Chery News

There are now more Chinese cars in Australia than ever before, and yet there are more which haven't arrived yet which would almost certainly find an audience.

Many so-called “all-new” models aren’t all that new. In fact, a sizeable chunk are reskinned versions of what came before, with fresh sheetmetal over the same general hard points.

Zeekr is the first Chinese premium brand to launch in Australia, but by the end of 2025 it will be far from the only option.

The trend of range-extender hybrids is showing no signs of slowing down in China, with Chery – under its sub-brand Exceed – the latest automaker to join the party.It’s called the Exlantix ET and it's a full-sized family SUV built on Chery’s brand new E0X platform which is set to underpin a suite of future hybrid and electric vehicles, including some from Jaguar Land Rover.This particular model uses a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with a peak power of 115kW/220Nm and a 41.16kWh battery pack.Together, they provide current to two electric motors positioned on the front and rear axle which deliver 150kW/324Nm and 195kW/324Nm, respectively.The hefty power outputs see the Elantix ET rocket from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 195km/h. Not bad for a nearly two-and-a-half-tonne car.Total range is claimed at 1500km, 240km of which is available in pure-electric mode, according to the lenient CLTC cycle.The Exlantix's 400-volt architecture reportedly delivers a charge time from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just 17.5 minutes.Measuring up at 4955mm long, 1975mm wide, 1698mm tall and with a wheelbase of 3000mm, the Elantix ET is larger than a Kia Sorento but not quite as vast as a Hyundai Palisade.We don’t know at this stage whether it will compete Down Under with those South Korean rivals, particularly as Chery gears up to launch its more off-road focused Jaecoo sub-brand in early 2025.CarsGuide has contacted Chery for comment to determine if and when we might see the offshoot locally. An update to the story will follow with a response.In terms of design, the Elantix ET screams Chery Omoda E5 at the front, evidenced by its thin LED headlights and larger fog lamps on the lower bumper.Given its bigger size, though, the rest of the body appears to be more Range Rover influenced, particularly in its sleek body panelling and retractable door handles.There’s also a bit of Porsche Cayenne about the rear three quarter, particularly in the rear fastback styling and LED lightbar.Inside, the Elantix ET gets a 10.25-inch floating digital driver’s display and a 15.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen, a 23-speaker sound system and 256 ambient lighting colours.There is a huge panoramic sunshade and AI voice assistant controls, while the front and rear passenger seats are heated and ventilated.According to CarNewsChina, Prices will commence at 239,800 Yuan ($51,765) for the bottom-spec Max, 269,800 Yuan ($58,241) for the mid-range Ultra and 289,800 Yuan ($62,588) for the top-spec Premium.

MG's parent company announces second-gen solid state tech before its first-gen batteries are even on sale.

Australia’s independent assessor of vehicle safety, ANCAP, has awarded a maximum five star rating to the MG HS and electric Chery Omoda E5.ANCAP said the MG HS was tested according to the body’s latest safety protocols, while the five-star rating of the existing Chery Omoda 5 – which is according to 2022 Protocols – was extended to cover the electric variant.The MG HS’ strongest test results were found in the Adult Occupant Protection category, where it scored a 90 per cent rating. This was achieved by full points awarded in the side impact, oblique pole, whiplash protection and far-side impact tests.A score of 87 per cent was also achieved for Child Occupant Protection with protection of critical body regions rated as ‘Good’.The HS’ performance in Vulnerable Road User Protection also scored well, achieving an 83 per cent score that was backed up by well-performing advanced driver assistance systems in car-to-motorcycle crash scenarios, such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB).Having said that, the performance of AEB back over, the system that detects pedestrians when reversing, was rated as ‘Marginal’, with the 'Driver Assist' category delivering the HS' lowest score out of the four testing categories of 73 per cent.ANCAP’s CEO, Carla Hoorweg, said MG was continuing to showcase its safety credentials.“The previous generation MG HS achieved a five-star result against 2019 criteria. Our protocols have been upgraded twice since then, so it is positive to see MG continue to invest in the safety of the HS”, said Hoorweg.While carrying over the petrol Omoda 5’s five-star rating, the Chery Omoda E5 stood up under some additional testing – such as front offset and oblique pole crash tests – to confirm its safety performance as well as the integrity of its high-voltage battery in a crash scenario.“This five-star rating for the Omoda E5 will be a welcome addition to the shopping lists of consumers and fleets in the market for a five-star EV,” said Hoorweg.Interested buyers can check out the full details of the safety report on the MG HS and Chery Omoda E5 at ANCAP’s website here.

Chery teases the future of its electric vehicles, with a new solid-state-powered shooting brake.

It feels like every Chinese brand is coming to Australia, but there are plenty more than could make a big impact Down Under.

Looks like the Freelander re-boot won't start with a rugged small SUV.

Australia’s four-wheel drive ute market is set for a major shake up in the next 12 months.