Australia's week was split between pricing for Chery's new brands and a run of questions put to Leapmotor about stock, partners and cameras. Two large SUVs, the Haval H7 and Xpeng G9L, are close to arrival, and several brands hinted at plug-in hybrid additions.

Chery's brands take shape

Lepas confirmed Australian pricing for its first model: the L6 electric SUV is A$47,990 before on-road costs, with deliveries from November and a plug-in hybrid planned for later. Chery's premium Exlantix brand is due in the first half of 2027, led by the ES GT shooting brake and ET SUV, with Chery running the rollout directly; prices are not announced. Jetour's T1 and T2 were spotted testing, including at Bondi Beach, ahead of a 2027 launch under separate distribution. The diesel plug-in Chery Stockman has confirmed specifications and first deliveries expected early next year.

Leapmotor under questioning

Leapmotor Australia's chief spoke on several fronts. He credited Stellantis backing for customer care, technician training and workshop support, and said stock is guided by monthly demand reviews rather than pushed from China. On privacy, the brand will keep using Dahua cameras after an ABC Four Corners report, saying the vehicles passed independent privacy testing. Another batch of the 440 kW C10 AWD Sports+ Special Edition arrives in November, with no price or numbers given.

Large SUVs and PHEV signals

GWM says the Haval H7 has drawn 1,500 expressions of interest, more than any previous GWM model, with first deliveries expected within two weeks. Xpeng's G9L, 5.12 metres long, arrives next month as an EV or range-extender; local specifications and prices are not confirmed. Changan is considering PHEV and EREV models for Avatr and Nevo, and Deepal says it will share S05 and S07 details soon, without confirming plug-in versions.

Prices and ratings

The IM5 sedan starts at A$57,990 drive-away for the Premium with a A$3,000 cashback. A comparison puts the MG 4 EV Urban at A$29,990 with a A$2,000 cashback to October 31 against about A$29,319 for the Geely EX2 Complete. The BYD Shark 6 Premium is A$57,900 before on-road costs. ANCAP gave five stars to the GAC Aion UT, BYD M9 and XPeng X9, but flagged touchscreen reliance on the UT and X9. Geely says it has no plan for Australia-specific tuning.

What it means

  • Most new Chinese entries are priced or dated for November or 2027; the near-term supply is Lepas, Haval H7 and Xpeng G9L.
  • Data privacy is now a question put directly to brands, Leapmotor first.
  • Plug-in hybrids and range-extenders are the common thread in what brands are considering.