The second-generation Chery Tiggo 8 large SUV has been revealed in China, but recent news from the fast-growing auto brand suggests it might not wear Chery badging if it’s released in Australia.

The sleeker, more smoothly styled Tiggo 8 is due to launch in its domestic market in the fourth quarter of 2025, but it’s possible that – at least in one form or another – it will be among the first models sold locally under Chery’s new Lepas brand, which has been confirmed for local launch in 2026, likely as the Lepas L8.

Confusingly, Chery Automobile has confirmed there will be two front fascia designs available for the second-generation Tiggo 8 in China.

One is identical to that of the L8, which was rebadged as such for export markets from April this year, while the other bears a stronger resemblance to that of the outgoing Tiggo 8 Pro Max.

This opens up two possibilities. One is that Chery removes the Tiggo 8 Pro Max from its Australian lineup, leaving Lepas responsible for selling the new seven-seat SUV as the L8; the other is that both the new Chery Tiggo 8 and Lepas L8 are sold here alongside one another, wearing different front-end designs and potentially offering different powertrains.

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If the latter was to eventuate, it wouldn’t be the first time Chery has shuffled models between its several brands. The arrival of Omoda Jaecoo earlier this year saw the Omoda 5 become the Chery C5, for example, while several other models have since been introduced under the Omoda and Jaecoo brands.

Other Australian models, such as the Jaecoo J7 and J8, are also rebadged Cherys. The Chinese manufacturer has as many as seven different brands globally, and any of themcould make their way to Australia in the coming years.

A Chery Australia spokesperson confirmed to CarExpert that the current Tiggo 8 Pro Max will remain on sale for the foreseeable future. However, the new-generation model will likely arrive here at some point, possibly earlier than expected given the rapid rollout of updates to Chery’s top-selling Tiggo 4 small SUV.

The L8 is also exceedingly likely to be the first Lepas-badged model released in Australia.

Regardless of its identity, specifications are so far scarce for the newly revealed Tiggo 8. Car News China reports that it’s larger than the outgoing model, measuring 4749mm long, 1880mm wide, and 1710mm tall, riding atop a 2825mm wheelbase.