Lepas has confirmed that the new L6 SUV is lined up for the South African market.
As a reminder, Lepas (“leap” + “passion”) is a new Chinese car brand that is scheduled to launch in South Africa in the first quarter of 2026.
It is another brand under the Chery Holding Group, and is actually one of two companies that Chery plans to introduce next year alongside iCaur, which specializes in new-energy vehicles.
Lepas is a brand-new marque that debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, and has only just started to produce its first cars at its factory in China.
Even though it is still in the early stages of production, the company has already unveiled three cars to the public, all of which are coming to South Africa.
This includes the L6, the L4, and the L8, forming a trio of upmarket family SUVs.
As you’d assume from their numbering, the L4 is the smallest and will serve as the entry point to the brand, while the L8 is the brand’s flagship SUV.
The L6 will undoubtedly act as the series’ midpoint, but we’ll have to wait for Lepas to reveal the official price list to get a better sense of where they’ll place in South Africa’s car market.
What to expect from the new Lepas L6
Lepas has yet to disclose the specifications for any of its vehicles, but we previously had a chance to preview the L8 on a trip to China earlier this year.
Based on our first impressions, the Lepas L series is closely related to the Chery Tiggo line of SUVs, as they are similar in size and share a similar design language.
The L8, for example, is likely based on the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, while the L4 shares its underpinnings with the facelifted Chery Tiggo 4 Pro (otherwise known as the Tiggo Cross in South Africa).
Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that the best comparison for the new L6 is the Chery Tiggo 7, which was recently updated for our market.
Should this turn out to be the case, the L6 will be offered with a variety of different powertrains when it goes on sale in 2026.
As a point of reference, the Tiggo 7 is available with either a 1.5-litre or 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
The 1.5-litre produces 108kW and 210Nm, while the 1.6-litre puts out 145kW and 290Nm.
There’s also a plug-in hybrid option that pairs the 1.5-litre block with an electric motor and an 18.3kWh battery.
The electrified system generates 265kW and 310Nm, and the battery has an electric driving range of 93km.
It must be noted that none of these drivetrains have been confirmed for the L6, though it wouldn’t be the first time Chery’s engines have found their way into another brand’s cars.
The Jaecoo J7, for example, uses the same 1.6-litre mill found in the Tiggo 7, so it’s fair to assume Lepas will also use the same engines.
As far as the L6’s design is concerned, Lepas is marketing itself as a premium alternative to the Chery Tiggo family.
To emphasis this, the L models have a sleeker body than their Chery counterparts, as well as a large grille and a pair of slim LED headlights and daytime running lights.
The automaker will only reveal the L6’s spec sheet closer to launch, but if it’s anything like the Tiggo 7, buyers can expect items like keyless entry and start, automatic climate control, a wireless charging pad, and a pair of screens on the dashboard for the instrument cluster and infotainment systems.
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