Chery V23

First Impressions

The moment I laid eyes on the Chery V23, I was smitten. It looks like a shrunken Tank 300 or a supersized Jimny, with round headlights, chunky fender flares, and front and rear skid plates that scream adventure. The green color in particular is stunning. Both the 2WD Plus and 4WD Peak trims look identical from the outside, which is great because even the base model looks properly tough.

The flush door handles that auto-unlock when you approach are a nice modern touch on what's otherwise a retro-styled body. Build quality of the exterior panels feels decent, though the fender flares are a bit flimsy and could be vulnerable to damage.

Interior & Tech

Inside, the V23 impresses in some areas and puzzles in others. The 15.4-inch touchscreen is large and responsive, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. I love that Chery kept physical knobs for climate, volume, and drive mode selection — it's exactly how it should be done. The 360-degree camera system is genuinely one of the clearest I've seen from any Chinese brand.

However, the driver instrument display and front passenger screen are both optional extras you have to buy separately. On what should be a fully-loaded model, that feels stingy. The seats are excellent though — soft, well-bolstered, with ventilation on the front pair. Rear legroom is genuinely impressive, but the lack of a rear armrest is a notable miss. The steering wheel only adjusts for tilt, with no telescopic adjustment, which limits driving position options.

Driving Experience

Here's where reality bites. The V23 rides softly — too softly. On smooth roads at moderate speeds, it's pleasant enough. But the moment you change lanes or encounter any undulation, the body roll is dramatic. The whole car sways and wobbles, which can genuinely make rear passengers feel queasy. The suspension was clearly tuned for smooth Chinese highways and hasn't been recalibrated for local road conditions.

The steering is the other weak point. Even in Sport mode it feels vague and disconnected. Chinese brands generally struggle with steering feel, and the V23 is no exception. The 2WD version with its 136 horsepower feels sluggish in Eco mode but adequate in Normal. The 4WD with 211 horsepower has plenty of grunt — almost too much for the chassis to handle. Ironically, I preferred the 2WD because its lighter weight meant the suspension coped slightly better.

Wind noise above 100 km/h is significant due to the boxy shape, though road noise from the tires is well managed. Top speed is limited to 140 km/h, which tells you everything about what this car was designed for.

Range & Charging

Real-world range on the 2WD sits around 320-330 km, while the 4WD manages roughly 380 km. Neither figure is enough for worry-free long-distance travel. For a vehicle that looks like it wants to explore the countryside, having to constantly hunt for chargers undermines the adventure appeal. DC fast charging on the 4WD tops out at 104 kW, which is respectable and can fill the battery in under an hour.

The Missing Rear Wiper Problem

I need to call this out specifically: there is no rear wiper. On a vehicle styled and marketed as an off-roader, this is baffling. The boxy shape creates turbulence that deposits moisture and dust on the rear glass constantly. I drove through light rain and the rear window became completely obscured. You cannot see out the back. For a car that invites you to explore dirt roads and forests, this omission borders on negligent.

Value for Money

The V23 offers a reasonable equipment list with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with steering assist, blind spot monitoring, and that excellent 360-degree camera. But the absence of automatic emergency braking, the optional-extra instrument cluster, and the poorly tuned chassis all chip away at the proposition. Competitors in this segment deliver more refined driving experiences and more complete feature sets.

Final Verdict

The Chery V23 is a head-turner that's better to look at than to drive. It's a lifestyle purchase, a second or third car for someone who wants something cool in the garage. For cruising around town, grabbing coffee, or slow weekend drives to the countryside, it delivers genuine style and presence that few rivals can match.

But if you need a capable daily driver, want to enjoy winding mountain roads, or expect a polished driving experience, the V23 will disappoint. The soft suspension, vague steering, limited range, and missing rear wiper all point to a product that wasn't fully developed for real-world use here. I'd wait for Chery to offer a plug-in hybrid version that might solve the range anxiety, and hopefully by then they'll have sorted the chassis tuning too.