Deepal S07 Review: It's Deep, Pal

What we like:

Spacious

Some tech features are rare for the segment

What we dislike:

Dynamics are a little wanting

Tech needs refining

Sound system can be better

The faux wood veneer has to go

Deepal was only established in 2022. Its parent company, Changan Automobile, has been around since 1862 and is fully state-owned by the Chinese government. While there is wisdom in choosing not to go with the Changan brand name for the Singapore market, Deepal is a curious choice of identity indeed, for it conjures up questions from friends and family like, “Is it from India?”

For clarity's sake, Deepal has no links whatsoever to the great sovereign Indian nation. Instead, the S07 on test here is in fact designed in Turin, Italy. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t like how the car looked in photos, but it’s better in person.

It’s no Alfa Romeo, but I suppose it would stand out from the sea of generic EVs. The shape is slippery too, with a 0.258 Cd drag coefficient value. It is angular and has decent proportions (Deepal says it has the golden ratio all checked out), but some detailing strikes me as odd, like the way the side cameras protrude out of the body, the overdone third brake light and the tagline ‘Illuminate The Future’ on the tail lights. With its premium price tag, I think it can sharpen some of these bits a little.

With a 2,900 mm wheelbase, the S07 has a lot of interior space - especially for rear passengers. There is even a 125-litre frunk, which is one of the biggest I’ve seen in the market. Open the doors and you’d notice frameless windows, which are a nice touch.

On the inside, the mix of orange leather and light beige wood veneer is a little jarring. The latter especially looks very out of place in a premium car. The interior as a whole is apparently a yacht-inspired cabin, but there is nothing in particular that truly stands out in its architecture, except perhaps its 15.6-inch touchscreen that can rotate based on voice, but you do need to speak to an overenthusiastic persona onboard named Deepal who’s a bit of a drag when you just want to relax. He also seems a bit confused with the onboard navigation; his spoken directions sometimes get garbled up in gibberish.

Furthermore, there is the odd Chinese text or two in the menus that’s translated loosely into English (unsuccessfully), while the sound system is lacking. OK, it’s not all bad - a feature worth noting is the augmented reality head-up display that’s rare for the segment.

With 215 bhp and 320 Nm all going to the rear wheels only via a single electric motor, the S07 does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds, hitting a maximum of 180 km/h if you really go for it. The performance is more than adequate, which is a boon when range is a very decent 475 km on the maximum WLTP cycle from the 79.97 NMC lithium battery. The battery can be recharged from 30% to 80%, at the quickest, in just 35 minutes using a DC charger.

With dual-layer soundproof windows up front, the car is refined but not class-leading. There’s an inherent softness to the ride but it also feels unsettled over evenness. The steering feel is best described as vague. Judging from my passengers, I think they are having a much better time in the S07 than yours truly.

That’s all well and good for the S07, but what keeps gnawing at me is the XPENG G6 which is offered under the Premium Automobiles umbrella as well. With just a bit more money, the G6 rides better, is more refined and has a better overall luxury experience. I am not sure if the S07 would have a strong enough value proposition as it is now, but I am instead excited by Deepal’s future models like the E07, which truly stand out.

Photos by James Wong

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