iCaur confirmed: ‘Temu Defender’ coming to the UK as Jaecoo 7’s tougher brother
iCaur is a sub-brand of Chinese conglomerate Chery, and will bring its V27 SUV to the UK next year
Don't get too excited: Apple isn’t making a car. However, iCaur is a new off-road brand from China and it’s now confirmed that it will be coming to the UK in early 2027.
Falling under the Chery International umbrella, iCaur arrives as yet another sister brand to Jaecoo, Omoda, Lepas and, of course, Chery itself. The newcomer’s first model to go on sale in Britain will be the iCaur V27 flagship: a rugged-looking SUV that’s very similar in size and appearance to the Land Rover Defender.
Underneath its brawny exterior, the iCaur V27 is a range-extender plug-in hybrid. Exact UK specifications are yet to be confirmed, but we do know that international versions have a 154bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine. This acts as a generator to charge either a 20 or 34kWh LFP battery pack which, in turn, powers either one or two electric motors, providing rear or all-wheel drive and outputting 248bhp or 449bhp respectively.
Single-motor, 20kWh models are said to be capable of 59 miles on electric power alone, while the extra battery capacity of the dual-motor, 34kWh models bumps this figure up to 93 miles. Both versions offer a total driving range in excess of 600 miles and can be charged from 20-80 per cent in just half an hour thanks to DC rapid charging.
Despite what its ‘Temu Defender’ appearance might suggest, the iCaur V27 doesn’t adopt a body-on-frame construction; instead, it has a monocoque chassis similar to that used by most passenger cars, which should make it more suited to driving on tarmac. Nevertheless, iCaur has affirmed the V27 is “designed to deliver electrified efficiency alongside off-road capability”.
Inside, buyers can expect an upright dashboard, much like full-blooded off-roaders, as well as swathes of leatherette upholstery. A large central touchscreen is bolstered by a digital driver’s display and sits above a row of metal-effect physical knobs and switches.
Full prices and specification will be announced ahead of the car going on sale next year. But you can expect the rugged-looking 4x4 to be priced above, but just as keenly as its cousin, the Jaecoo 7. According to its maker, the V27 will also be honed at Chery's R&D centre in Millbrook, Bedfordshire, to tailor the car to British tastes and roads.
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