This Chinese Off-Roader Doubles A Hot Defender's Horsepower Output

Chinese automakers have gotten remarkably good at building tough-looking SUVs that mimic Western off-road icons, but Geely just took that formula and injected it with a shocking amount of performance. The new Galaxy Cruiser 700 wears styling clearly inspired by the Land Rover Defender, yet underneath that familiar silhouette lies a powertrain that would embarrass most performance cars, let alone off-roaders.

The setup pairs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with three electric motors: one mounted up front and two working the rear axle. Combined, this hybrid arrangement produces a staggering 1,113 hp, putting it nearly on par with the outrageous YangWang U8. To put that number in context, the most powerful Defender currently sold, the upcoming 2027 Octa, tops out at 533 hp. Geely's boxy newcomer more than doubles that figure while wearing a body that looks like it belongs on a farm rather than a drag strip.

Despite the hypercar-rivaling output, the Cruiser 700 isn't a pure EV. It's a plug-in hybrid capable of up to 217 miles (350 km) of electric-only range, courtesy of a 70-kWh Golden Short Blade battery pack engineered in-house by Geely. That pack works alongside a 900-volt electrical architecture, hinting at rapid charging capability, though exact speeds haven't been disclosed yet.

Power alone doesn't tell the whole story here. Geely equipped the Cruiser 700 with an AI-managed four-wheel-drive system capable of switching between front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive configurations depending on conditions. Add in active torque vectoring, a crab-walking mode for tight maneuvering, and even tank-turn functionality, and this SUV starts to look like a genuine off-road tech showcase rather than just a styling exercise.

Visually, the influences are obvious. The front end features red tow hooks, a blacked-out bumper, and an illuminated Geely badge that gives it a premium touch. Around back, you'll find a spare-wheel carrier tucked between the LED taillights, black wheel arch cladding, and a roof-mounted LiDAR unit that signals just how tech-forward this rugged package really is.

Step inside and the theme continues with a mix of rugged charm and modern convenience. A tablet-style infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, standard fare these days, but the real personality comes from the chunky shift lever, knurled metal drive-mode dials, and a console packed with tactile switches that suggest Geely wanted this cabin to feel purposeful rather than purely digital.

As more manufacturers out of China push into the rugged SUV segment, vehicles like the Galaxy Cruiser 700 suggest the bar for what counts as a capable, tech-laden off-roader is rising fast, and traditional players may need to take notice.

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