China’s SUV Boom
The Chinese car industry is relatively young, but it’s already making waves around the world. There are some that can be called world-class, while others still need improvement — and that’s putting it very lightly.
That brings us neatly to iCar or iCaur for overseas markets. It’s a brand under Chery, one of China’s “Big Four” automakers, and all their offerings consist of crossovers. iCar/iCaur is one of the many new car companies specializing in crossovers and SUVs, showing that even China is starting to embrace that particular vehicle genre.
An i…What Now?
iCaur currently sells two compact EV crossovers. The first one is the iCaur 03, a boxy little crossover that goes by many names, such as Jaecoo J6, Chery J6, and Aiqar eQ3, to name a few. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s also known as the Chery Fulwin X3, which recently went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The second one is the iCaur V23, which is something we actually covered before. It has a retro-inspired design rather than a boxy one, and we see elements of classic Jeeps and a hint of the Land Cruiser FJ40.
Now, there’s a new one that will soon be in Chinese showrooms. It’s called the V27, and it’s the largest model iCaur has made to date.
iCaur
Meet the V27
Unlike the 03 and V23, the V27 is not an EV. It’s a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), so there’s actually an engine under the hood. However, the engine’s sole purpose is to charge the batteries as a generator of sorts, similar to the technology used by the incoming Nissan Rogue e-Power. The REEV, however, can also be charged like a conventional EV should the owner prefer that method. Think of it, then, as a plug-in hybrid that runs more on batteries than on the engine.
Specs? There’s not much info about the engine/generator, but we can confirm that there are single or dual-motor versions. Sources for China mention a power output of up to 449 horsepower, likely for the dual-motor model. As for the battery, it’s a 34.3 kWh pack that’s constantly charged by the engine. iCaur claims a range of 745 miles with a full charge and full tank of fuel.
Its dimensions put it well into the midsize crossover class. It measures 199 inches long, 77.8 inches wide, 74.5 inches tall, and sits on a 114.1-inch wheelbase. If you need a better visual reference, the V27 is about the same size as the Honda Pilot.
iCaur
Other Highlights
Let’s not gloss over the fact that it looks like two boxy SUVs from the West. We see shades of the Land Rover Defender at the front with its headlight and grille arrangement. The same could be said about its taillights, although the rest of the body reminds us of the Land Cruiser 250 Series.
Surprisingly, in a Chinese car, there are actual hard buttons inside. There’s also a thin display that serves as the instrument panel, and the dash is largely dominated by the infotainment screen. Speaking of infotainment, it runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor. Semi-autonomous driving features are present. It relies mainly on lidar and is made by Horizon Robotics.
Final prices aren’t out yet, but it’s estimated to range from 200,000 to 250,000 yuan. At current conversion rates, that’s around $28,000 to $35,000. It sounds like a bargain, but those prices are thanks to the highly subsidized Chinese car industry.
Despite appearances, the V27 is no 4Runner rival. It’s a unibody crossover with no low-range, so it’s easy trails at most for it. For as long as the prospective owners have no plans driving up Heaven’s Gate, the V27 should be fine for most use cases.
iCaur V27
iCaur
