Articles by Chris Thompson

Chery’s International boss confirmed a local research and development centre is in the works for Australia. Chery International President Zhang Guibing noted that Australian-based engineers would help the brand tune its cars to better suit local conditions. Zhang said an R&D centre is planned, and even suggested one of Chery’s sub-brands could be headquartered in Australia in the future. “We will create an R&D center in Australia,” he confirmed. “We will use more local labor to really teach Chery because we are far Australia. “The habits, the road conditions, the weather is a big difference. Even now… maybe in the future we are also different.” The move to build an R&D centre in Australia would make Chery an on-paper leader in localisation in terms of its Chinese compatriots, with GWM also employing a local ride and handling expert in former Holden guru Rob Trubiani. Chery earlier this year confirmed it would build an R&D centre in Millbrook in the UK, though given the emphasis Zhang places on Australia, it seems an Aussie localisation program will teach the brand plenty about getting ahead in the brutally competitive new-car market. The announcement goes against the brand’s local arm saying last year that local ride and handling work is ‘irrelevant’ because much of the tech in Chery’s cars is too new for local experience to tune. “I think as long as we have the intelligent and educated input, whether we do that work in China or Europe or North America is irrelevant,” Chery’s local Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris said in late 2025. To further cement Australia’s importance in the eyes of Chery’s top brass, Zhang suggested Sydney or Melbourne as potential locations for one of Chery’s sub-brands’ international operations to be headquartered in future. Chery currently has several global sub-brands: Jetour, Exlantix, Lepas, Luxeed, iCaur, Freelander and finally Omoda and Jaecoo, with the latter often paired together. This came alongside the acknowledgement that many have suggested London as a possible headquarters for Jaecoo’s international arm. He also noted the Stockman, Chery's upcoming ute, will launch in Australia before any other market, including China. Zhang also said Chery’s sub-brands in Australia wouldn’t all be based in the same city, ideally. “Some of the brands, the headquarters maybe put in Sydney. Some of the brand we put not in Sydney, in other cities… Melbourne.” He outlined that even in Wuhu, the plan is for Chery’s sub-brands to at least have their own buildings and spaces to develop and engineer their vehicles, despite the regularly shared engineering and tech across the Chery group. Mr Zhang’s approach is to try and tailor the staff on each brand to best understand the intended audience of the brand by being closer to that demographic where possible. “Actually, the team, the people, the different R&D department people is completely separated. “Because we want this brand from R&D and later the sales the, marketing, the people really is the same customer group of the brand. “Even the building, the design is also a very strong link with the customer feeling. So this is our main decision.  “Even for me, I don't participate. Because I think I'm not the customer group. So if sometimes I make too many decisions, it’s wrong.  “So I will leave more power to the different brand groups. So they will make their own decisions on how to really make the customer happy, because they understand the customers.”

Of the many events and reveals at the 2026 Chery International User Summit, Omoda/Jaecoo’s evening drew one of the larger crowds. It was the setting for the unveiling of the 2026 Omoda X concept, a rugged-looking SUV that will spawn a production car, though not much is known about it just yet. Measuring 4650mm long, 1910mm wide and 1720mm tall, the Omoda X isn’t far in size from a Toyota RAV4, though its off-road lean suggests an aim perhaps more at the likes of the Subaru Forester. But the Omoda X is also a platform to show off some tech the Chery sub-brand has been working on, like an “infrared thermal imaging night-vision system” and a drive mode selection system called ‘X-Mode’, which Subaru may take issue with. The brand confirmed along with plug-in hybrid and battery electric drivetrains, there will also be an option of all-wheel or two-wheel drive setups. The off-road chops of the Omoda X are apparent in the all-terrain rubber it wears on its 19-inch alloys, its apparent 200mm of ground clearance and its claimed wading depth of at least 700mm. The roof has the capacity to be loaded with up to 75kg of weight, and an 1800kg braked towing capacity opens decent possibilities for hauling adventure gear on a trailer. A “Mecha Command Cockpit” inside with a 10.25-inch digital driver display screen and 13.2-inch multimedia touchscreen are paired with physical controls for climate control and drive settings - a rare but useful move from Omoda. While nothing is confirmed for Australia yet, the brand’s local CCO has made a statement as part of a local press release that states further details of the Omoda X are set to be revealed at a later date. "It’s exciting to see the innovative products coming from our global headquarters, and the reveal of the Omoda X marks another significant step forward for the brand", said Roy Munoz, Omoda Jaecoo Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer. "Combining a futuristic, rugged design with groundbreaking technology, including a thermal imaging camera, the Omoda X demonstrates our commitment to challenging conventions and pushing the boundaries of what customers can expect from a modern vehicle."

Chery has launched Luxeed, a new global sub-brand that is a high-end luxury brand already present in China. Luxeed International CEO Shawn Xu confirmed some details to CarsGuide. The first model to launch for the brand will be the 2027 Luxeed LLounge - the extra L not a typo, but instead meant to represent the brand’s name, and pronounced as the letter ‘L’ before the word ‘Lounge’. It’s a high-end luxury electric people-mover, and it’ll be followed by an electric performance SUV called the Luxeed Stormax, sold as the Luxeed RX in China. The Luxeed LLounge (or Luxeed Luxeed-Lounge?) will arrive mid-year, with Australian testing to take place between now and then, though local specs and pricing haven’t been confirmed. Called the Luxeed V9 in China, the international version features dual-chamber air suspension, a road preview system and is certified for motion sickness reduction by TUV Rheinland. It’s almost 5.4 metres long, but its rear-wheel steering means it has a turning circle of just 5.35m. Rotating welcome seats with zero gravity mode, a 33-speaker sound system and even adjustable privacy glass to block “99.6 per cent” of light makes it stand out as a luxury van. Mr Xu also told us dedicated Luxeed dealers will handle sales of the LLounge from launch, with the potential for partnerships with other premium brand dealers on the cards. The Stormax, which is more of a mystery in terms of features for now, will follow the LLounge at some stage. Luxeed confirmed on the night its intention as a driver-focused model, with a 3.8-second sprint to 100km/h and a 251km/h top speed. Importantly, the brand’s collaboration with Chinese phone maker Huawei won’t extend to its international models. “For international models, there’s not any relation with Huawei,” Mr Xu told journalists after the presentation. “Not any for the hardware or the software.” Dropping Huawei allows the brand to avoid limitations to connectivity and capability after the phone brand’s hardware was banned from implementation in Australia’s 5G networks in 2018.

Chery’s International User Summit in its home city of Wuhu, China, has resulted in many surprises thanks to its many, many sub-brands, but the Chery brand’s own reveal night proved one of the more surprising. Beyond the AI-generated videos shown to attendees and the Chery-owning families who had been flown in to chat on stage in front of the crowd talkshow-style, the brand revealed two new models - an allegedly all-new 2027 Chery Tiggo 7 mid-size SUV, and a rugged version dubbed X7. As sure as we are it’s raised a few eyebrows at BMW HQ, the Chery Tiggo X7 also raised eyebrows in the theatre chosen as the venue for the event - it looks more like a (smaller) budget rival to the Toyota Prado or Land Rover Defender than the Toyota RAV4 it normally aims for. Little tangible information about tech or spec was given in the presentation, and the X7 currently has only a ‘coming soon’ page on the brand’s international website, but the model is apparently intended for a global audience, which means Australia should be on the cards given our importance to the brand. Chances are it will be available with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and with the brand’s renewed interiors all seeming to get an upward move in terms of premium vibes, the new Tiggo 7 and X7 could easily cost a little more than the current hybrid model’s near $30,000 starting point before on-roads. Alongside the X7, the new Tiggo 7 was dubbed ‘all new’ but looks remarkably similar to the car it’s set to replace. Noticeable changes include tweaks to the front-end where the panels flank the now-recognisable Tiggo grille, a new LED headlight signature, and a new lower-lip shape. Inside, the interior step-up includes more premium features like massage seats and footrests, though an exhaustive list of changes hasn’t been published at the time of writing. It’s also unclear what exactly will power the Tiggo 7 (or its X7 sibling), given Chery’s move towards electrification. The current Tiggo 7 is available with a non-hybrid turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine or with a plug-in hybrid variant, also using a 1.5-litre turbo engine but with an electric motor drawing from an 18.3kWh battery. It’s unclear if petrol-only will remain an option for the cut-price RAV4 rival, but given Chery’s currently testing a new hybrid system with a 5kWh battery, it’s possible the end of Chery’s petrol-era is in sight.

The 2027 Chery Stockman is already locked-in for Australia with just about all the specifications confirmed aside from the price. During the 2026 Chery International User Summit, Australian media were given a chance to examine the Stockman by its Chief of Product Mark Qi. For a look beyond the numbers at the incoming ute, he gave media a run-down of the engineering and design choices made for the plug-in hybrid diesel ute. As a quick refresher, the Stockman is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with 350kW and 800Nm outputs. A 34kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery is able to be charged at up to 70kW on DC and when full allows an EV driving range of up to 96km under WLTP testing. It has an 80-litre fuel tank for diesel, an unusual choice of fuel for a plug-in hybrid. It’s got a 3495kg braked towing capacity, just short of the 3500kg many utes are benchmarked at. Chery Stockman Chief of Product Mark Qi said the intention with the Stockman was to capitalise on the popularity of ‘boxy’ design of modern utes while also incorporating references to traditional Chinese design. The round headlights and the layout of the LEDs were chosen as a reference to Chinese traditional wooden architecture elements, he told media. The front bumper is designed so that when it’s removed to be replaced with a bullbar or nudge-bar, it looks better-integrated with the front-end. There are fixed points for mounting across the car, flanking the bonnet for spotlights or in the tray for mounting storage elements or other accoutrements. There’s a surprising amount of small details that speak to the engineers having spent a fair bit of time around utes and knowing what kind of things the people who drive utes might need in their vehicles. The tailgate, for example, has a way to be fixed half-open to allow dirtbikes for example to be transported while helping prevent them rolling out. Inside, the combination of practicality and play is on display - there’s a removable bluetooth speaker mounted in the dash for camping or barbecues, while the rear seats can be folded up for more floor space for tall objects or down to provide a flat surface for wider objects. The big question around the Stockman’s unusual diesel PHEV running gear is the potential for diesel particulate filter (DPF) issues if the engine is not always running and therefore not hot enough to regenerate or ‘burn off’ the trapped carbon build-up. Rather than avoiding the engine being used too much, the system lets the engine run as it needs to and collects the energy expelled to improve efficiency and power where needed. This means the Stockman’s system won’t avoid using the engine especially when it’s time for the DPF to be regenerated. To do this, the ute’s P1 electric motor mounted to the crankshaft can help get the engine to a state where regeneration is possible. “The P1 motor can very quickly help the engine to a good speed,” Mark Qi said. He also pointed out the engine’s ability to charge the battery means on the highway in particular, the engine can run a DPF regeneration at the same time it’s charging the battery. In addition, the engine in the Stockman won’t stop-start the same way petrol engines do in PHEVs. Instead the engine will run longer if it’s required to turn on, and use the time it runs to charge the battery. The 2027 Chery Stockman will launch in Australia first, before China, South Africa, South America or any other ute-loving market in the world. To this end, the Stockman’s Australian testing has been undertaken by local ride and handling experts Premcar to ensure suitable behaviour on and off the road. Mark Qi told media the first major round of feedback and adjustments have been undertaken and now the brand is awaiting feedback on the improved version of the ute before it’s signed off. The launch is expected for February 2027, so the amount of time Chery has for more adjustments is narrowing, but the engineering team seems confident the launch date won’t move. The importance of Australia was also on display at Chery’s global HQ with a Stockman decked out in Ironman 4X4 equipment parked on the lawn alongside numerous new and modified models from Chery’s many sub-brands.

Chery’s most ‘fun-focused’ sub-brand iCaur is firmly focused on the SUV market in its global strategy, as the brand’s CEO ruled out the idea of a ute or a car for the foreseeable future. It is a surprising move considering the number of new brands lining-up to have a crack at the ute market. An iCaur ute to rival the BYD Shark 6, possibly borrowing the platform and/or elements from the upcoming Chery Stockman, seemed within reason, but iCaur International CEO Ronna Luo poured cold water on that idea. “We don’t have any pick-up or truck in the plan,” she said. Luo said the iCaur brand will stay within the SUV market for now, pointing out that a ‘crossover’-style car is probably the smallest the brand would venture in terms of stature. The Chery Stockman will run a diesel-hybrid set-up, but Luo shut-down the idea of a diesel-powered iCaur existing at all. iCaur CTO Ma Yongdong added that a properly rugged SUV to rival the likes of the Prado or Ford Everest is also out of the question for now. “I think we would not go in that direction,” she said. “I think we focus more on the city… your everyday driving.” The Chery sub-brand is one of the smaller in terms of line-up compared to its cousins, and the three are very closely related in terms of their style and purpose. iCaur’s executives emphasised not only the brand’s intended buyers but also its approach when it comes to product identity. “With our products, the spirit is young at heart, not age,” said Chery Automobile Vice President Dr Su Jun, who oversees product design, brand building and operations for iCaur. “Maybe several years later you can see the whole family of iCaur and see what we make is at core for people young at heart.” The V23, which serves as the brand’s entry model, is to some extent a small SUV aimed at younger buyers as displayed by several customer stories at the brand’s evening presentation during Chery’s International User Summit in its hometown of Wuhu, China. Luo also suggested when the V23 (likely) arrives in Australia, it’ll have already undergone an update since its initial launch. Luo also presented the V25 in its public debut, set to arrive in Australia first, while the larger V27 joined its smaller siblings on stage. Rather than introduce more models across segments, iCaur has taken a step to seemingly avoid its three models becoming stale. The move to offer a range of customisation options that allow owners to essentially design a new version of the V23, V25 or V27 is set to be available worldwide, with Australia’s head of the iCaur brand Kate Gillis having already confirmed to CarsGuide the program will be available locally. To showcase this program to attendees at the Chery User Summit, Luo brought a modified version of each member of the brand’s stable on stage. The V23 was treated to a ‘G-Wagen-ification’ and dubbed the ‘Forge’, while the V25 copped a military green paint hue, an orange roof and some tough wheels along with the name ‘Game Changer’. The V27 went retro as the ‘Sun Roam’, with a ‘70s-style yellow paired with a white roof, white ‘steelie’ wheels and a new grille to look a little Land Rover. While the brand’s leaders are focused on launching their first three models across their many markets for now, there are more products in the pipeline. Though details and timing aren’t known, a room in iCaur’s section of Chery’s headquarters is kept behind closed doors and visitors must leave their phones and cameras outside. During the visit for the interview with the brand’s executive team, the cars in the room were under covers, though there were mentions of a ‘crossover’ vehicle that would resemble a raised car style with proportions closer to an SUV, rather than being a proper traditional ‘car’.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chery have confirmed the global plans for their joint-venture, the Freelander 8. The 2027 Freelander 8 has now been shown to international media in the global-market spec that will first make its way to the UAE, then to Australia and New Zealand, before it heads to Europe and the UK. The British-derived and Chinese-built model draws on the heritage of the original off-roading SUV from Land Rover, but is being developed and built in China with input from JLR. While not fundamentally different in many ways, the left-hand-drive (LHD) global specification features a 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine paired with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system instead of the 1.5-litre engine range-extender EV drivetrain in China. With specifications for right-hand markets yet to be confirmed, Australian details for the Freelander, including its price, will be confirmed closer to its launch date. Given the timing laid out by Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao, Australia should expect details of the model sometime ahead of its Australian launch, which will follow the UAE’s Q1 2027 launch. The Freelander 8’s LHD global drivetrain boasts a 460kW/662Nm output that allows the large SUV to hit 100km/h in a claimed 5.8 seconds. Clearly speed isn’t the goal, but the 110km electric-only driving range and its 886km total driving range with a fully charged battery and fuel tank (under CLTC testing) join what the brand calls a ‘world-first’ intelligent off-road system in a luxury adventure vehicle. Compatriot rivals like BYD and Geely have also used similar terms for describing their tech-forward off-road systems before. Its 34.12kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes or less according to Freelander, though again these specifications apply to the UAE with Australian details to be confirmed. Head of Freelander for Australia and New Zealand Kym Mellow spoke to international guests at the reveal of the global Freelander 8 in Wuhu, Chery’s home city in China. His short speech detailed two potential customers he spoke with about Freelander 8 who were looking for a more tech-forward off-roader. “They don’t want to give anything up,” Mellow said, “they want to keep the design and the capability they love and add the intelligence and comfort they’ve been missing.” The tech in the Freelander 8 is certainly a statement, with a huge 1.2-metre long 46.3-inch 8K LED screen and a 15.6-inch centre display in the front, as well as a 17.3-inch optional entertainment screen for rear passengers. Zero-gravity seat options, the choice of a five-seat or plush six-seat layout and the use of Nappa leather and real wood aim to make the cabin feel a step above other compatriot premium brands.

Nissan’s new local boss has outlined the direction the brand will take in the face of increasingly strict emissions regulations and changing market forces. Nissan’s Managing Director for Oceania Steve Milette says the first priority for new models won’t be to simply meet emissions targets, but to provide products that customers are asking for. The brand has just confirmed it will launch the (already expected) Nissan Navara Pro PHEV ute in 2027, there’s also a new-generation Nissan X-Trail on the way for 2027. The pressure is on for Nissan to sell more efficient cars to customers, too, as it reached the second-highest place for NVES (New Vehicle Emissions Standard) fines in 2025, an amount totalling $10,763,050. CarsGuide asked if there’s a path out of the NVES challenges facing the brand and if a refresh of the brand’s line-up is on the cards as part of that. “In terms of product introductions, yeah, yeah, for sure,” Milette told CarsGuide. “We have a pipeline, a robust pipeline.” “We can't talk about the details of those products, but all I can say is, it's going to be positive for us because the product resonates with the needs of Australians, and especially from a diversity of powertrain.  “Not just the vehicles themselves and the segments they play in, but the diversity of powertrains.” With the new X-Trail and the Navara Pro, Nissan isn’t confirming a move into any new (or previously served) segments, meaning passenger cars may still not be part of Nissan's plan. “There's some dominant segments: medium SUV, obviously. The utility market, the ute market, is huge. And traditionally, we've been, you know, we've been pretty strong at the SUV segments in general, like from smaller to to Patrol size,” Milette said. “And so I think for us, you can expect that we're going to be introducing products in the big segments that really are aligned with our history in terms of what we stand for, like very capable SUVs, very capable four by fours, innovative in terms of powertrains.  “That's where we're going.” This could point to the Nissan Terrano plug-in hybrid 4WD, and several electric and range-extender or plug-in hybrid SUVs from China, such as the NX7 and NX8. This would give Nissan an answer to the Denza B5 4WD and Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid. Nissan’s new addition to the X-Trail line-up, a more efficient front-wheel drive version of the e-Power hybrid system, could be considered a move in the right direction for its daunting NVES fines, but Milette says that wasn’t the primary reason for it. “Two-wheel-drive e-Power is a positive contributor to NVES, but its main purpose is to meet a need of the market,” Milette told CarsGuide. “I mean, 25 per cent of the sales in Australia so far this year are hybrid. Half of those are two-wheel drive, so we've only participated in half of that.  “So I think from a consumer preference, now we're in all of that segment.” “But from an NVES perspective, I think the north star is that as a brand we become self-sufficient… the portfolio that balances the negatives with the positives, if you will.” If Nissan sells more low-emission hybrids and electric cars, it will reduce the total amount of fines brought on by its ‘dirtier’ models like its Navara ute and its petrol SUVs. For reference, its second place ($10,763,050) in the 2025 list of brand fines saw it behind Mazda’s whopping $25,425,850 but well ahead of Subaru's $6,981,750. “But until we get there, we're well aware that we'll have to trade for credits, and there are published numbers. Like you saw, it was a public number in 2025.  “All I can say is that that's not the real cost.” Brands that find themselves with credits (likely through selling mostly EVs) rather than fines can agree to sell those credits to brands that have racked up fines, though Milette didn’t specify where those credits would come from. “For us, it's ‘what does the consumer want?’ We have a very powerful brand in Patrol as an example. If consumers want to buy Patrols, and they do, we're going to sell them Patrols. “No matter what the NVES impact there might be.”

XPeng is continuing to make moves both overseas and here, with a new model, likely destined for Australia, launching in its home market. Pre-orders for the 2026 Mona L05 SUV have opened in China, with the EV having been spied earlier this year testing on Australian roads. While the L05 is not locked in for Australia yet, the smaller Mona L03 is due to launch in Australia in 2027 and both have been testing together with evaluation in mind. In China, there will be full EV and range extender (EREV) powertrain options, the former being available in versions with driving ranges from 615km to 660km, the latter with a maximum combined range of 1310km thanks to a 37.2kWh battery. According to CarNewsChina the Mona L05 will launch from the equivalent of around A$36,400 in its home market, with prices reaching just north of A$41,000. Of course, that won’t translate directly to Australian pricing if the L05 does eventually land here. At 4870mm long, 1930mm wide, and 1636mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2940mm, the mid-size Mona L05 has a swoopy almost ‘breadvan’ rear shape and differentiates itself from the XPeng G6 by targeting a younger audience. It boasts a few key features like a 102L front-trunk to add to the 702L boot space, LEDs reminiscent of Volvo and Polestar’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ lights at the front, a 26.8-inch head-up display for the driver and a huge 17.3-inch touchscreen for rear passengers. The front seats get massage, heating, and ventilation functions while the front passenger gets a ‘zero-gravity’ mode.

BYD has launched a new EV at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, but it’s one Australians might find a little familiar. The BYD Atto 8 launched this week is an electric version of the 2026 BYD Sealion 8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) launched in Australia recently. Set to top the BYD range in Europe, the Atto 8/ Sealion 8 EV is the first in that market to feature cutting-edge ‘flash charging’. The new feature allows the large SUV to go from 10 per cent battery capacity to 97 per cent in just nine minutes, a feature yet to launch in Australia. BYD’s local arm told CarsGuide the Sealion 8 PHEV is, for now, the range-topper given how recently it launched, with no immediate plans to bring the EV version here. “We only launched Sealion 8 earlier this year and it’s ticking all the boxes for us at the moment so we’re not thinking too far ahead at this stage,” a BYD spokesperson said. The BYD Sealion 8 plug-in hybrid launched at the start of 2026 with a starting price of $56,990 before on-roads for its front-wheel drive base model, with a top-spec all-wheel drive grade at $70,990. In its home market of China, the Sealion 8 or Atto 8 is called the ‘BYD Tang L’ The base Atto 8 has a front-drive setup with 340kW and 365Nm, with a 115kWh battery and a WLTP range of 652km, while the top-spec AWD version has 570kW and 775Nm with a range of 602km but an impressive 0-100km/h sprint of 4.6 seconds. A huge 26-inch widescreen head-up display, a 15.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and a seven-seat layout with heating and cooling in the front two (outboard) rows join tri-zone climate control, dual wireless phone chargers, numerous USB-C ports and a front refrigerator/heating compartment. In each grade, the seat upholstery is all genuine leather. With “3000 stations to be installed across Europe by the end of 2027”, flash charging is about to become a much more common thing in the EU.  The system allows as much as 1500kW to juice the EV’s battery, in this case the Atto 8’s 115kWh battery, to near-full much faster than usual. In the Atto 8, this means 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes, though in severely cold temperatures that normally limit charging the flash system still allows 20 to 97 per cent in 12 minutes, not bad. Just five minutes of charging is said to add 60 per cent (from 10 to 70 per cent) to the battery - all resulting in BYD’s line of ‘ready in 5, full in 9, cold add 3'.