Australia is about to get another Chinese car brand, with a name that might sound familiar to movie fans.
Avatr, pronounced “avatar”, is set to arrive in Australia with a bold promise to offer Aussies another alternative to a new luxury vehicle as Chinese carmakers continue to expand their presence Down Under.
While Changan Group is bringing Avatr to Australia directly, it isn’t entirely new to the local market. The Chinese giant already sells its Deepal electric vehicles here, though those are distributed through Inchcape, the same group behind Subaru.
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Changan Group Australia general manager Bryan Guan says the Australian market is entering a new era of automotive choice, where customers want vehicles that combine premium luxury with advanced technology.
“Avatr was created around a simple belief — that the future of luxury should be intelligent, but it should also be emotional. We call that Emotive Luxury,” Mr Guan said.
“Australian customers are sophisticated, discerning and increasingly open to brands that challenge traditional automotive conventions.
“They expect design, technology, performance and experience to come together without compromise.”
The group is one of China’s major automotive players, while Avatr itself has been developed through a partnership involving Changan, battery giant CATL and technology company Huawei.
The brand will make its Australian debut with the Avatr 07L, a high-tech model built around an 800-volt electrical architecture and a CATL-supplied battery.
The 07L is expected to be officially revealed ahead of pre-orders opening towards the end of 2026, with first deliveries expected in early 2027.
Local specifications, pricing and other details are yet to be finalised and are expected to be announced closer to the Australian launch.
However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a good idea of what to expect.
In China, the Avatr 07L measures 4910mm long, 1980mm wide and 1650mm tall, with a 2990mm wheelbase.
That is a little longer than the Zeekr 7X and Model Y but similar in height.
It features an 800-volt electrical architecture designed to support rapid charging, while its technology-heavy cabin is built around what Avatr calls its “Emotive Luxury” philosophy.
Overseas models also get a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a huge 35.4-inch panoramic display at the base of the windscreen and digital side mirrors that feed into 6.4-inch displays mounted inside the cabin.
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Meridian Audio has been selected to produce the acoustics in the 07L with advanced Digital Signal Processing, which is just a fancy way of saying premium sound quality.
At the top end of the Chinese range, the 07L can accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than four seconds, putting it in the same ballpark for acceleration as cars such as the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.
Avatr is also placing a big focus on artificial intelligence and the way drivers interact with their cars.
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According to the brand, its Avatr OS is designed to chat like a real person, rather than relying on the clunky, rigid voice commands that currently plague models with voice assistance.
If true, Avatr could be one of the first automotive brands to feature a sophisticated AI operating system in Australia.
The arrival of Avatr adds another name to an increasingly crowded Australian market, where around 70 car brands are now battling for local buyers.
For Avatr, the 07L is intended to be the first taste of what the brand can offer Australian buyers. More details on the local version, including pricing and specifications, are expected to be revealed later in 2026.