Lepas expands South African range with new L6 SUV

Lepas, one of the six Chery brands on sale in South Africa, is expanding its local line-up with the introduction of the new L6 crossover SUV.

Slotting in above the more compact L4 that launched in March, the L6 measures 4,554mm long, 1,852mm wide and 1,681mm tall, with a 2,700mm wheelbase.

A true five-seater, Lepas says it offers 435l of boot space, supplemented by a separate 71l compartment beneath the floor. Fold the 40:60 split rear seatbacks flat and total cargo space grows to 1,255l. Functional roof rails have a load capacity of 75kg, allowing owners to expand the SUV’s versatility with accessories such as roof boxes or bicycle racks.

Two models are available from launch, starting with the entry-level Javan. Its standard specification includes 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlamps and daytime running lights, LED taillights, a rear roof spoiler, dual exhaust outlets, an electric tailgate and rain-sensing windscreen wipers. There’s also a panoramic glass sunroof and a pair of electrically adjustable and heated side mirrors.

Inside, you’ll find a 13.2-inch portrait format touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a digital instrument cluster, a 540° HD surround-view camera, four USB ports, a 50W wireless charging pad and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents. A heated and cooled centre armrest compartment is also fitted.

Black artificial leather seat upholstery is standard, as is a multifunction steering wheel and a driver’s seat with six-way electric adjustment. The front passenger seat offers four-way electric adjustment.

Standard safety specification includes ABS with EBD, brake assist, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, hill-descent control and an electronic parking brake with auto hold. There are also front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, rear ISOFIX child-seat anchors, front and rear parking sensors and driver-assistance systems including rear cross-traffic alert, rear cross-traffic braking, blind-spot detection, door-opening warning, lane-change assist, multi-collision braking and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.

Spring for the range-topping L6 Pantera and you’ll gain additional features including heated and ventilated front seats with power lumbar support, an eight-speaker Sony premium audio system, multicolour ambient cabin lighting, air purification with a water ioniser and ozone system, and a Level 2 driver-assistance suite.

The latter includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and traffic-jam assist. The Pantera also adds a front-centre airbag.

Both variants are powered by a 1.5l four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 108kW and 225Nm of torque. This is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, while drivers can toggle between three drive modes: Eco, Normal or Sport.

The L6 Javan is priced at R469,900, with the Pantera coming in at R499,900. This includes a five-year/150,000km warranty, a 10-year/1,000,000km engine warranty and a five-year/75,000km service plan.