At the Chery International User Summit held in China, the automaker introduced a new sub-brand named Lepas and outlined a plan to grow its lineup beyond Tiggo and Arrizo. The announcement positioned Lepas as a modern, tech-forward family that will join Chery’s existing brands, with the aim of expanding the company’s global footprint and giving customers more choice in a crowded crossover market. The summit framed Lepas as a strategic addition to a brand portfolio that already includes several names under the Chery umbrella, signaling a broader push to reach new buyers in North America and other key markets while keeping faith with the company’s design language and engineering fundamentals. By presenting Lepas as a distinct sub-brand, Chery signaled that Lepas will carry its own character while benefiting from the resources and platforms already developed for Tiggo and Arrizo.
The first Lepas model, the Lepas 8 crossover, is built on the same underpinnings as the Chinese-market Tiggo 8 Plus, but features unique styling that sets it apart. The exterior design introduces a leopard-nose inspired radiator grille and other distinctive cues that mark Lepas as a separate visual identity within the brand family. The goal of these changes is to give Lepas a more striking, recognizable face on the road, one that can stand out in international markets where design language plays a crucial role in consumer appeal. Alongside the crisp lines and sculpted surfaces, the Lepas 8 integrates revised lighting graphics and tailored body ratios to emphasize a modern, confident stance.
The interior of Lepas presents a clear departure from its Chery-badged siblings. Inside, a vertically oriented display anchors the cockpit, complemented by a two-spoke steering wheel that creates an airy, focused driver environment. The cabin design emphasizes a sense of premium refinement without sacrificing practicality, with thoughtful material choices and texture contrasts that convey a contemporary feel. The Lepas interior is described as technology-forward, featuring integrated connectivity, a digital instrument cluster, and an array of driver-assistance features designed to enhance daily usability and comfort. This interior concept aligns with Lepas’s positioning as a mainstream premium option in its segment, balancing sophisticated design with everyday usability.
In addition to Lepas, the Chery brand portfolio currently includes Exeed, Omoda and Exlantix. Exeed targets a more upscale segment with advanced tech and refined finishes, Omoda emphasizes vibrant styling and urban appeal for younger buyers, and Exlantix aims for an energetic, futuristic design language that broadens the company’s appeal. This multi-brand strategy reflects a broader industry trend where automakers segment offerings to address distinct regions, customer needs, and price bands while sharing common platforms and engineering resources to maintain efficiency and scale. The result is a diversified lineup that can adapt to regional preferences while maintaining a consistent core engineering philosophy.
Market observers note that Chinese manufacturers have been expanding their footprint globally, including regions where new-car demand fluctuates with economic cycles. In 2024, interest in Chinese-made crossovers remained robust among buyers looking for value without compromising features. Chery’s Lepas initiative fits into this trend by promising a design-led, technology-rich crossover family that can appeal to buyers in Canada, the United States and other major markets. The company has not announced final pricing or exact launch timelines for Lepas models, but the official reveal at the summit underscored a serious effort to broaden international availability. The Lepas project is framed as part of a broader push to refresh and extend Chery’s international lineup, with Lepas serving as a modern, globally oriented option designed to resonate with contemporary customers who expect style, connectivity and practicality in equal measure.