The Freelander is ready to return, but for now only in China
The result of a joint venture between JLR and China's Chery, the British brand's iconic SUV will be unveiled in 2026. It is not ruled out that it could be the first model of a broader collaboration between the two groups. After all, the Chinese giant is no stranger to acquisitions in Europe.
The Freelander will return to the Land Rover offering during 2026 although for now it is destined for the Chinese market. Produced in a joint venture with the Chery giant, it will also be available elsewhere. There is, as yet, no official information other than that it will use the E0X platform used by Chery's Exeed brand. Chery's collaboration with JLR is part of the Chinese's strategic plan for their global growth and to be able to take advantage of opportunities when it comes to acquiring brands with a heritage behind them and not just brands created from scratch.
The joint design studios of JLR and Chery are already at work
It is too early to guess what shape the new Freelander will take. The design studios of Chery and JLR are at work on defining its identity. If the British brand assumes that it will have to resemble the existing models in its range, it could, however, be different if it opts for the choice that has been made by other Western brands in China. Production of the new Freelander is handled by the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu, which currently produces both the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, but will cease at the end of this year.
JLR's goal is a much younger clientele than today
The JLR Group, for its part, has confirmed that the new Frelander will be sold through a network of dedicated dealerships, all operated solely by the Chery Group. It will also be marketed initially in China, but may, at a later stage, be available elsewhere. Land Rover first launched the Freelander model in 1997, which was followed by a second generation in 2006 that remained in production until 2015. The new Freelander is important for the JLR Group as it will target a younger clientele.
It will only be available in different 100% electric variants
The collaboration with Chery will grant JLR, among other things, priority access to electric powertrain configurations ranging from a single-motor and rear-wheel drive solution with 249 hp, to twin-motor and all-wheel drive variants with over 450 hp. Although the platform is also capable of supporting range extender powertrains, a solution that is gaining ground in the Chinese market, the new Freelander will focus on electrics only, as it will aim to secure a much younger clientele as well as a family-oriented one.
Will it add to Chery's family of brands?
It is not, then, excluded that the new Freeland will only be offered in a five-door version, since it will target a market segment also unexplored by the JLR group. The British group's ambitions are, in fact, to reintegrate the new Freelander into the family of its iconic brands which, as is well known, includes both Range Rover and Defender but also Discovery and Jaguar's amcje. All brands that could also enrich Chery's family of brands that is already present in Europe with its Omoda, Jaecoo and Lepas brands.
