iCaur V25 and V27 quick drive: V25 the more settled of the pair ahead of early 2027 Australian launch

What the quick drive revealed

CarExpert's Alborz Fallah spent less than 20 minutes driving the iCaur V25 and V27 on a very slippery, muddy course in China, describing the outing as a taste of their traction systems and cabins rather than a proper assessment, with a drive on Australian roads still to come. ¹

The smaller V25 made the stronger impression on the muddy course. According to CarExpert, the V25 felt much more stable in the greasy conditions, with its mud and slippery drive modes helping the traction control keep things together, while the V27 was much looser at the rear, repeatedly stepping sideways and bottoming out - a difference the outlet says it could not fully explain after such a short drive. ¹

The V25 CarExpert drove was the range-extender version, which the outlet found quiet with plenty of power, though the steering was very light. CarExpert notes that slippery mud reveals little about how the vehicles will behave on Australian roads, and that the electric V25 - the version leading the Australian launch - was not driven. PerthNow and 7NEWS republished the same CarExpert report with permission. ¹⁴

Cabin impressions

Inside, CarExpert reports both cars impressed, with excellent headroom and plenty of space, and the V27 feeling particularly big once seated, with a glass roof that appears divided into two sections. The outlet says the cabin materials felt good to touch and a step above what it has experienced in mainstream Chery products, while cautioning that how those materials hold up over years of use matters more than a brief inspection. ¹

CarExpert's listed cons include very light steering on the slippery test course, unresolved Australian pricing and specification, and polarising boxy styling. ¹

Australian launch plan and timing

iCaur's Australian rollout begins with the battery-electric V25 mid-size SUV in early 2027, followed by the larger V27 with an extended-range electric powertrain, and then EREV versions of the V25. The range-extender models use electric motors to drive the wheels with a petrol engine generating electricity, and can also be plugged in to charge. Australian prices and final specifications are yet to be announced. ¹⁵

Speaking to Australian media including CarExpert in China, an iCAUR product manager confirmed the sequencing: "The V25 BEV will launch first", then "V27 EREV". On timing he said he could not give a confirmed month but suggested maybe the end of the first quarter, and indicated the smaller V23 "may come in the future". CarExpert notes CarExpert co-founder Alborz Fallah reported these remarks directly, so the quarter timing is a company indication rather than a confirmed date. ⁵

The company states on its Australian website that the V25 arrives in 2027 and to register interest, with disclaimers that 2027 refers to expected first customer deliveries and is not a guarantee of a delivery date, with timing subject to homologation and supply. Specifications shown are described as pre-production and subject to Australian Design Rule approval, and registering interest is not an order and requires no deposit. ²³

iCaur has already begun recruiting dealers for a sales and service network separate from Chery, and the product manager told CarExpert that iCaur's materials and specifications are higher than Chery's as part of a more premium positioning. On pricing, the product manager said iCaur is still researching the V25's price range for Australia. ⁵

Chery Group's Australian launch of the brand was previously flagged by 4X4 Australia, which reported in August 2026 that the V25 was confirmed as the first local model and would make its Australian public debut at Everything Electric Sydney from September 18-20, 2026. ⁷

The electric V25's battery and range trade-off

The Australian-bound electric V25 will have an 80kWh lithium iron phosphate battery supplied by CATL, with the iCAUR product manager telling CarExpert that "WLTP range is about 368km". CarExpert stresses these are preliminary figures from the company, not confirmed Australian specifications, and that WLTP is a laboratory cycle rather than a guarantee of real-world range. The manufacturer's own Australian page says battery capacity is nominal and that range and consumption will be published once ADR testing is complete. ⁵⁶²

CarExpert's separate analysis of the figure notes the claimed range trails several SUVs with similarly sized batteries, a gap iCaur attributes partly to the boxy design; asked whether the square body affects aerodynamics, the product manager replied that it does. For comparison, CarExpert cites the Kia EV5 Air Long Range claiming 555km WLTP from an 88.1kWh battery, the BYD Sealion 7 Premium claiming 482km from 82.56kWh, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 claiming 570km from 84kWh on 19-inch wheels. ⁶

The product manager also told CarExpert that iCaur had done Australian road testing on highway and in town and that "300km [range] is okay", and that Australian road testing of the V25 BEV is finished, covering 30,000km of general checks and 15,000km for ADAS and automatic parking systems with an Australian supplier and Chinese engineers. CarExpert reports an Australian evaluation vehicle registered at 2120kg tare, but says this is not the confirmed production weight of the 80kWh version. ⁶⁵

CarExpert's quick-drive report says the 80kWh battery and roughly 368km claimed range leave it with reservations about longer trips, though the upright body's aerodynamic penalty matters less around town. The outlet says it would want to know much more about highway energy consumption and charging speeds before recommending the electric version. iCaur's Australian website says charging rates for the Australian market are still being homologated and will be published before first deliveries. ¹²

Dimensions and powertrain context

Dimensions published for the Chinese-market V25 EREV put it at 4636mm long, 1920mm wide and 1855mm tall on a 2820mm wheelbase - a size class CarExpert compares with the Toyota RAV4 - with unibody construction despite the upright, tailgate-mounted-spare styling. The larger V27 measures 5045mm long, 1976mm wide and 1894mm tall with a 2900mm wheelbase in overseas specification. These are overseas figures, not confirmed Australian specifications for the electric V25 that launches here. ⁵⁷

4X4 Australia reports the Chinese-market V25 EREV pairs a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol range extender with a 33.68kWh battery, offers all-wheel drive, and claims approach and departure angles of 28 and 24 degrees, with towing capacity reported at up to 1800kg. Australian V25 specifications, including final powertrain, drivetrain, ground clearance, towing capacity and equipment levels, are yet to be confirmed. ⁷

The Chinese-market V27 combines its EREV powertrain with a 34kWh battery, 335kW dual-motor output, claimed electric-only range of 150km, total range of up to 995km (NEDC) and a 5.9-second 0-100km/h claim, according to CarExpert and 4X4 Australia, which both note its unibody platform positions it as a family touring SUV with light off-road capability rather than a body-on-frame four-wheel drive. ⁵⁷

CarExpert suggests price will be crucial, saying it would want the V27 to be competitive with Denza's large plug-in hybrid off-road SUVs and ideally cheaper, and noting Chery and JLR's forthcoming Freelander 8 will give buyers another spacious electrified SUV alternative. The outlet would also have preferred iCaur to launch with the smaller V23, which it says remains only a possibility for Australia. ¹

Dimensions

iCaur V25 EREV (Chinese market, as reported by CarExpert): 4636mm long, 1920mm wide, 1855mm tall, 2820mm wheelbase. iCaur V27 (overseas specification, as reported by CarExpert and 4X4 Australia): 5045mm long, 1976mm wide, 1894mm tall, 2900mm wheelbase. No dimensions are confirmed for the Australian-market electric V25; these figures are overseas specifications and should not be read as Australian production dimensions. ⁵⁷