This Chinese LandCruiser 300 Series and Land Rover Defender Alternative Could be Coming to Australia

Luxury Chinese car manufacturer Rox Motor has filed a trademark on IP Australia, hinting at a possible local arrival of the Chinese luxury electrified SUV brand.

The trademark for the name “ROXMOTOR” was filed on April 16th by Rox Motor Tech Co Ltd and later published on September 17th, with the brand represented by a major Australian law firm.  

Founded in 2021, the Shanghai-based marque produces a single model called the Rox 01.

The SUV, also known as the Polestones 01, is positioned in China as a luxury range-extender hybrid off-roader. 

The Rox 01 was first launched in its home market in August 2023 and is now sold in over 20 countries, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan. 

The exterior of the Rox 01 was styled by Pininfarina Shanghai, the Chinese arm of the design house whose résumé includes work for the likes of Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, BMW and Peugeot, as well as their own Battista hypercar. 

The Rox 01 measures at 5,295mm long, 1,980mm wide, and 1,896mm tall. Those are comparable dimensions to the Land Rover Defender 130, and the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.  

Its range extender powertrain pairs a 56 kWh ternary lithium battery and a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine powering a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with a combined system output of 350kW and 740Nm, good for a 0-100km/h run of 5.5 seconds. 

The Rox 01’s claimed hybrid range is 1,115km, with an electric range of 235km on China’s WLTC cycle or around 188km on the more realistic WLTP cycle. 

Six driving modes are selectable, including a regular on-road mode as well as snow, rock, mud, sand, and wading modes. 

Beneath the battery pack, the Rox 01 has ground clearance of 255mm and a maximum wading depth of 700mm, with approach and departure angles of 22.2 degrees and 25.1 degrees, respectively. All-terrain tyres can also be specced as an optional extra.

The interior – configurable with either six or seven seats – boasts ventilated, heated, and massaging Nappa leather seats, a 15.7-inch infotainment display, a 15.6-inch HD screen in the second row, a 14-speaker sound system, 256-colour ambient lighting, and first, second, and third-row charging ports.  

As an outdoors lifestyle vehicle, the Rox 01 is optionable with accessories including a tailgate kitchen – complete with a hot water dispenser and compatibility with appliances such as induction cookers and air fryers – a 207-degree L-shaped awning, and a luggage roof rack. 

In seven-seat configurations, the second and third rows can also be folded to create a king-sized bed. 

Prices for the Rox 01 start at ¥299,000 (around $63,500 as of September 2025). While the Toyota LandCruiser 300 series isn’t sold in China, the Rox 01 is significantly cheaper than the related ¥1.25 Million (around $266,500) Lexus LX and the entry-level Land Rover Defender, priced at ¥688,000 (around $146,674). 

Were it to be sold in Australia, the Rox 01 could be positioned as a cheaper alternative to the likes of the Land Rover Defender as well as the 300 Series Toyota LandCruiser and Lexus LX. 

While this trademark could herald the brand's Australian arrival, plans for a local launch are yet to be confirmed by Rox Motor.