand. Europe is the third phase, beginning with Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain, with the UK and Ireland after that.

"Market entry dates, product specifications and sales arrangements will be announced individually as local plans progress," the brand said. European prices and specifications have not been announced. In Europe the Freelander 8 would compete with large premium SUVs such as the Land Rover Defender, which is shorter by about 350 mm.