Chine
Soueast
Soueast (from the English "South East," Dongnan in Chinese) is a Chinese automaker founded in November 1995 in Fuzhou, in Fujian province. It began as a joint venture between the state-owned Fujian Motor Industry group (FAIG) and the Taiwanese manufacturer China Motor Corporation (CMC), which was itself linked to Mitsubishi. The brand started out assembling light commercial vehicles and minivans derived from Mitsubishi models, notably the Veryca and the Delica. In 2006, Mitsubishi Motors took a direct stake by buying a share of China Motor, bringing the ownership to three parties (Fujian, China Motor and Mitsubishi) and allowing Soueast to expand its lineup to passenger cars. During this period, Soueast produced both models under its own brand (V3, V5 and V6 sedans, hatchbacks, and the DX3, DX5, DX7, DX8 and DX9 SUV series) and Mitsubishi vehicles intended for the Chinese market, such as the Lancer and the Zinger. The manufacturer reached its commercial peak in 2017 with around 150,000 vehicles sold, before a sharp decline. In May 2021, Mitsubishi withdrew from the joint venture after twenty-six years of collaboration, weakening the brand. In 2024, the Chinese group Chery acquired all of Soueast, which became a wholly owned subsidiary. Under Chery, the brand was completely repositioned: it abandoned its older models to sell vehicles derived from the Jetour lineup (another Chery group brand), rebadged under the Soueast name. The brand then relaunched with a strategy firmly focused on exports. On September 28, 2024, the new Soueast made its world debut in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with the S07 and S09 SUVs, followed by the S06 in January 2025. Soueast is targeting a presence in more than 60 markets. The brand has no commercial presence or production in North America; it is absent from Canada and the United States, and is therefore not sold in Quebec.
ActiveÉlectrique / hybrideCamion / utilitaireChinoises
History
History of Soueast
Soueast (from the English "South East," Dongnan in Chinese) is a Chinese automaker founded in November 1995 in Fuzhou, in Fujian province. It began as a joint venture between the state-owned Fujian Motor Industry group (FAIG) and the Taiwanese manufacturer China Motor Corporation (CMC), which was itself linked to Mitsubishi. The brand started out assembling light commercial vehicles and minivans derived from Mitsubishi models, notably the Veryca and the Delica. In 2006, Mitsubishi Motors took a direct stake by buying a share of China Motor, bringing the ownership to three parties (Fujian, China Motor and Mitsubishi) and allowing Soueast to expand its lineup to passenger cars. During this period, Soueast produced both models under its own brand (V3, V5 and V6 sedans, hatchbacks, and the DX3, DX5, DX7, DX8 and DX9 SUV series) and Mitsubishi vehicles intended for the Chinese market, such as the Lancer and the Zinger. The manufacturer reached its commercial peak in 2017 with around 150,000 vehicles sold, before a sharp decline. In May 2021, Mitsubishi withdrew from the joint venture after twenty-six years of collaboration, weakening the brand. In 2024, the Chinese group Chery acquired all of Soueast, which became a wholly owned subsidiary. Under Chery, the brand was completely repositioned: it abandoned its older models to sell vehicles derived from the Jetour lineup (another Chery group brand), rebadged under the Soueast name. The brand then relaunched with a strategy firmly focused on exports. On September 28, 2024, the new Soueast made its world debut in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with the S07 and S09 SUVs, followed by the S06 in January 2025. Soueast is targeting a presence in more than 60 markets. The brand has no commercial presence or production in North America; it is absent from Canada and the United States, and is therefore not sold in Quebec.
Public founding or origin of Soueast.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
Under Chery, Soueast relies on the group's platforms and powertrains, which are largely shared with Jetour and Chery. The vehicles are built mainly around turbocharged 1.5 L and 1.6 L gasoline engines paired with automatic transmissions (including an 8-speed gearbox). The brand also deploys electrified versions under the DM designation: hybrids (HEV) and, above all, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) combining a turbocharged 1.5 L engine with a dedicated hybrid transmission (1.5TD+DHT architecture), as well as fully electric versions depending on the market. Soueast advertises a "5+2+1" matrix covering four energy types (gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric). The equipment includes modern driver-assistance systems and connected infotainment, in line with current standards for Chinese SUVs.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
A Chinese brand relaunched by Chery, focused on multi-energy SUVs and exports, and absent from North America.
Reputation
As a brand recently relaunched by Chery, Soueast does not yet have an established reliability track record for its new models, which are essentially rebadged Jetours. Its reputation therefore rests indirectly on the perceived reliability of the Chery/Jetour platform, which is considered acceptable in emerging markets. The previous generation (the DX series, from the Mitsubishi era) left a mixed image, marked by the brand's decline after 2017. Resale value remains hard to assess outside China and in the recent export markets, and the brand remains unknown in North America.
Strengths
Soueast benefits from the industrial and financial backing of the Chery group, one of the largest Chinese manufacturers and global exporters. Its vehicles take advantage of proven platforms, a range of modern SUVs covering several energy types (gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric) and competitive pricing in emerging markets, supported by an ambitious export strategy and a fast rollout.
Points to watch
The brand is in the middle of a complete overhaul: its new models are rebadged Jetours, with no technical identity of their own, and its recent reliability record has yet to be established. Soueast is unknown in the West, its service network is immature in several markets, and resale value is uncertain. Above all, it is completely absent from North America, and therefore unavailable and unsupported in Canada and Quebec.
Models
Soueast models
Current or active models by market
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
Under Chery, Soueast's production relies on the group's industrial base in China, notably in Fujian province (Fuzhou) as well as on sites associated with Chery. To support its international expansion, Soueast plans a network of complete-knockdown (CKD/KD) assembly plants and manufacturing centers spread across several regions, including Central Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa. The brand has no plant or assembly operation in North America. No production intended for Canada, the United States or Mexico has been announced; Soueast remains absent from the North American market and from Quebec.
Tires and wheels
The current Soueast SUVs (S06, S07, S09), derived from Jetour, use fitments typical of modern compact and mid-size SUVs: wheels from 17 to 20 inches depending on the version and trim. On the S06, for example, you'll find sizes such as 235/65R17, 235/60R18, 235/55R19 or 255/45R20, which match the segment's standards. Larger diameters improve the look but cost more to fit with tires. Since the brand is not sold in Quebec, these figures remain indicative. On SUVs of this size, a second set of certified winter tires (mountain-snowflake symbol), ideally on smaller-diameter steel wheels, is essential for Quebec winters.