Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will officially revive its Freelander nameplate with a full-size electric SUV set to debut in January 2026. This model marks JLR’s strategic effort to regain footing in China, as the car will first be sold exclusively in the country.

The company confirmed the return of the Freelander after more than a decade without a new version. The upcoming model is being developed jointly with Chery under their existing China-domestic joint venture.

Source: Jaguar Land Rover

JLR China president Pan Qing has stated that the vehicle is built on Chery’s self-developed modular architecture, with JLR in charge of its design and technical direction.

JLR’s most recent quarterly earnings confirmed the car is fully prepared for a public unveiling, with the earliest appearance slated for January 2026.

The company anticipates full market launch by the second half of that year. While initial sales will be limited to China, JLR believes the model has “global expansion potential,” per Pan Qing.

Source: Jaguar Land Rover

As part of JLR’s broader restructuring, the revived Freelander will replace outgoing models at the Chery-JLR plant in Changshu, notably the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, both of which are scheduled to be discontinued.

The car will be distributed through Chery-run dedicated dealer outlets, rather than JLR’s luxury “House of Brands” network that includes Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery.

In August 2025, Chery Jaguar Land Rover began a global recruitment drive for the “2025 FREELANDER” brand, covering more than 30 roles across vehicle project management, interior, chassis, smart cockpit, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), with positions based in Shanghai and Changshu.

Technically, the new Freelander will use Chery’s T1X platform, already in use by other Chery-based electric models and being adapted for JLR’s design and feature set. According to Pan Qing, the car will aim to appeal to “discerning, tech-savvy” Chinese customers through a modern reinterpretation of the spirit of the original Freelander, which debuted in 1997 and defined the compact luxury SUV segment.

The original Freelander used a monocoque (unibody) platform and was offered in three-door and five-door versions; it was ultimately replaced by the Discovery Sport in 2015.

Despite its China-first launch, the Freelander could face competition in Europe from JLR’s own upcoming vehicles built on its EMA electric platform, including next-generation Evoque and Discovery Sport successors.

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