Deepal S07 2025 Review 

Before we delve into the details of the 2025 Deepal S07 we’ll get into some background on the brand.

Deepal is one of the many Chinese brands looking to expand its global footprint, and Australia is high on the hit list.

The brand is part of state-owned Changan Automobile that has various brands, including Changan. It’s being imported locally by Inchcape, which also looks after Subaru and Peugeot (and recently ceased importing Citroen to Australia).

For now, there’s only a handful of Deepal dealerships in Sydney and Melbourne, so sampling one is a challenge. But there are plans to expand the network as sales grow.

The S07 arrives with a one-size-fits-all sales pitch with a price tag of $53,900 before on-road costs. The single rear-drive five-door mid-size SUV comes with plenty of equipment.

It’s powered by a single electric motor driving the rear wheels.

Standard gear includes synthetic leather seat upholstery, dual-zone climate control ventilation, a powered tailgate, 360-degree camera system, tyre pressure sensors, wireless phone charger, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable front seats with memory function for the driver, panoramic sunroof and a 14-speaker Sony sound system.

There’s also an augmented reality head-up display and a sizeable 15.6-inch central infotainment screen.

There are seven airbags, including a centre airbag between the front seat occupants. Active safety systems include auto braking in forward and reverse, blind spot warning, exit warning, speed sign recognition and lane keep assist.

After sales coverage is good, with a seven-year/160,000km warranty, although that drops to just one year and 120,000km if you use the car for commercial purposes. There’s a separate eight-year, 240,000km warranty on the high voltage battery.

The first service is free at six months or 5000km then the S07 needs to be checked every 12 months or 10,000km, the latter likely to mean some will need servicing more than once a year. Capped price servicing ranges from $205.75 to $710.06.

At 4750mm long and 1930mm wide the 2025 Deepal S07 is larger than many mid-sized SUVs. And being based on a dedicated EV architecture means it maximises those millimetres in the cabin.

There’s loads of space front and rear and a floating centre console between the front seat occupants not only provides storage beneath but also a deep covered area with a split opening arm rest.

Those in the back get a flat floor and broad seat, although the raised seat base in the middle makes it less enticing when cramming three people aboard.

The boot is also broad and has a 60/40 split-folding back seat, plus there’s a decent under storage binnacle.

A panoramic sunroof adds to the airiness in the cabin and its retractable cover can keep the sun out.

The fake quilted leather is convincing and the start of a long list of upmarket finishes that include wood-look inserts, metallic highlights and appealing plastics.

Attention to detail is good, too, from touch operated map lights to the cooled wireless phone charger (there’s only one, with the other just a phone locator).

Those in the rear seats can also control the roof blind as well as the rear climate control. They can even move the front passenger seat forward and back, which could get annoying for parents! But will be good for ride share operators.

There’s no shortage of Tesla thinking, from the lack of a start button to adjusting the mirrors and air flow through the central touch-screen. Thankfully driver profiles allow you to lock in settings for regular drivers.

The main screen is also crisp and vibrant and the 360-degree camera with various views – including a virtual view that allows you to see what’s under the car – makes manoeuvring easier.

It’s part of the lengthy tech story that incorporates a powerful Qualcomm chipset and over-the-air software updates.

Swipe down from the top of the screen and there are various infotainment apps as well as access to the inbuilt Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

There’s a Tesla-like vibe to some of the menus and functionality, which generally works well, with some exceptions (which we’ll get to). Being able to get in and sit down and not worry about start buttons makes getting started a snip.

By EV standards the Deepal is nothing special in terms of performance. There’s 160kW and 320Nm from its single electric motor, something the brand says will get it to 100km/h (from standstill) in 7.9 seconds.

But it’s absolutely fine around town with an easy-to-access surge of torque or thrust that makes it easy to zip around. And compared with most petrol-powered SUV alternatives for similar money it’ll be more responsive.

There’s also a big battery – with a capacity of almost 80kWh (79.97kWh) – which endows it with a generous 475km of claimed WLTP range. That’s decent, although expect closer to 420km in the real world.

The 2025 Deepal S07 sometimes doesn’t know when to shut up.

Unlock the car and it introduces itself along with a cheesy welcome line, such as “My name is Deepal, a cute and talented companion” or “let’s explore the world together”.

Thankfully you can turn it off. Why anyone would want that greeting every time you open the door is a mystery.

But I also found myself occasionally tapping the voice assistant button that sits proud on the bottom right of the steering wheel. It allows you to adjust various functions by talking to the car.

You can cancel it, at which point the overly cheery virtual assistant says: “Then off I go, call me again if you need me”.

It’s indicative of some misses with the tech and details.

The air-conditioning isn’t particularly icy, for example, and having to adjust the air flow through the screen is less than ideal.

The head-up display is handy but the Tesla-like speedo in the top right corner of the main screen is much less useful if you prefer to look at more traditional gauges.

And the driver assist systems can be painful, especially the driver monitor.

Look at the screen too long, for example, and you can get six long beeps to warn you’re not concentrating.

For serious concentration infringements you’ll get 15 short beeps.

And if you’re unlucky enough you’ll get all 21 beeps in a row for what seems like an unnecessary eternity.

Thankfully you can turn it off, something I was doing on every drive, along with the lane departure warning.

You also need to adjust the drive mode every time you get into the car, because it defaults to its most eco-friendly setting, which has dull throttle response and more aggressive regenerative braking.

I adjusted the customisable mode to my liking with swifter responses and gentler regen, which worked well.

I’d prefer the car started in that mode every time.

The S07 also isn’t too quick on charging.

Its large battery means a full charge on a regular wallbox takes 11 hours or you can lower it to eight hours with a three-phase charger (it’ll accept up to 11kW of AC charge).

Faster DC charging can be done at up to 92kW (which is okay, but not great) for a 30-80 per cent charge in about 35 minutes. Some EVs can pile on a similar amount of range in half that time.

But the Deepal’s bigger issue is with its dynamics.

While it’s comfortable enough over bumps, it’s a lot less convincing in the way it settles (or doesn’t) in a corner.

It fidgets at the front and rear and can squirm if you’re too enthusiastic with the pace.

Ultimately the electronics chime in to sort it out but the rear squidginess isn’t particularly reassuring, especially once things get twisty and bumpy.

The 19-inch Giti tyres aren’t exactly brimming with grip either, which combined with front seats that lack lateral support makes for a car that isn’t as dynamically adept as many EV rivals.

The 2025 Deepal S07 presents well on the surface and delivers on a long list of gear.

But it’s an unknown quantity that lacks the dynamic nous that many EVs do impressively well.

While it’s fighting against Tesla and others hovering around a similar price point the S07 doesn’t really stand out in any way, something that is more important for a brand most haven’t heard of.

Combined with the occasionally annoying tech quirks, it takes the edge off its highlights that include a spacious body and nicely presented cabin.

2025 Deepal S07 at a glance:
Price: $53,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 160kW/320Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 79.97kWh NMC lithium-ion
Range: 475km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 18.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

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