BAIC B30 vs iCAUR V23

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BAIC B30 in South Africa

BAIC B30

B30 Elite Adventure Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 305 Nm ⛽ 12.41 km/l
VS
iCAUR V23 in South Africa

iCAUR V23

2WD Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 180 Nm ⛽ Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BAIC B30 vs iCAUR V23: the short answer

B30 and V23 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Both models start at the same price: ZAR 519,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B30 V23
Maximum Power B30138 kW V23100 kW
Maximum Torque B30305 Nm V23180 Nm
Engine Size B301498 cc V23Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Combined Fuel Economy B3012.41 km/l V23Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Ground Clearance B30215 mm V23190 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B30

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

V23

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

B30

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

V23

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec B30 V23
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Current first-generation BAIC B30 for South Africa, introduced locally for the 2025 model year with petrol and self-charging HEV derivatives. South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current V23 generation.
Facelift History The B30 was unveiled locally in August 2025 and launched in November 2025 as the first South African version; no later local facelift has been announced. -
Facelift Launched Since 2025 -
Facelift Version Ending Current -
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active Published
Segment Mid-size SUV Electric SUV
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec B30 V23
Length 4730 mm 4220 mm
Width 1910 mm 1915 mm
Height 1790 mm 1845 mm
Wheelbase 2820 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 215 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 165 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Boot/Cargo Space Not Officially Disclosed 372 L rear seats up; 994 L with rear seats folded
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1550–1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2034 kg 2085 kg
Payload Capacity 459 kg 350–650 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.9 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 1020 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 990 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1060 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 970 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This B30 and V23 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: B30 59 vs V23 41.

Efficiency index: B30 51 vs V23 99.

Safety-equipment index: B30 92 vs V23 93.

Practicality index: B30 61 vs V23 60.

Ownership-cover index: B30 not separately scored vs V23 not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

V23 leads by 5 points

B30 and V23 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 67% source coverage
71
#1 Evidence leader

V23

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 99 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 99
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Leads by 5 points
66
#2

B30

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance B30 +18 Efficiency V23 +48 Safety V23 +1 Practicality B30 +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

V23

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 99/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100

B30

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index iCAUR V23 leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 66 pts for B30

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, V23 leads. However, B30 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

B30 vs V23 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.