A new name is turning heads on the roads of South Africa, and it belongs to one of the newest sub-brands to emerge from Chinese automotive giant Chery.
The Lepas L4, a compact SUV priced at R419 900 in flagship Pantera specification, arrived for a week-long test by The Citizen Motoring and drew immediate attention from curious onlookers unfamiliar with the badge.
“What car are you driving? It is beautiful, but I’ve never seen that logo. Lepas? What kind of a thing is that?” was the first response The Citizen Motoring received during its week behind the wheel of the L4. 
The name Lepas is derived from the words “passionate leopard,” and the brand is one of five sub-brands under Chery, alongside Omoda, Jaecoo, Jetour and iCar. It is the newest of the five, having only been revealed in China in April last year. Two of the three SUVs in its lineup, the L6 and L8, are yet to reach the South African market.
Unlike Chery’s other sub-brands, which are deliberately distanced from the parent company, Lepas sits more closely aligned with Chery itself. The manufacturer says the Chery badge serves only half of its 35-million-strong export market, and Lepas has been created to appeal to “young and fashionable” buyers, as opposed to the “traditional and moderate” Chery customer.
The L4 is largely based on the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro but distinguishes itself with softer, rounder exterior lines, a trendy grille design flanked by slim LED headlights styled to resemble a leopard’s eyes. Mazda is cited as the primary rival.
Inside, the flagship Pantera specification feels genuinely premium for the price. Black artificial leather on the seats, steering wheel and centre console blends with flowing patterns across the dashboard and diamond motifs on the door panels to create an upmarket feel. A 13.2-inch infotainment screen dominates the centre, with physical buttons beneath it reserved only for climate control. The Pantera also comes with an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charger, 540-degree camera, electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, a sunroof and rain-sensing wipers.
One gripe noted by The Citizen Motoring was the wireless Apple CarPlay, which occasionally refused to reconnect after restarting the ignition, though it resolved itself without intervention each time.
On safety, the Pantera comes standard with six airbags, traction control and an electronic stability programme. Driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and lane departure warning.
At 4 406mm, the L4 is 88mm longer than the Tiggo 4 Pro and offers 458 litres of boot space compared to the Tiggo’s 340 litres. Rear passenger head and leg room is acceptable for the compact SUV segment.
Power comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 108kW and 225Nm of torque, sent to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The powertrain is adequate for city driving, and the gearbox behaved well once the quirk of needing firm brake input on inclines to prevent rollback was understood. Throttle calibration and low-down turbo lag remain minor issues, both eased by selecting Sport mode.
Fuel consumption came in at 7.8 litres per 100km during The Citizen Motoring’s test, just 0.8 litres above Lepas’ claimed figure and a commendable result for a Chinese SUV.
The L4 comes with a five-year/150 000km warranty, a five-year/75 000km service plan, and a 10-year/1 000 000km engine warranty for the first owner.
