Review: Changan Deepal S07
What is it?
Bear with us. We know that there has been a near-overwhelming number of new Chinese manufacturers entering the market but, here at UK Carline, we think that there’s room for one more. It’s Changan and, despite being a new name to the UK, is actually China’s oldest car maker.
It is kicking off its presence here in the UK with the Deepal S07, an electric SUV which aims to rival the likes of Skoda’s Enyaq and the Tesla Model Y. What has it got to offer, though? Let’s take a look.
What’s new?
The Deepal S07 is entering a very busy segment, given that it’s another electric SUV. However, where Chagan is aiming to really succeed is through value, with a high level of standard equipment brought in a car which just sneaks under the £40,000 threshold.
It’s also an act of simplification. There’s just one motor and battery configuration to choose from and just a single specification, too, which should help to make deciding on which model you want a lot easier.
What’s under the bonnet?
As mentioned, there’s just the one powertrain option on offer. There’s a rear-mounted electric motor with 215bhp and 320Nm of torque, enabling a moderate 0-60mph time of just under eight seconds and a top speed of 112mph. But what about range? Well, Changan claims that you should get up to 295 miles from the Deepal S07.
A maximum charge speed of 97kW means that you should be able to complete a 10 to 80 per cent charge in around 48 minutes.
What’s it like to drive?
It’s a car which is easy to get familiar with, the Deepal S07. The steering is light and makes the car simple to position at slower speeds, while up front there’s a good amount of visibility. While the electric motor certainly isn’t the punchiest, it gets you up to speed in good time and you never feel underpowered regardless of the situation.
The ride leans on the firm side of things, but there’s some nice control through the bends as a result. Of course, you’ve got all manner of parking cameras and sensors to make those around-town drives much easier.
How does it look?
In truth, the Deepal S07 looks very similar to many of the electric SUVs which have arrived on the market. There are hints of Tesla, Volkswagen and Kia in places but with its slim headlights and large alloy wheels it definitely looks futuristic.
There are plenty of cool colours to choose from, too, with some orange shades there to those drivers who want their Deepal S07 to make more of a visual impact.
What’s it like inside?
The level of quality inside the Deepal S07 is truly impressive. All of the materials inside this car feel excellent, and everything is well screwed together too. The front seats are comfortable and well-padded, and they even have speakers integrated into the headrests which are really handy when you’re taking a call.
Space in the rear of the car is good, too, and because of the car’s completely flat floor, the person in the middle isn’t going to feel squashed in. There’s up to 510 litres of boot space, too, and you’ve got a handy 125-litre frunk to store the cables in as well.
What’s the spec like?
As we’ve mentioned, there’s just the one specification but it’s absolutely loaded with equipment. You get a huge central screen as standard and this can be tilted and adjusted to face either the front passenger or the driver, depending on who is using it. It’s also got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included as standard to help with smartphone control.
There’s a definite lack of buttons inside the Deepal S07’s interior, but fortunately, there are plenty of shortcuts on the main screen. For instance, you can swipe to the left and instantly get all of your key vehicle settings and adjustments.
Verdict
The Changan Deepal S07 might be yet another Chinese-made electric SUV to enter the market, but it’s one which could work for lots of drivers. It’s incredibly well equipped, while its interior quality puts many of those in more expensive models to shame.
Of course, you could get more range from some key rivals, but we’d say that the Changan Deepal S07 is a new EV which is well worth checking out today.
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