Chery is adding a fifth brand to its UK line-up. On 15 October the Chinese carmaker said its iCaur brand will launch here in early 2027, joining Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo and Lepas, which are already on sale. The first model will be the V27, a five-seat SUV with a square-cut, upright shape that Auto Express compares in size and look to the Land Rover Defender.

In China the brand is called iCar; iCaur is the name it uses abroad. Reuters reports that Chery International, the group’s export arm, says iCaur is already sold in 40 countries.

What the V27 is

The V27 is iCaur’s flagship. In the markets where it is already sold, it uses a range-extender layout: a petrol engine acts only as a generator, charging a battery that drives electric motors. Auto Express gives the details for international versions:

  • a 154bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine as the generator
  • a 20kWh or 34kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery
  • one motor driving the rear wheels with 248bhp, or two motors and all-wheel drive with 449bhp
  • an electric-only range of 59 miles (20kWh, single motor) or 93 miles (34kWh, dual motor), and more than 600 miles in total
  • DC rapid charging from 20% to 80% in about half an hour

Despite its looks, the V27 is not built like a traditional body-on-frame 4x4. It has a monocoque body, as most passenger cars do, which Auto Express says should make it better suited to driving on tarmac. iCaur describes the car as “designed to deliver electrified efficiency alongside off-road capability”.

UK specification has not been confirmed, and CnEVPost notes it is not yet clear whether British cars will use the same range-extender set-up.

Tuned at Millbrook

According to Auto Express and CnEVPost, the V27 will be tuned for British roads at Chery’s new research and development centre at UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire. CnEVPost reports that iCaur will have its own UK team and sales channels, separate from Chery’s other brands here. No dealer list has been published.

Why Chery is adding another brand

Chery entered the UK with Omoda in 2024 and has grown quickly since. Reuters, citing SMMT data, reports that Chery’s brands together took 7% of the UK new car market in the first nine months of 2026. That made it the best-selling Chinese carmaker in the UK and second only to Volkswagen among all groups. CnEVPost adds that the group’s combined share reached 9.4% in September, the month the Jaecoo 7 was the UK’s best-selling model.

What it means for UK buyers

iCaur gives buyers who like the look of a rugged, upright SUV another option from the group behind Jaecoo and Omoda. If the UK car keeps the range-extender set-up, it would offer a long electric-only range for daily driving without the need to plug in on long trips.

Much is still unknown. There is no UK price yet. Auto Express expects it to be priced above the Jaecoo 7 but just as keenly. That is the magazine’s estimate, not an official figure. UK specification, warranty, towing capacity and dealer locations have also not been announced. With five Chery brands soon sharing showroom space in the UK, it is worth comparing closely related models across the group before choosing.