The Changan Deepal S07 is a bold, futuristic EV that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi film, but drives more like a refined luxury commuter than a hot hatch. It’s spacious, quiet, and tech-heavy, but its reliance on touchscreens and modest acceleration may frustrate traditionalists.
Design and Presence
The Deepal S07 is striking. Designed in Turin, it wears sharp lines, frameless doors, flush handles, and 20-inch alloys that make rivals like the Volvo EX30 look conservative. In Sunset Orange or Nebula Green, it’s the kind of car that turns heads at Melrose Arch, Menlyn Maine, private school parking lots, forecourts, and charging bays. Forecourt attendants and passersby often mistook it for a new European luxury SUV, or even Tesla — proof that Chinese car designs can be every bit as head-turning as the German, British, American or Italian automotive counterparts.
Cabin and Tech
Inside, it’s minimalist luxury. Vegan leather, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof create a premium feel. The centrepiece is a 15.6-inch swivelling touchscreen running Huawei’s Harmony OS, which runs smoothly and snappily thanks to silicone in the form of Qualcomm Snapdragon hardware. It controls nearly everything—climate, mirrors, even door releases — which works a treat as soon as you get used to navigating the software on those first couple of days with the vehicle, but may be a bit frustrating if you have to quickly adjust something on the move.
The augmented reality head-up display replaces a traditional cluster, and works incredibly well showing roadsigns, speedlimits, your speed and when the battery is being discharged by the actions of your right foot or charged via the one-pedal regenerative braking actions. It should be mentioned that like all HUDs this one too doesn’t really gel with polarised sunglasses since using this accessory drastically reduces the clarity of the display.
Performance and Range
Powered by a single rear-mounted motor, the S07 delivers 160 kW and 320 Nm, good for 0–100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. That’s adequate rather than thrilling, especially compared to the Volvo EX30’s 5.3 seconds. But the payoff is range: the 80 kWh battery claims 500 km WLTP (560 km NEDC), with us achieving around 480 km in real-world conditions during our week-long test period. Charging is slower than some rivals — DC fast charging at 92 kW takes 35 minutes for 30–80%, while AC charging at home at about 11 kW requires about 8 hours (overnight charging using the provided cable from Deepal). You can easily find charging points on Google Maps – even while using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay via the vehicle’s infotainment system.
Comfort and Driving
This is where the S07 shines. Double-glazed glass and ‘Cloud Suspension’ (MacPherson independent at the front and multi-link suspension at the rear) deliver a hushed, wafting ride. It glides over bumps with limousine-like refinement, prioritising comfort over corner-carving stiffness. We found the power delivery to be impressively smooth, almost like it emanated from a silky V6 ICE powerplant, as opposed to many rivals, where a neck-snapping surge of EV power is the order of the day. Rear legroom is ample thanks to a 2,900 mm wheelbase, and the 125-litre frunk adds practicality for charging cables, shopping or school bags.
Safety and Features
The S07 comes loaded: adaptive cruise, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection, a 540° camera system, and soft-close doors. However, the driver-assistance systems, especially the lane-keep assist, can be overly intrusive, with constant alerts and “steering corrections” that many buyers will keep switched off in the in-vehicle infotainment system.
SMETechGuru’s Verdict
The Deepal S07 is not an EV that will pin you to your seat or make you giggle like a child at the lights. Instead, it’s a car that whispers: “Relax, I’ve got this.” It’s a rolling lounge, a cocoon of silence, and a statement piece for those who want to be seen in something futuristic without paying BMW or Mercedes money. But it’s also a car that insists you poke at a screen just to adjust the mirrors, and one that takes its sweet time at the charging station.
So, is it the future of Mzansi mobility? In South Africa, where charging infrastructure is patchy and brand recognition is still a hurdle at these pricing echelons of almost a million Rand mark (R995 900), the Deepal S07 is a brave gamble. But if you want a million-rand EV that feels like a spaceship inside, glides like a luxury sedan, and makes your neighbours think you’ve bought a Tesla, this is it. Just don’t expect it to thrill you in the fast lane — it’s more about serenity, headturning looks and comfort than speed.
