Words: Richard Edwards
Published 25 August 2026
New Zealand will get another new car brand in 2027, with Chery Group confirming its lifestyle-focused iCaur marque for the local market.
A Chery Australia and New Zealand spokesperson tells us the brand will arrive in the second half of 2027, following its Australian launch in early 2027, which was announced today.
“I can confirm the iCaur brand is also coming to NZ and is slated for H2 2027,” the spokesperson says.
How the brand will be sold here is yet to be decided, though the spokesperson expects it to “follow the same lead as Chery and Omoda Jaecoo”, which operate through franchise dealer networks.
iCaur is sold as iCar in China, where it launched in 2023 as a design-led electric brand known for boxy, adventure-themed SUVs. We have already driven its first model in China, rebadged as the Jaecoo J6, a model previously considered for New Zealand.
The brand was first confirmed for New Zealand in April, when an iCar spokesperson indicated the large V27 off-road SUV would lead the local launch. In Australia it is the smaller V25 arriving first, and it will make its public debut at the Everything Electric show in Sydney in September.
While Australian and New Zealand specifications are yet to be announced, Chinese regulatory filings reveal the V25 is an extended range hybrid (EREV). A 115kW 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine works with a 33.68kWh battery, providing up to 150km of electric-only range on China’s lenient CLTC test cycle. The V25 measures 4636mm long, 1920mm wide and 1855mm tall, with approach and departure angles of 28 and 24 degrees reflecting its off-road styling.
Two other models are sold in China and could follow. The V23 is a fully electric SUV with a 155kW motor and around 82kWh of battery for up to 430km of range. The larger V27 is another extended range hybrid, with twin electric motors producing a combined 335kW.
“Australian motorists have demonstrated a strong appetite for vehicles that combine style, technology and capability,” says Kate Gillis, head of brand for iCaur Australia. “The V25 has been developed to meet those expectations while bringing a distinctive personality that will appeal to customers looking for something different.”
Pricing, specification and confirmed models for New Zealand will be announced closer to launch.
