The V23 lands in Malaysia as the boxier (and ever-so-slightly) bigger brother to the existing iCaur 03.
Following its booking announcement last month, iCaur has now officially launched the V23 on our shores. This all-electric off-roader arrives in two variants, priced at RM119,800 for the RWD and RM132,800 for the iWD.
The second iCaur model to land locally after the recently introduced 03, the V23 instead leans into a more square-boxy aesthetic than its Defender-esque stablemate. Some might even say there’s a whiff of FJ Cruiser about its overall silhouette, albeit paired with a front fascia that looks as if it has been borrowed straight off a Morris Minor Lowlight. It is undeniably a rather quirky mix, but one that gives this newcomer its own charm(?)
Dimension-wise meanwhile, the V23 remains closely aligned with the 03 at 4,220 mm long, 1,915 mm wide and 1,845 mm tall, atop a 2,735 mm wheelbase. Compared to its sibling, it ends up 186 mm shorter, 5 mm wider, 130 mm taller, with the wheelbase stretched an additional 20 mm.
Moving inside, the retro exterior gives way to a much more contemporary cabin layout. The upright dashboard is centred around a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, flanked by rectangular air vents and a chunky switch panel beneath. More unusually, the driver is greeted by a prominently placed headlight height adjustment dial that stands out in the otherwise clean layout.
Rather strangely too, despite the boxy body, the V23 really only seats four comfortably, with the fifth seat belt awkwardly squeezed between the sculpted rear chairs. The boot at least makes up for this with clever packaging: 234 litres as standard, expanding to 1,366 litres with the seats folded, plus an 80-litre underfloor compartment and an external “spare wheel cover” that doubles as cable storage.
In terms of powertrain options, the RWD variant features a rear-mounted electric motor producing 100 kW and 180 Nm, good for a 0–100 km/h time of 11 seconds and a top speed of 140 km/h. Its 59.9 kWh LFP battery delivers up to 401 km of range on the NEDC cycle.
Those wanting more performance will naturally gravitate toward the iWD version. This adds a 55 kW front motor for a combined 211 hp and 292 Nm, slashing the century sprint to 7.5 seconds. It also upgrades to an 81.8 kWh NMC battery offering up to 501 km of NEDC range.
Complementing the upgraded powertrain, the iWD also gains faster charging capability, supporting up to 104 kW DC compared to the RWD’s 85 kW. Both variants nevertheless share the same 6.6 kW AC charging and 3.3 kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality.
As for its off-road ability, the V23’s numbers largely back up its rugged exterior. Ground clearance stands at 210 mm, water wading depth at 600 mm, and approach and departure angles at 42° and 41° respectively. Gradeability reaches up to 40% in the iWD (30% for the 2WD). The iWD also builds on this foundation with larger 21-inch wheels and an additional Off-Road drive mode on top of the standard ECO, Comfort, Sport, Individual and Slippery settings, complete with terrain-specific displays.
Back on the road, the V23 keeps things just as reassuring. It comes with a Level 2 ADAS suite including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking, with a full-HD 540-degree Transparent Chassis Camera system helping make up for the lack of three-quarter glass.
Buyers can choose from six exterior colours: Off Road Orange, Khaki White, Army Green, Slate Silver, Gravel Grey and Carbon Black. Each purchase includes a seven-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, an eight-year/160,000 km battery warranty, and an eight-year/160,000 km drive unit and high-voltage components warranty — plus a one-to-one battery replacement if state-of-health drops below 70%.
To mark the launch, iCaur Malaysia is offering an exclusive early-bird package for the first 1,000 registrations completed by 31 December. This bundle includes an extended ten-year/200,000 km warranty for the battery, electric motor and power control unit, an auxiliary 6.86-inch instrument cluster, and a complimentary 7 kW AC wallbox charger worth RM 3,400.
For now, the V23 arrives fully imported from China, though iCaur Malaysia has confirmed that local assembly plans are already being explored.
