China’s automotive heavyweight Geely is reportedly preparing to introduce a serious 4×4 off-roader called the Geely Galaxy Cruiser. First shown as a concept at the Shanghai Auto Show 2025, the new model is aimed at competing with legacy brands such as Land Rover and potentially even Toyota’s Land Cruiser, while also being planned for overseas markets.
Speaking to Autocar, Geely Global Design Head Flavian Dachet said the model is now edging closer to series production, with sales in China expected to begin as early as the end of the year. Meanwhile, Geely Auto UK Marketing Director Yan Tianxiao assured that “we will definitely launch that car in the UK”, although no specific timeline has yet been confirmed.
According to the report, the Geely Galaxy Cruiser will use the same SEA-R platform as the upcoming PHEV version of the Lotus Eletre and the Zeekr 9X, the latter an ultra-luxury SUV positioned to compete with models such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.
It’s not known yet what will power the upcoming Galaxy Cruiser, but for context, the Zeekr 9X is designed as a plug-in hybrid model, combining a 279 hp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with three electric motors. Combined system output is a whopping 1,381 hp, which propels the three-tonne SUV from 0-100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 240 km/h.
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If the Galaxy Cruiser mirrors the Zeekr 9X’s PHEV setup, the powertrain is also likely to be paired to the same massive 70 kWh battery pack — reportedly the largest ever fitted to a PHEV — enabling a pure electric driving range of up to 380 km under CLTC conditions. Thanks to its 900V electrical architecture, the battery can also be recharged from 20–80% in just nine minutes.
While the Zeekr 9X and Lotus ‘For Me’ Eletre PHEV are more road-biased luxury SUVs, Dachet explained that the platform also adapts well for off-road use, and has been pushed to its limits in the Galaxy Cruiser, adding, “When they went testing in Chinese deserts, it was way beyond what they expected to do in terms of capacity.”
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The SUV is said to feature fully independent active suspension with the ability to control each wheel individually, along with steer- and brake-by-wire systems. Most notably, it is claimed to offer an 800 mm wading depth — just 100 mm shy of the Land Rover Defender 110.
Geely also claims the SUV will feature “full-domain AI” technology, making it what the company calls the world’s first vehicle capable of “all-scenario, all-terrain, all-energy” active switching. This AI-driven system allows the vehicle to transition automatically between pure electric, hybrid, and extended-range modes, while its four-wheel-drive system can switch between front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive depending on driving conditions and terrain, all without driver intervention, and on the fly.
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Squint your eyes, and it’s hard not to see echoes of familiar off-roaders we’ve come to know over the years. According to Geely, the front-end design is inspired by an “Armillary Sphere”, while the rear taillights are said to reference the “Tian Gong Star Orbit”… whatever that means.
That said, Dachet did acknowledge that the Galaxy Cruiser follows well-established off-road design cues, adding, “There’s always the same recipes: whether you look at the Defender, the G-Wagen, the Bronco, the codes are the same. It’s how we interpret it in a way that’s recognisable.”
Either way, the Geely Galaxy Cruiser is shaping up to be an interesting car to watch in 2026. While no official launch dates have been confirmed, UK availability has already been verbally confirmed — and with the UK being a right-hand-drive (RHD) market, the door could also be open for other RHD markets such as Malaysia. Given local buyers’ long-standing appetite for rugged SUVs like the Land Cruiser, the Galaxy Cruiser could well find a receptive audience here too.
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