- Lepas L8 confirmed for UK launch
- Lepas is a new Chinese brand making its debut
- The name Lepas combines ‘Leopard’, ‘Leap’ and ‘Passion’
- LED headlights designed to look like a leopard’s eye
- Powertrain still to be confirmed but most likely a plug-in hybrid
A big cat-inspired new SUV is set to stalk Britain - because the Lepas L8 is preparing to pounce.
Earlier this month we told you how Lepas, a new Chinese manufacturer, was looking to launch in the UK.
And we now know which Lepas model will first arrive. It’s the Lepas L8, a slinky SUV that takes its inspiration from a leopard.
Here’s everything you need to know.
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Who is Lepas?
Chances are you’re much more familiar with Lepas than you might realise.
Lepas is another sub-brand of Chinese giant Chery. Jaecoo and Omoda already both sit under the considerable Chery umbrella and Chery also offers its own-branded vehicles in the form of the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9.
You write Lepas off at your peril.
The Jaecoo 7 was Select’s most-leased car of 2025 and it’s dominating orders in 2026 so far, too.
The Lepas name combines the words ’Leopard, ‘Leap’ and ‘Passion’.
What is the Lepas L8?
The Lepas L8 is a medium-sized SUV that’s larger than rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson while slightly smaller than the Skoda Kodiaq.
So, it’ll be one of the bigger cars in its class, which should translate well when it comes to interior space.
Lepas says the L8 ‘takes inspiration from the agile, muscular contours of a running leopard’. The LED headlights are also said to have the same ‘focused intensity of a leopard’s eye’.
The L8 is a five-seater that’s built on Chery’s New Energy Vehicle (NEV) modular platform.
While the precise powertrain hasn’t been confirmed, the Lepas L8 is already on sale in other global territories, including Indonesia, where it’s a plug-in hybrid with an EV range of up to 62 miles on a single charge.
We’re also in familiar territory here, as both the Jaecoo 7 and Chery Tiggo 8 are also offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
When is the Lepas L8 available in the UK and how much will it cost?
Lepas says the L8 will be launched in the summer of 2026 with UK spec and pricing still to be confirmed.
We’d expect an asking price beginning at just below £30,000, which is roughly the same as the Chery Tiggo 8.
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