MIIT files reveal Freelander 8 size

The Freelander 8 is no longer just an auto-show object. China’s latest MIIT filing has turned it into something more concrete — a production SUV with hard numbers, trim clues, and a clearer sense of what Chery is actually building. The big reveal is size. This thing is huge, and the filing settles a question the Beijing debut left fuzzy: just how big is the new three-row Freelander in road-ready form. ### What exactly showed up? China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology listing is basically the pre-launch paperwork car watchers obsess over because it usually exposes dimensions, weights, and option packages before full specs arrive. In this case, the Freelander 8 appeared with production photos and core measurements just after its public debut at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. The filing ties the model directly to Chery’s manufacturing plan and confirms it is headed for sale in the second half of 2026. (carnewschina.com) ### So how big is it? The key numbers are 5,118 mm or 5,185 mm in length, 2,050 mm in width, and 1,898 mm in height, riding on a 3,040 mm wheelbase. That means the two published lengths do not come from a different wheelbase. They come from trim-dependent exterior packaging — most likely bumper, spare-wheel-area styling, or other add-on hardware. In plain English, the long version is not a stretched-body variant. It is the same basic SUV wearing different ends. (carnewschina.com) ### Why do the two lengths matter? Because they tell you how Chery is differentiating versions before a full trim walk-through exists. The MIIT entry and Chinese coverage point to a heavy menu of optional equipment, including different bumpers, side steps, lighting details, wheel designs, and what looks like multiple grade structures such as Pro, Max, and Max+. So the 67 mm gap is a clue that styling and equipment, not architecture, will separate versions. (carnewschina.com) ### Is this just a big family SUV? Not really. Chery is pitching it as a “luxury tech all-terrain SUV,” which is marketing language, but the hardware list shows the intended mix: six-seat layout, optional tow gear rated for a 2,000 kg trailer, air suspension, terrain systems, and a boxy profile meant to read more off-road than crossover. This is supposed to feel part premium road car, part adventure machine. (autohome.com.cn) ### What about the tech stack? This is where the Freelander 8 tries to separate itself from old-school rugged SUVs. Chinese launch materials say every version gets Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 4.1 driver-assistance system, a 896-line lidar unit, and Qualcomm’s automotive 8397 chip. Chery is also leaning hard on CATL and its own i-ATS all-terrain system. Basically, the pitch is not just “big SUV,” but “big SUV with China’s current premium EV-tech supply chain plugged straight in.” (autohome.com.cn) ### What’s under it? The filing points to an extended-range electric setup rather than a pure EV at launch. It lists a 1.5T engine with 115 kW output and a ternary lithium battery, while motor details remain undisclosed in the filing summary. The curb weight lands at 2,980 kg and gross vehicle weight at 3,495 kg, which tells you this is a seriously heavy machine before passengers and cargo. (carnewschina.com) ### Why is the Freelander name back? Because Chery and Jaguar Land Rover created a new China-focused Freelander brand, reviving a name Land Rover used years ago but attaching it to a very different product strategy — electrified, software-heavy, and aimed at China’s upper-end domestic market. The Freelander 8 is the first test of whether that reboot can mean something beyond nostalgia. (carnewschina.com) ### Bottom line The MIIT filing does not answer everything, but it answers the useful question. The Freelander 8 is a full-size, six-seat, range-extended SUV with two trim-dependent body lengths, not two different body shells. That makes the Beijing show car feel a lot more real — and it makes the coming launch easier to read. (carnewschina.com) (autohome.com.cn)