BAIC B40 Plus 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 B40 Plus in South Africa

BAIC B40 Plus

Honor Edition Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 699,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 9.0 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 B40 Plus vs iCAUR V23: the short answer

V23 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.

V23 starts ZAR 179,600 cheaper B40 Plus from ZAR 699,500 · V23 from ZAR 519,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B40 Plus V23
Maximum Power B40 Plus165 kW @ 5500 rpm V23100 kW
Maximum Torque B40 Plus380 Nm @ 1750-4500 rpm V23180 Nm
Engine Size B40 Plus1998 cc V23Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Combined Fuel Economy B40 Plus9.0 km/l V23Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Ground Clearance B40 Plus210 mm V23190 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B40 Plus

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?

B40 Plus

  • 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 B40 Plus V23
Model Introduced Year 2021 2026
Generation Current B40 Plus Honor Edition within the locally served first B40 Plus generation, using body-on-frame construction and an electronic part-time 4WD system. South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current V23 generation.
Facelift History The B40 Plus launched in South Africa in October 2021. The current Honor Edition debuted locally in May 2025, adding electric seat adjustment and a sunroof to the City Hunter-based specification; BAIC now presents it as the sole current B40 Plus derivative. -
Facelift Launched Since 2025 -
Facelift Version Ending Current -
Body Style Five-door body-on-frame off-road SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status active Published
Segment Off-road SUV Electric SUV
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec B40 Plus V23
Length 4630 mm 4220 mm
Width 1925 mm 1915 mm
Height 1871 mm 1845 mm
Wheelbase 2745 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm 165 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 75 l Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Boot/Cargo Space 532 l 372 L rear seats up; 994 L with rear seats folded
Kerb Weight 2110 kg 1550–1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2535 kg 2085 kg
Payload Capacity 425 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 1010 mm 1020 mm
Rear Headroom 1000 mm 990 mm
Front Legroom 1045 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 970 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This B40 Plus 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: B40 Plus 71 vs V23 41.

Efficiency index: B40 Plus 41 vs V23 99.

Safety-equipment index: B40 Plus 57 vs V23 93.

Practicality index: B40 Plus 67 vs V23 60.

Ownership-cover index: B40 Plus 62 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 10 points

V23 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 10 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 10 points
61
#2

B40 Plus

92% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Performance 71 Check Efficiency 41
Performance 71
Efficiency 41
Safety 57
Practicality 67
Ownership 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance B40 Plus +30 Efficiency V23 +58 Safety V23 +36 Practicality B40 Plus +7

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

V23

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

B40 Plus

Performance 71/100
Efficiency 41/100
Safety 57/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 62/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index iCAUR V23 leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 61 pts for B40 Plus

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, V23 leads. However, B40 Plus may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

B40 Plus 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.