Road Test: 2026 iCaur V27

Chery Group recently launched its dedicated electric-led sub-brand, iCaur, with the flagship of this new lineup, the 2026 iCaur V27, making its global debut here in the UAE. It is a mid-size SUV that combines the boxy aesthetic everyone currently wants with a Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) powertrain that promises to kill range anxiety dead.

We got behind the wheel of this “electric” SUV to see if it’s more than just a fashion statement.

Exterior

If you like right angles, you’ll love the V27. It is unapologetically boxy, borrowing cues from old-school off-road vehicles, yet mashing them into something arguably more futuristic. The front end is dominated by round LED headlights set deeply into square housings, giving it a robotic “face.”

The side profile features muscular, flared wheel arches and an upright A-pillar that creates a greenhouse-style cabin. Around the back, the side-hinged tailgate sports a full-size spare tyre, adding to its off-road character. At 5 metres long with a 2.9-metre wheelbase, it has serious road presence, dwarfing compact crossovers and staring eye-to-eye with the Prado crowd.

Interior & Tech

Step inside, and the “utilitarian” vibe vanishes, replaced by the standard-issue Chinese “minimalist tech” look. The cockpit is dominated by a massive 15.4-inch floating touchscreen that handles everything from navigation to the AC. Thankfully they also added physical buttons to adjust the climate control temperature and fan speed. 

The upper dashboard and door cards feature soft-touch materials and cool 64-color ambient lighting, but dig lower and you’ll find some hard plastics. Storage is fantastic, however, with 48 different compartments and a clever floating center console. The square windows and upright windshield provide excellent 360-degree visibility, a refreshing change from the coupe-SUV trend that makes you feel like you’re driving a bunker.

Drive & Performance

This is where the iCaur V27 gets interesting. It uses a REEV (Range-Extended Electric Vehicle) system, meaning the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine under the hood is purely a generator; it never drives the wheels directly. The wheels are powered by electric motors that pump out a combined 449 hp and 505 Nm of torque in our AWD tester.

The result is a driving experience that feels 100% electric. You get that instant, neck-snapping torque the moment you touch the pedal, hitting 100 kph in a claimed 5.9 seconds, a figure that feels believable. Because there is no gearbox shifting gears, the acceleration is linear and relentless.

However, the laws of physics still apply. This is a heavy vehicle, and you feel that mass in the corners. The suspension is tuned for comfort rather than sportiness, soaking up the highway imperfections well, but expect significant body roll if you attack a cloverleaf ramp too enthusiastically.

While it carries the visual presence of a serious off-roader, we would recommend limiting it to light dunes and wadis for casual off-road use. That said, the V27’s well-sorted suspension setup is genuinely impressive, allowing it to glide comfortably over gravel roads with ease.

The 1.5L generator engine is mostly silent during city cruising, but if you mat the throttle or deplete the battery significantly, it wakes up with a noticeable drone that disconnects from the vehicle’s speed, which can be disorienting. That said, the efficiency is undeniable. Chery claims a conversion rate of 3.71 kWh per liter of fuel, and with a full tank and charged battery, a 900 km range is theoretically possible, making it a viable option for dashes to Salalah or Riyadh without stopping to hunt for a Supercharger.

Verdict

The iCaur V27 is a fascinating oddball. It offers the cool, boxy looks of a dedicated off-roader with the punchy performance of an EV, all without the range anxiety that usually plagues electric SUVs in this region. With prices starting from AED 135,000 for the base two-wheel drive model and the fully loaded 4WD Flagship trim costing AED 165,000, it undercuts the premium European competition significantly, making a compelling case for itself.