3 days ago
21
It's less 'if' and more 'when' for Chery's next sub-brand in Australia, according to recent comments regarding Jetour.
Chinese SUV brand Jetour – a part of the Chery Automotive group – is 'highly likely' for the Australian market, and could arrive as soon as 2025.
Jetour could bring a range of hybrid and petrol-powered SUVs to the Australian market, to rival the likes of the Toyota RAV4, GWM Tank 300 and Hyundai Santa Fe.
Speaking to Drive at a recent media event, Chery spokespeople said Jetour is 'highly likely' to follow on behind Chery, Jaecoo and Omoda to expand the range of brands and models available for the Australian market.
"Whilst we don't have any confirmed plans for Jetour, I think it's probably highly likely at some stage that brand will come to Australia." Tim Kreiger, Head of Public Relations and Communications for Chery Australia, told Drive.
"Our focus at the moment is very much on growing this brand (Jaecoo) and Omoda in the second half of the year, with new models coming out of that nameplate." Kreiger said.
This follows on from comments from Chery saying there were 'no plans' at the time for Jetour in the Australian market, despite some overseas reports on the contrary.
The relatively new brand from Chery – which dates back to 2018 – currently has a range of off-road and road-focused SUVs, some of which have been developed as right-hand drive for the Thai and South African markets.
One Jetour model of particular interest is the box-shaped and retro-styled J2 SUV, which has petrol and hybrid power available, along with a monocoque chassis and independent suspension all-round. However, it's currently unclear whether this particular model is available in right-hand drive.
The Jetour Dashing and X70 Plus SUVs are available in other right-hand drive markets already, including South Africa and Malaysia.
Such a model expansion would help Chery automotive in its plan to sell 70,000 vehicles into the Australian market by 2070, and lofty claims for increased global sales volumes.
China's biggest vehicle exporter for 21 years running, Chery sold 2.6 million vehicles globally in 2024, which was a 38.4 per cent increase in the previous year and included 1.14 million vehicles into export markets.
Sam Purcell has been writing about cars, four-wheel driving and camping since 2013, and obsessed with anything that goes brum-brum longer than he can remember. Sam joined the team at CarAdvice/Drive as the off-road Editor in 2018, after cutting his teeth at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Off-road writer of the Year, Winner - Sam Purcell
