Chery’s Lepas Brand Makes International Debut in Indonesia

Chery’s new Lepas sub-brand has just made its international debut in Indonesia, featuring the L4, L6, and L8 SUVs.

Just months after making its global debut in China, Chery’s new Lepas sub-brand has now made its first international debut in Indonesia at the ongoing Gaikindo Indonesia International Motor Show (GIIAS) 2025.

The Lepas L8 D-SUV is the first model under the new sub-brand confirmed for the Indonesian market.

Just like in China, three SUVs were presented at the event, including the brand’s flagship L8 SUV, which is already confirmed to go on sale in Indonesia. As detailed prior, the L8 is essentially Lepas’ D-segment SUV fighter, which is also the brand’s first model to be launched.

Lepas L8 SUV previewed at its global debut in China.

Dimension-wise, the L8 is roughly the same as the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, spanning 4,688 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, 1,695 mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,800 mm. Other design bits look more or less the same as the model displayed in China, featuring sleeker lines and more rounded edges than its Chery-badged counterparts.

According to Indonesian automotive portal Oto.com, the L8 will be available in several new energy vehicle (NEV) options in Indonesia, possibly adopting the same hybrid system as Chery’s Super Hybrid (CSH) lineup, which includes both conventional (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options.

Lepas L4 (left) and L6 (right) concept SUVs

Joining alongside the L8 are its two smaller siblings, namely the Lepas L6 and L4. The former is positioned as the brand’s C-segment SUV fighter, belonging in the same category as its other Chery cousins, such as the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro and the Jaecoo J7. The L4, on the other hand, stood as the smallest Lepas model to date, targeting A- to B-segment SUV buyers.

Despite Lepas confirming the arrival of the L8 in Indonesia, it appears that all the models displayed at GIIAS were right-hand drive (RHD) units, thus indicating that it may take a while before we get to see a proper RHD version arriving in our region.

For those who aren’t familiar with Lepas, this is one of the many sub-brands under Chery International’s vast umbrella, with the brand’s deputy CEO Zhong Wei saying that it targets young urban elites who “seek cars that align with their aesthetics and lifestyle, not just specs.”

As for its naming, Lepas is a combination of ‘leap’ and ‘passion,’ so technically the correct way of pronouncing the brand is ‘leap-pass,’ not ‘le-pas’ like the Malay word. Sticking to the ‘leap’ theme, Lepas cars are also said to be designed with the ‘Leopard Aesthetic’ design philosophy, with key design cues being its slim LED DRLs that are supposed to mimic a leopard’s eye.

With the Lepas L8 SUV already confirmed for Indonesia, we can expect this burgeoning sub-brand from Chery to spread its wings to other key overseas markets, and possibly Malaysia too in the future. That being said, our market has just welcomed another sub-brand from Chery, in the form of iCaur, so it might take a while before we get to see the Lepas SUVs roaming down our roads.