Lepas L6 1.5T Pantera review: Chery on TOP

When we first climbed behind the wheel of a Lepas L6 1.5T Pantera, pricing was yet to be decided in South Africa. As such, that vehicle, with barely 100km on the odometer, had no accurate market positioning. Yes, it is a handsome, quiet and tidy crossover SUV. But does it cost R700k or R300k, you know?

When you’re dealing with a brand South Africans have not yet heard of, that context means a lot. However, a few months down the line, we finally know the number attached to the Lepas L6 1.5T Pantera DCT. It’s R499 900. And all of a sudden, the picture gets a whole lot clearer …

LEPAS L6 1.5T PANTERA DCT

Lepas is the newest addition to what’s become a genuinely sprawling local operation for the Chery Group. Six separate badges in South Africa alone: Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, Jetour, iCaur and now Lepas. Fascinatingly, each runs as its own branded entity, with its own PR and marketing departments. However, each shares common underpinnings with the same Wuhu-based parent company in China.

As odd as it sounds, this multi-badge strategy is paying off in a big way. Individually, Chery sits around sixth on Naamsa’s monthly sales charts. Give or take a few hundred sales fluctuation, it trades places with GWM as the top-selling Chinese marque in the country. But add up sales across all the group’s sub-brands, and the combined tally pushes the Chery Group into second place overall in South Africa’s passenger vehicle market.

WHAT R500K GETS YOU

Plus, the group’s recent takeover of Nissan’s old Rosslyn plant in Pretoria only underlines how serious it is. This is group that’s growing roots in South Africa. Nevertheless, for the money, the Lepas L6 1.5T Pantera cuts no corners. Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloys on Kumho rubber, a panoramic sunroof, quilted leather seats all round. The cabin is dominated by a 13.5-inch touchscreen that, refreshingly, runs a clean, responsive interface rather than the laggy, menu-heavy systems that plague some similar offerings.

Ease of use and practicality is a genuine strength of the Lepas L6 1 5T Pantera. Boot space runs to 435 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 1 255 litres folded flat. This is more than enough for a family SUV and the overall cabin space provides plenty of head and leg room for taller occupants. A week behind the wheel showed no build-quality issues whatsoever.

HOW DOES IT DRIVE?

Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre turbo petrol producing 108 kW and 225 Nm, sent through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. That’s not a lot of output for a turbo motor, and it’s not a quick car as a result. This is at odds with its sporty looking orange paintwork. It is pretty hesitant as the gearbox works through various speed ranges. And there is no way to override the gearbox manually either.

At least the steering is nicely weighted though, and the Kumho tyres grip keenly enough through corners. But the standout, genuinely, is its refinement. Cabin noise, vibration and harshness suppression is premium level, excellent for a car price below R500k. Claimed/combined consumption sits at 7.2 l/100 km, however, in the real world we recorded an average of 8.5 l/100 km. Truthfully, the engine felt like it still needed some loosening up, so this may come down over time.

THE VERDICT

At R499 900, the Lepas L6 1.5T Pantera reframes what a well-specced, quiet and spacious family SUV should be on South African roads. It is not particularly memorable to drive, and it doesn’t need to be. For buyers cross-shopping in this segment, the Chery Group is increasingly dominate from multiple angles. For the longest time, the Chinese copied legacy carmakers. One wonders how long it’ll be before the legacy brands start to copy the Chinese’s effective multi-brand approach?

LEPAS L6 1.5T PANTERA FIGURES

• Engine: 1.5-litre turbo petrol
• Transmission: Dual-clutch auto
• Power: 108 kW
• Torque: 225 Nm
• 0-100 km/h: 11 seconds (estimated)
• Fuel consumption: 7.2 l/100 km (claimed/combined) and 8.5 l/100 km (tested)
• Price: R499 900