Chery Jaguar Land Rover's new Freelander 8 large SUV has gone on sale in China, with the company reporting strong early demand. According to NetEase Auto, the model, which is offered in six variants, carries a guide price of 309,900 to 399,900 yuan (about $43,600 to $56,300). A limited-time launch price for the five-seat version is 289,900 to 369,900 yuan, while the six-seat version is priced at 299,900 to 379,900 yuan. These are Chinese guide prices before taxes and incentives.
The company said orders surpassed 16,725 units as of September 2, with the launch edition sold out. Within 12 hours of the official launch, the model received more than 5,000 orders, according to the report.
Standard equipment as a selling point
The Freelander 8's core pitch is its 156 standard features, which include a 6C-rate 800V high-voltage range-extender platform, dual-motor all-wheel drive, a CATL battery, closed double-chamber air suspension, rear-wheel steering with ±10 degrees, and Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 enhanced driver assistance system. The entry version also gets a 46.3-inch 8K Mini LED display and a 15.6-inch central screen.
The model is 5,118 mm long, 2,050 mm wide, 1,898 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3,040 mm. The second row offers 1,200 mm of interior height and a 180 mm central aisle, while the third row provides 966 mm of lateral legroom, 834 mm of longitudinal space, and 960 mm of headroom. The front seats can fold flat with the second row to create a rest area over 2.5 meters long, and the trunk expands to 1,188 liters.
The Freelander 8 is a range-extender electric vehicle (EREV), which uses a gasoline engine solely to charge the battery. It is equipped with a 60.3 kWh battery from CATL, providing a CLTC electric range of 310 km (estimated WLTP range: about 260 km; CLTC is typically 15-20% more optimistic than WLTP). Charging from 20% to 80% takes as little as 12 minutes. A 1.5T four-cylinder range extender runs on 92-octane gasoline, and the dual-motor system delivers 610 kW (about 818 hp) and 813 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 4.6 seconds.
Off-road capability and joint venture structure
The SUV includes an intelligent all-terrain system with nine modes, a front mechanical differential lock, rear e-LSD, and a digital center lock. It can wade through water up to 900 mm deep and offers a crab-walk mode for tight maneuvers. The minimum turning radius is 5.15 meters.
The Freelander brand is a joint venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, with the Chinese team leading development of user requirements, vehicle engineering, new energy and intelligent technology, supply chain, and market operations. Jaguar Land Rover focuses on brand DNA, luxury design, and all-terrain expertise. Production takes place at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, with design centers in Shanghai and the UK.
The launch of the Freelander 8 comes as China's new energy vehicle market sees intense competition, with automakers increasingly offering high specifications at aggressive prices. The model's strong order book suggests that the strategy of bundling premium features as standard is resonating with buyers, according to NetEase Auto.
