Freelander will launch in Australia in 2027, with the Chery-JLR brand to arrive locally with the Freelander 8 upper-large SUV.

The brand will also launch in New Zealand in 2027, with Australia and New Zealand identified as priority right-hand-drive markets.

Freelander is a new stand-alone brand created by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover, using the Freelander name under licence from JLR.

The Australian and New Zealand operation will be led by Kym Mellow, who has been appointed Head of Freelander Australia & New Zealand.

Mellow has previously held executive roles with Inchcape Australasia and Mazda Australia.

Freelander will add another Chery-linked brand to the Australian market, following other group expansion plans such as iCAUR’s Australian launch in 2027.

What we know about the Freelander 8

The Freelander 8 will be the first model from the brand to arrive in Australia.

The SUV measures more than 5.1 metres long and will be offered in five- and six-seat layouts.

Freelander is positioning the 8 in Australia’s premium upper-large SUV segment, with a focus on all-terrain capability, electrified technology and premium family use.

Australian specifications, pricing and more precise launch timing will be announced closer to launch.

In China, the Freelander 8 attracted more than 10,000 pre-orders within 48 hours of order books opening.

"FREELANDER brings together JLR's British design and all-terrain heritage with the best of Chery's technology, scale and supply chain," said Kym Mellow, Head of Freelander Australia & New Zealand.

"For Australians, FREELANDER has always been an invitation to explore more of this country.

We're reimagining it as a premium, technology-led brand built for gravel tracks and city streets alike, and we're investing in the Dealer partnerships and local team to make every part of ownership live up to that promise."

"The large premium SUV segment is where Australian families spend on the vehicle that does it all," said Mellow.

"FREELANDER gives those buyers something new, British design, advanced electrified technology and real all-terrain ability, backed by a premium ownership experience.

We’re introducing a new expression of modern luxury one that reshapes how people move and explore."

Freelander Australia is recruiting senior leadership roles, with further appointments due ahead of launch.

The brand will sell through recognised local dealerships in Australia and New Zealand.

Its local network plans include premium showrooms, trained sales and service staff, and parts and after-sales support in metropolitan and selected regional areas.

Dealer appointments will be announced before launch.

Freelander is produced by Chery Jaguar Land Rover, a 50:50 joint venture between Chery Automobile and JLR.

The joint venture was formed in 2012 with a US$2.78 billion investment and has built Land Rover and Jaguar models since 2014, including the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.

JLR licensed the Freelander name to the joint venture in June 2024 to create the stand-alone brand.

Freelander vehicles are built at the joint venture’s plant in Changshu, Jiangsu Province, China.

The first Freelander 8 left the production line on 30 July 2026.

The brand has more than 5000 staff across five global hubs covering design, research and development, manufacturing and international operations.

The brand’s global rollout began in China on 3 September 2026, before the UAE was named as its first international market on 20 September 2026.

Freelander appointed Al Tayer Motors for Dubai and the Northern Emirates and Premier Motors for Abu Dhabi, with 32 sales and service sites and three flagship showrooms planned.

The Freelander 8 completed regional road testing across desert, coastal and urban conditions ahead of its global launch event in Abu Dhabi on 29 September 2026.

Freelander plans to launch six models over the next five years.

The brand enters a market heavily shaped by SUVs, with Australians buying 848,920 new vehicles in the first eight months of 2026, up 2.0 per cent on the same period last year.

SUVs accounted for 65 per cent of those sales, while battery electric vehicles made up 18 per cent of the new-vehicle market from January to August 2026.

Plug-in hybrid sales reached 75,206 over the same period, while battery electric vehicles outsold petrol and diesel vehicles in August 2026 for the first time.

CarSauce has previously covered the shift in Australia’s electric vehicle market through August 2026 new-car sales.

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