Esteo prepares to launch a “squared-off” V27 crossover on the Russian market
The new model, which will receive a series hybrid powertrain, will become the firstborn of the V-series. Production of the SUV will be established at one of the plants owned by the AGR holding company.
The Chinese crossover, designated V27, was first shown in Dubai (UAE) in the summer of 2025. In its home market, it was presented under the iCar brand (owned by Chery Corporation) in the autumn of the same year; for foreign markets, the name iCAUR was chosen, and it was assumed that the model would also appear under this name in Russia. However, as has now become known, this SUV will enter the Russian auto market under the local brand Esteo, the launch of which is the result of a partnership between the Russian holding company AGR and the Chinese company Defetoo.
Let us recall that the Esteo brand was officially announced for the local market in April 2026. Its debut model was a mid-size D-segment crossover named Esteo MX. At the beginning of this week, the brand showed the large crossover Exlantix ET8, which will soon go on sale in Russia. And now the company’s press service has announced plans to bring several V-series models to the Russian market, led by the flagship crossover Esteo V27.
According to the plan, this new model should go on sale before the end of the current year; the launch date will be announced later. It is known that production of the Esteo V27 will be established at one of the Russian plants owned by the AGR holding company. So far, the company has stated that the new model will be a series hybrid (REEV), with a combined driving range exceeding 800 km; other details about the local version will appear later.
The “donor” – the iCAUR V27 – features a powertrain that includes a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which acts as a generator for the traction battery and has no mechanical connection to the wheels. In the export rear-wheel-drive SUV, a 252-hp electric motor (maximum torque – 300 Nm) is installed on the rear axle, plus it is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 20.47 kWh. When driving on electric power alone, such an SUV can travel up to 120 km (WLTC cycle), and its total driving range is 991 km. It takes 8.9 seconds to accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h.
The iCAUR V27 crossover, intended for the Middle East, is also offered with all-wheel drive: such an SUV’s hybrid system includes not one but two electric motors (one on each axle), with a combined output of 455 hp and 505 Nm. This version also comes with a traction battery with a capacity of 34.1 kWh; it can travel up to 195 km on electricity alone, and the total range is 995 km. The all-wheel-drive model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds.
The Esteo V27 is a crossover with a classic five-door body, “squared-off” shapes, extended angular wheel arches, a massive body kit around the perimeter, headlights with round LED daytime running lights, vertical two-section taillights, and a spare wheel mounted on the tailgate.
The overall length of the global iCAUR V27 crossover is 5045 mm (including the spare wheel), width – 1976 mm, height – 1894 mm, wheelbase – 2900 mm, ground clearance – 224 mm. The SUV’s trunk volume is 715 liters, and with the second-row seatbacks folded down, the cargo space can be increased to 1818 liters. The front panel features a virtual instrument cluster with an 8.9-inch diagonal, as well as a central 15.4-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Physical buttons and a wireless smartphone charging device are also provided.
Information about the equipment and prices of the Esteo V27 intended for Russia will appear later.
