Chery's iCaur Off-Road Brand Launches in Israel with V27 SUV

The Chinese automaker Chery is introducing its iCaur off-road leisure vehicle brand to the Israeli market, with importer Smelter set to distribute the models. This marks Chery's fifth brand to be offered in Israel.

The first model arriving is the V27, a large SUV described as resembling the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser 250. It will be fully compliant with Israeli regulations, and the initial shipment is expected to depart China next month.

The V27 features a range-extending plug-in hybrid system. It is powered by a 1.5-liter, 136-horsepower turbo gasoline engine, coupled with two electric motors: a 204-horsepower front motor and a 252-horsepower rear motor. Chery claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 5.9 seconds.

This large SUV utilizes a unibody chassis, not a ladder frame. It measures 5.04 meters long, 1.98 meters wide, and 1.89 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.90 meters. Compared to the Defender 110, the V27 is slightly longer by 2.7 cm, narrower by 3.2 cm, shorter by 7.8 cm, and has a 12.2 cm shorter wheelbase. In terms of off-road specifications, the V27 boasts approach and departure angles of 30.1 and 37.7 degrees, respectively, compared to the Defender's 24 and 23 degrees. Its water fording capability is rated at 60 cm, versus the British SUV's 85 cm.

Future additions to the iCaur lineup in Israel are expected to include the compact V25, slated for launch around the end of the year, and the smaller V23. The V23 is a fully electric vehicle offered in two configurations: one with 136 horsepower and a 59.93 kWh battery, and another with 211 horsepower and an 81.76 kWh battery.