Lepas, a new brand from Chinese automaker Chery, is arriving in the UK and its first model will be the L8, as per a report Autocar published on 24 February 2026. Well ahead of the British market launch, we spent time with a global-spec Lepas L8 to see what it has to offer.
Here are our first impressions of the new mid-size SUV which is a corporate cousin to the Chery Tiggo 8 and Jaecoo J7. Upon arrival, it will compete with the plug-in hybrid versions of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the VW Tiguan.
Design
The Lepas L8 boasts an aggressive exterior and appears more premium than one would expect from a mass-market mid-size SUV. Much of that upscale appearance can be attributed to design elements similar to those of luxury cars from British and German car brands.
Seeing the car up close, at the front, its split headlamps look inspired by the Audi Q3, while the shape of the radiator grille and the pattern are reminiscent of Bentleys and Jaguars. On the sides, the semi-recessed door handles, the flush roof rails, and sleek mirrors give the Lepas L8 a dynamic look.
The sloping roofline, curvy greenhouse, and raked D-pillar have strong references to the Porsche Cayenne. At the rear, the coast-to-coast tail light again reminds us of the German SUV, but feels well executed.
Interior
Inside, the Lepas L8 has a minimalist layout typical of modern Chinese cars. The slim dashboard appears to float and integrates with the front doors through a continuous curve. The fluted trim running across the width of the dashboard, the two-spoke steering wheel, and chrome highlights in the centre console deliver a premium look, though some finishes feel less nuanced.
The waterfall-like effect created by the floating portrait touchscreen integrated into the centre console echoes Mercedes-Benz interiors, a layout that reminds us of the seventh-gen S-Class launched in 2020. It measures 13.2 inches diagonally and can be controlled via a rotary dial as well. There’s a bank of physical controls for the climate control system as well.
Experience in the Lepas L8
At 5’7″, ingress and egress are straightforward in the Lepas L8. The doors feel solid when opening and closing. Visibility from the driver’s seat is good in all directions.
The front seats provide roughly six to six and a half inches of headroom. Back support is good, and the seat shape offers noticeable shoulder support. The side bolsters are slightly extended, which adds to comfort without feeling restrictive. Under-thigh support is adequate for most use cases.
The dashboard features a faux wood decor panel, the finish of which looks consistent and feels smooth. The upper dashboard near the windscreen uses soft-touch material, and the same attention to detail extends to the doors, where the patterned trim continues onto the armrests.
The speaker surrounds and trim inserts are neatly integrated. The centre console uses gloss black surfaces, which are prone to fingerprints. The rotary control is finished to resemble metal.
In the rear, the seatback does not recline, but the fixed angle is comfortable. Under-thigh support is limited, although there is ample legroom. Knee room exceeds ten inches, and there is a raised section under the front seats to rest feet. Headroom is about five inches for a person of similar height.
The floor is flat, which helps usability in the middle seat. Sitting in the centre requires a slightly knees-up position, but headroom remains around seven inches. During our experience, we found space in the second row usable across all three positions.
Material quality remains consistent in the rear. Soft-touch surfaces extend to the rear doors, and the fluted trim with vertical lines continues here as well. The door handles feature chrome-finished inserts, and the switchgear feels solid in operation.
Features at the rear in the unit I experienced included one Type-A and one Type-C USB port, a small storage area for a smartphone, two AC vents, seatback pockets, coat hooks, and bottle holders.
Specifications
The Lepas L8 measures 4,688 mm in length, 1,871 mm in width, and 1,694 mm in height and has a 2,800 mm wheelbase. It combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor.
The petrol engine produces 143 PS (141 bhp) and 215 Nm (159 lb.-ft.) of torque, and the electric motor develops 204 PS (201 bhp) and 310 Nm (229 lb.-ft.) of torque.
This setup allows the L8 to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. An 18.3 kWh battery pack powers the electric motor and can deliver a range of 100 kilometres (62 miles).
Release Date & Pricing
The Lepas L8 is expected to be launched in the UK in the summer of this year, with further official details awaited. While pricing remains under wraps, we expect the plug-in hybrid variant to land at around GBP 35,000.
Since 2014, I’ve worked as an international automotive editor, attending global motor shows, industry events, media drives, and tracking the latest developments across the sector, with a particular focus on electrified vehicles.
