New Land Rover Freelander is made by Chery, is based on the Tiggo 5X and had photos leaked after crash test

The iconic Land Rover Freelander, the sport utility vehicle that marked the 1990s, is about to return to the global market — but with a radically different proposal. The new Freelander will be presented on March 31 not only marking the arrival of a new utility, but also an independent brand focused exclusively on electrified vehicles. The strategic shift is the result of a joint venture between the British Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and the Chinese giant Chery. The goal of the alliance is to position the new line in a coveted intermediate space: above Chery’s generalist models, but with more affordable prices than Land Rover’s traditional extreme luxury.

SEE ALSO:

• Another 650 Royal Enfield on the way: what are the brand’s plans in Brazil?
• GM and Hyundai team up to develop new products for less
• Nissan Z 2027 arrives with manual transmission in NISMO version and GT-R brakes

End of an era and new Chinese DNA

The technological base of the new Freelander family will have a strong Asian accent. The first model will use Chery’s versatile T1X platform, the same architecture that already equips vehicles known to the Brazilian public, such as the CAOA Chery Tiggo 5x and the Jaecoo 7. Production will be concentrated at the partnership’s factory in China and the new SUV will arrive with a major mission in the group’s portfolio: to replace the assembly lines of the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque at once, which will have their production permanently ended at the end of 2026.

Plug-in hybrid with coupe SUV look

For its debut, the brand will bet on a plug-in hybrid mechanical set, in line with the strong demand for electrification in the Asian market. From an aesthetic point of view, the new generation breaks with the boxy past and adopts a coupe-style SUV-style body, displaying dynamic proportions that even refer to the Porsche Macan. Despite the modern lines, JLR’s design team promises to maintain robust elements that rescue the “original spirit” and adventurous of the car launched in 1997.

The central proposal is to unite the practicality of urban use with the capacity for off-road, without giving up comfort. Unlike its first generation, the new Freelander will not feature three-door body options. Although the initial sales focus is China, the board has already signaled that the new brand has a strong potential for expansion and should become global, paving its landing on other continents in the following years.