It seems that Malaysia is set to welcome another new car brand, and it’s called Lepas. No, it’s not the Bahasa Melayu word we all know; this is a new international sub-brand of Chery, and it appears that the unfortunately-named brand is reaching Malaysian shores soon with its official Instagram page now online.
The establishment of Lepas Malaysia’s Instagram page follows shortly after Lepas made its international debut in Indonesia during the 2025 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS).
According to the company, the name “Lepas” is derived from “LE,” which comes from “leap” and “leopard,” while “PAS” comes from “passion.” Lepas will be supported by Chery’s eight global R&D centres and will operate exclusively as an international brand, similar to Omoda Jaecoo, with key markets being the Middle East, South Africa, and Southeast Asia.
In April of this year, Lepas celebrated the rollout of its first vehicle, the Lepas L8, which appears to be based on the Chery Tiggo 8 Plus. Measuring 4,715 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,745 mm tall, with a wheelbase spanning 2,710 mm, the Lepas L8 is comparable in size to the Omoda C9 and Jaecoo J8.
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Lepas did not release any official specifications for the L8, but it should mirror that of its donor car, the Chery Tiggo 8 Plus, which is available with two powertrains in its home market of China.
The first is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 197 hp and 290 Nm, paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder option is also available, offering 254 hp and 390 Nm, and paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
According to some reports from China, the Lepas L8 will also reportedly be offered with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and fully-electric (EV) powertrains.
The PHEV powertrain will most likely be based on the Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) system, which recently made its debut in Malaysia and is claimed to offer a combined driving range of 1,200 km.
As for interior trimmings, the Chery Tiggo 8 Plus is equipped with a central 15.6-inch infotainment display powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chipset, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 12-speaker Sony sound system, and a zero-gravity front passenger seat.
For now, Lepas Malaysia has not revealed any information regarding an official debut date on its new Instagram page. However, with the brand making its international debut at GIIAS and its social media presence now active in Malaysia, could we see an official launch before the end of 2025?
