Chinese car giant Chery is gearing up to rival the Volkswagen Group and Stellantis in the United Kingdom, with the potential for seven Chery brands over the next couple of years. Omoda and Jaecoo have become well established in just two years, with the Jaecoo 7 the best-selling new car in the UK in March. The family-friendly Chery brand launched here in 2025, while design-led Lepas will become the fourth Chery nameplate in showrooms later this year.
As well as cars, commercial vehicles from Chery International’s Delivan brand are set to arrive next year, with a range of models set to take on the best-selling Ford Transit van family. Chery used its Chery International Business Summit, held in the company’s home city of Wuhu, China, to unveil the new Freelander brand – a joint venture with Britain’s largest car company JLR. The first car to launch is the large, 5.2-meter Freelander 8. This will be the first of a range of six SUV models described by Chery as part of a ‘British premium intelligent all-terrain brand’.
Although Freelander International’s CEO Lucia Mao wouldn’t commit to the car coming to the UK, she did confirm that it will be made in right-hand drive form and to full European specification. Chery retailers we spoke to at the unveiling event confirmed they had spoken to Chery about selling the new Freelanders in the UK.
The UK arrival of another Chery 4x4 brand, called iCaur, is set to be confirmed soon, possibly within the next twelve months. Retailers are already planning for the arrival of the electrified, Jeep-like cars, with the compact 4.2-meter long V23 and the larger Land Rover Defender-challenging V27 both shown at the Chery International Business Summit. The V27 uses a range-extender system with an internal combustion engine that charges a 33kWh battery. Like other range-extender hybrids, the engine never actually drives the wheels directly, but instead acts as a generator to top-up the battery, which then powers the motors. The V27 claims an electric-only range of over 100 miles, while the combined system, with the engine running to charge the battery, should deliver close to 600 miles.
The V27 was shown with its steering wheel on the right, hinting at a UK launch. However, iCaur already sells cars in right-hand-drive Malaysia and is expected to go to Australia, too. The V23 would need some minor bodywork alterations to meet UK regulations, but is an all-electric model with a claimed range of around 300 miles. iCaur also showcased a range of lifestyle accessories – including a novel compact charging system, dog carriers and picnic accessories – and highlighted how its Vehicle to Load capability can use the car’s battery to power or charge items on the go. iCaur is known as iCar in its home China market, but it has been reported that a name change was necessary in foreign markets due to Apple owning the rights to the name iCar elsewhere.
