Mini-Defender For Just Rs 20 Lakh! » MotorOctane

The market for off-road SUVs is vast. SUVs like the Fortuner and Thar may have many shortcomings, but people would still buy them for their rugged looks and off-roading capabilities. And things are getting interesting with this new upcoming “Mini-Defender” that fits into an Rs 20 lakh budget with ease. Here is what you should know about it.
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Mini-Defender With a Twist!

JSW are going big with its automotive ambitions in India. The Jetour T2 and Jaecoo J5 are the main indicators that JSW will target the SUV segment. And things become crystal clear with its 3rd upcoming SUV – the iCar v23.

The iCar V23 is already on sale in China under the Chery badge, which has partnered with JSW to bring Chinese models to India. The iCar v23 will be one of the many Chinese SUVs in the pipeline. But what stands out prominently with this car is its looks. By the looks of it, it has been designed using nothing but a pencil and a ruler. But the boxy stance is a part of the appeal. It uses the same recipe as the Mahindra Thar, Jeep Wrangler, and the Range Rover Defender. This recipe has worked wonders for these cars, so why not continue the template with the iCar? But its uniqueness isn’t limited to the looks.

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JSW iCar V23 – Interiors

Step inside, and you are greeted with a retro-modern dashboard. Most modern cars come with gigantic infotainment screens with integrated climate controls. But the iCar v23 isn’t the same. The humongous 15.4-inch infotainment screen is contrasted with rotary dials that feel straight out of the 1980s. And this is great news. Not only is it a delight for the aesthetics, but also for the ergonomics. Unfortunately, it isn’t all good news, as it misses out on a driver’s display that has been incorporated into the infotainment screen. Adjusting to the speed being displayed on the touchscreen will take some getting used to. Interestingly, in place of the driver’s display, you can see the headlamp levelling settings. Interiors don’t get quirkier than this.

As for the features, it gets a wireless charger, an ADAS suite, a 360-degree camera, ventilated front seats, etc. But what’s more intriguing is that it is a 4-seater on paper. The 50-50 folding rear seats and 4.2 m length mean it isn’t quite as practical as competitors like the Creta, Sierra, and others.

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Powertrain

In Chinese markets, it is offered with two battery packs: 59.93kWh and 81.76kWh. And like a true offroader, it gets an AWD drivetrain. Lower variants are offered in an RWD configuration. The claimed ranges for these packs are 360km and 430km, respectively. The smaller battery pack is offered with RWD as standard and produces 134 bhp and 180 Nm, while the 81.76kWh pack with AWD generates 211 bhp and 292 Nm. We could get the same battery packs and drivetrain in the Indian iteration as well.

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JSW iCar V23 – Will It Be Cheap?

JSW will have to be aggressive with the pricing to stand a chance in the ever-growing SUV segment. We could see it being priced between Rs 17 lakh and Rs 27 lakh (on-road, Mumbai), undercutting its main competition, the Creta Electric and BE6.

Furthermore, speculation suggests that the iCar V23 will be launched by the end of this year. Currently, JSW has 3 SUVs in its 2026 calendar. And its calendar would be more packed next year. JSW isn’t shying away from established automakers like Mahindra and Tata, but only time will tell whether this approach works.

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