First Drive: iCaur V27 REEV AWD
We sampled the SA-bound iCaur V27 in Wuhu, China, where we got to thrash the brand’s flagship SUV around a muddy off-road course. Has iCaur done enough to make it stand out against the swelling tide of boxy Chinese SUVs washing up on local shores?
Let’s be honest, the segment is getting crowded. Every second brand from the East is rolling out a right-angled, lifestyle-oriented high-rider designed to look like it has just conquered the Rub’ al Khali, when in reality its toughest test will be mounting a kerb pavement outside a Woolies Food. But the V27 tries a little harder. Sharper styling sets it apart from the rest of the V-Series family, and its cabin pushes into genuine luxury-rival territory. Beneath the skin, a punchy range-extender electric vehicle (REEV) powertrain backs up the tough-guy posturing.
Just as important, the big brother of the iCaur V range doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s every bit as chock-full of Easter eggs and customisation options as its smaller siblings. But how does it square up against established heavyweights and newcomers riding the coattails of legacy brands? Let’s dig in.
Familiar silhouette, Defender-matching scale
Right out of the gate, the V27’s footprint closely mirrors that of the Defender 110. It measures 5,045mm long, 1,976mm wide (excluding mirrors), and 1,894mm tall, on a 2,900mm wheelbase. Compared to the British’s iconic benchmark, the V27 is just 27mm longer, while every other number is more compact. The result is a commanding road presence that won’t leave you feeling bullied in the school drop-off lane.
Interior space remains a major talking point among Chinese manufacturers, and the V27 is no different. With the rear seats up, the boot swallows 715 litres, growing to a cavernous 1,818 litres with the second row folded flat. iCaur claims class-leading legroom of 950mm, and has carved out no fewer than 50 storage nooks around the cabin, supplemented by a 40-litre under-floor hidey-hole. Expect to lose your house keys in there at least once a week.
What’s the iCaur V27’s interior like?
This is where the V27 really puts its best foot forward. Beyond the sprawling 15.4-inch 3K central display (powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip), the ambient lighting and a premium sound system with 15 speakers (23, depending on spec), the real party piece is the dual panoramic sunroof with double-glazed glass. The two panels are separated by a “Star Island” structural spine running the length of the roof.
The cabin materials lean heavily into plush. Soft-touch surfaces are everywhere, and a suede-covered headliner immediately lifts the V27 above its more utilitarian V-Series siblings. iCaur has even tossed in a temperature-controlled armrest and an integrated fragrance box. For sheer space and tactile luxury, the V27 delivers.
What is the iCaur V27 like to drive?
The V27 is REEV-only, a mechanical cousin to the newly launched V25. A 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine with 115kW acts purely as an onboard generator for a 34.3kWh battery pack, while either a single rear-mounted e-motor or a dual-motor AWD layout drives the wheels. The dual-motor setup churns out a healthy 335kW and 505Nm.
Unlike the V25, which doles out its power with gentle politeness, the larger V27 gets a distinct software tune. The result is instant, neck-snapping acceleration that makes it mighty easy to forget this boxy behemoth tips the scales at 2,355kg. The steering itself is light, direct, and predictable.
With Mud Mode selected and our off-road expectations suitably dialled back, the V27 performed remarkably well on a slippery, sloshing course. It has no mechanical locking differentials, but the beefy all-terrain tyres on those giant 21-inch wheels did a lot of the work. Add 220mm of ground clearance and enough suspension travel to keep the rubber in contact with uneven terrain at low speeds, and it felt composed. Drop the hammer, though, and things get squirrely fast as the rear steps out. Put 335kW on a mud track, and you get instant, grin-inducing chaos. Keep in mind, this isn’t a diesel Land Cruiser charging through the rainforest as much as a lifestyle machine with adequate capability.
It’s a crying shame we didn’t get a proper taste of the V27 on urban tarmac or sweeping national highways, because that’s where this full-size machine will likely find its natural habitat. iCaur claims an electric-only range of 150km and a combined range of more than 1,000km, which should make it an effortless road-tripper. Just don’t expect it to haul heavy machinery: the unbraked towing capacity caps out at a modest 1,600kg. The V27 also offers 6kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.
More Playful, Less Pathfinder
With the V27’s local arrival close, iCaur’s boxy flagship proves every bit as playful and quirky as its V23 and V25 stablemates, complete with cheeky exterior Easter eggs and endless customisation potential.
Once it lands on South African soil next month, the V27 will almost certainly live as an urban kerb-crawler. Dirt roads will likely be the closest it gets to genuine bundu-bashing, which makes its lack of heavy-duty off-road hardware easy to forgive. The modest towing capacity might put off hardcore campers. Still, the plush cabin, unapologetic retro styling and long-distance range make it a compelling wildcard in the full-size SUV conversation.
Whether iCaur can slip it in under the magic R1-million mark locally, however, remains to be seen.
Words & Images: Cale Nuttall
