New Freelander 8 brings chunky SUV looks – plus electric and hybrid power
The Freelander 8 will spearhead the revival of the Freelander name, and it could launch in the UK very soon...
On sale Late 2026 Price from £55,000 (est)
When you look at the Freelander 8, you might get a sense of déjà vu, because not only does it share a name with the classic Land Rover Freelander of the past, it also looks a bit like one too.
But don’t let names and looks fool you – this new model won’t wear the Land Rover badge, though it does have some strong ties to that brand. Indeed, the Freelander 8 will be the first model of a range of new cars that will go on sale under the Freelander name, as a joint venture between Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chinese car giant Chery.
While the new Freelander 8 has styling worthy of a concept car, it’s expected that it’ll go on sale later this year looking largely the same, with only minimal changes. It evidently draws inspiration from the 97 Concept unveiled last month, although it does away with the reverse-opening rear doors and has more conventional headlight styling.
Technical details are still thin on the ground, but the 8 will be based on 800-volt architecture and will offer electric, range-extender hybrid and plug-in hybrid power options. It will be able to charge at speeds of up to 350kW.
Plug-in hybrid versions could use a variant of Chery’s Super Hybrid System, which uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine and small battery. In the Chery Tiggo 9, the engine works mostly as a generator for two electric motors, producing a combined 422bhp with an all-electric range of up to 91 miles.
It’s also set to come with a range of off-road-ready goodies, including an electronic limited-slip differential – designed to improve traction on uneven ground – and an all-terrain function that will use sensors to adapt the car’s drive mode to the road surface.
Inside, we’d expect it to look largely similar to the 97 Concept, with a large central touchscreen underneath a lengthy display spanning the dashboard, and some physical buttons and dials. It should have room for up to six occupants, which would put it up against premium three-row cars like the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90.
The production car will go on sale in China first later this year, and could roll out to the UK and Europe in the months after. While we’re still waiting for confirmation that the Freelander 8 will be sold here, we predict that any production car that does land will undercut the current Land Rover Defender, starting at less than £60,000.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
