Yin Tongyue says Freelander 8 to launch in Australia and New Zealand
Chery chairman Yin Tongyue said freelander will be introduced to Australia and New Zealand, with the Freelander 8 set to lead the rollout. The brand is planned as an independent network, not a Land Rover dealer offer.
Yin told Australian media at a round table event: "The Freelander will be introduced to Australia and New Zealand." He also addressed dealer rumours directly: "It will be an independent [brand]. It will have an independent network."
Freelander 8 at Beijing
The Freelander 8 was unveiled at the Beijing motor show and is on sale in China in the second half of 2026. Chery had previously only said the model would be produced in right-hand drive, and right-hand drive production is tipped to begin as soon as early 2027.
The plan gives the brand a clearer path into two right-hand-drive markets. A source said Chery will separate its brands and sell, service and maintain Freelander through its own dealers, including in New Zealand.
Independent dealer network
The dealer plan also answers one of the sharper questions around the brand. Yin dismissed rumours that the Freelander 8 would be sold through Land Rover dealers, and said the brand would instead use its own network.
That matters because Freelander was created as part of a joint venture between Chery and Land Rover, yet Chery is now mapping it as a separate sales and service line. The brand will join Lepas and Jetour in using its own dealers in small markets such as New Zealand.
What Freelander 8 brings
Chery says the first Freelander is a mid-to-large six-seat SUV alternative to the hybrid Toyota Kluger. It will not be offered with pure-combustion engines and will be available only with pure-electric power or Chery's latest range-extender hybrid.
The vehicle will use 800-volt electrics for ultra-fast DC charging, while the EREV version can handle a peak charge of up to 360kW. The Freelander 8 also features an electronic limited-slip differential, height-adjustable dual-chamber air suspension, a BMW iX3-style curved screen, a large central floating infotainment display, physical switches, a large rotary dial and a 2+2+2 seating configuration with Chery's zero-gravity seats in the second row.
Freelander is the first of six SUVs planned over the next five years, and the Australia-New Zealand launch gives Chery a right-hand-drive test for the new brand. Buyers in those markets now have a clearer read on where the model will be sold and how it will be serviced.
