Chery design chief backs boxy SUVs ahead of iCaur’s Australian arrival

Chery backs the boxy SUV

Chery global design director Steve Eum has told CarExpert he expects upright, square-edged SUVs to remain a lasting part of vehicle design. He described the shape as iconic and said it visually conveys storage, toughness and utility. Rather than abandoning the basic silhouette as more brands adopt it, Eum expects designers to distinguish their vehicles through details at the front, sides and rear. ¹

The comments come as Chery prepares to introduce its particularly boxy iCaur SUVs to Australia. They are also consistent with Eum’s account to New Zealand publication Auto Trader earlier in September: he said passenger accommodation limits how far designers can change a vehicle’s overall proportions, even as electrification gives them different hardware to package. That supports his design argument, rather than establishing how long buyers will favour the look. ¹⁵

Why the familiar shape persists

Speaking to CarExpert, Eum argued that an upright profile provides a useful starting point when a vehicle must carry four, six or eight people comfortably. He said designers still have scope to change its character through its face and other details. CarExpert placed his remarks in the context of Chinese SUVs from several manufacturers, including GWM’s Tank 300 and BYD’s Denza B5, while noting that upright off-roaders have a much longer history. ¹

Eum made a related point in his Auto Trader interview, saying the space required by occupants remains a constraint despite the design freedom associated with electric-vehicle platforms. He also said cameras, mirrors and lidar equipment now need to be integrated into exterior surfaces. Discussing familiar design cues more broadly, he accepted that carmakers draw on established designs and argued that details and technology contribute to a vehicle’s identity. ⁵

What is planned for Australia

Chery has identified the mid-size V25 as iCaur’s first Australian model, with an arrival planned for early 2027. CarExpert reported in August that the V25 was due to make its local in-person debut at Everything Electric Sydney on 18–20 September. Man of Many separately reported the same planned Australian launch window and public display. Those plans do not establish that customer deliveries have begun. ⁴²

The distinction between a named launch model and possible later arrivals matters. In May, CarSauce reported that the V25 and larger V27 were expected to start iCaur’s Australian rollout. Chery’s later August announcement, as reported by CarExpert, named the V25 but did not confirm other local models. CarExpert’s September report described almost all of Chery’s boxy Jetour and iCaur models as expected for Australia from as soon as early 2027; that expectation is not a confirmed launch schedule for each vehicle. ³⁴¹

The V25 joins a broader group of Chery-related vehicles with upright styling. CarExpert identifies the V23 as a smaller electric iCaur SUV and the V27 as a larger extended-range model. It also reports that the Chery–Jaguar Land Rover Freelander joint venture is due to launch in Australia in 2027 with a boxy SUV. These are separate vehicles and brands, not additional specifications or variants of the Australian V25. ⁴¹

V25 specifications and pricing

Published Chinese-market V25 specifications describe a unibody SUV measuring 4636mm long, 1920mm wide and 1855mm tall, with a 2820mm wheelbase. CarExpert and Man of Many both report those dimensions, which put it close to a Toyota RAV4 in length but wider and on a longer wheelbase. Its upright styling recalls traditional off-roaders, but its unibody construction should not be confused with a body-on-frame layout. ⁴²

For China, CarExpert reports an extended-range electric powertrain with a 115kW turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine acting as a generator for a 33.68kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Two electric motors drive all four wheels, with a reported 335kW total system output. CarExpert also lists available equipment including heated, ventilated and massaging front seats. Man of Many cautions that the overseas mechanical specification has not been confirmed for Australia. ⁴²

Australian pricing, local equipment and final launch timing are still to be announced closer to the V25’s arrival, according to CarExpert’s account of Chery’s August announcement. Man of Many likewise reported that final Australian specifications and pricing would follow. Overseas figures provide a preview of the vehicle, but they are not a price or equipment list for Australian-delivered V25s. ⁴²