The Grand Reveal at the Crash Testing Center
Crash testing isn’t glamorous, but the Chery-Jaguar-Land Rover partnership has had the unfortunate pleasure of unofficially unveiling its newest product at a crash testing facility in China. The venue that set the stage for the car’s development ultimately became its background for the world to see it there for the first time.
Spy shots would have been more glamorous than this one because at least the car is in one piece. There was some effort to hide the car’s design with a camouflage wrap, but it was likely removed to assess the damage.
Presenting the Freelander!
Images of the new model were published by Chinese media, MyDrivers. Chery is a Chinese automaker that also oversees other global brands under its wing, such as Omoda and Jaecoo. These two brands will be receiving the Chery-built SUV that was co-opted by the JLR group. We can expect all members of the venture to receive a version of the Freelander for their respective lineups in select markets, and we’re hoping for more details on this on March 31, 2026, the official launch reveal date for the model.
Safe to say, the surprise was perhaps ruined in the most unglamorous way, because the leaked images of the Chery Freelander SUV are far from its best angle or state. All the photos of the new energy vehicle feature its post-crash test, which means the panels are bent, the lights are cracked, and the bumpers are detached, and it’s probably the global marketing team’s worst nightmare.
It at least looks like the Freelander did a good job at surviving its crash tests. No further information, like crash testing scores, was gathered just yet, however.
Co-Developed with JLR
Chery-built but co-developed with JLR, the new Freelander brand is pitched as a fully electric, rugged SUV. Chinese sources estimate it will have a starting price of about 400,000 CNY, or approximately $58,000.
The design is not too far off from the current crop of Land Rovers, like the Defender or the Discovery. The proportions are what we expect from a rugged SUV, and the interior actually looks like a very close reproduction of other JLR products. It’s no secret that Chery has been taking cues from Jaguar and Land Rover, but in this case, it was required. Fun fact, the Freelander name was actually coined by JLR to be the most affordable Land Rover in the lineup. It was discontinued, but now Chery has taken on the mantle of creating a brand that will sell in China and possibly in select markets for the Land Rover.
The speculation is that we’ll be seeing EV and Range-Extended EV variants of the Freelander SUV. All-wheel drive is expected, and we’re keen to see if the SUV gets any of Land Rover’s renowned off-road features. In the photos, you can see a small bump at the top of the roof, indicating that autonomous driving functions will be baked into the car. It’s not yet clear if the CJLR venture will field this new model in other markets. For now, availability will be set for the Chinese market, where it will debut first.
The official release will be on March 31, 2026, at the brand’s debut event, which, unfortunately, might not be as big a surprise as Chery might have wanted it to be.
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