It’s getting difficult to keep up with the number of new Chinese car brands arriving in the UK. Leapmotor, BYD, GWM, Skywell, Omoda, Xpeng, Jaecoo… and now this, the Changan Deepal S07. It’s another all-electric mid-size SUV promising premium features, generous space, and a price tag just shy of £40,000. On paper, that sounds perfectly fine. In reality, it’s another reminder that ‘fine’ isn’t the same thing as ‘interesting.’
Changan isn’t some fly-by-night newcomer. It’s actually one of China’s oldest carmaker, tracing its roots back more than a century, and it already has a design base in Italy and an engineering centre in Birmingham — which is where Changan also gave us a sneak preview of its next car, the Deepal S05. And yes, that’s also an electric SUV.
The manufacturer was keen to let us know that, thanks to the Birmingham centre, the S07 has been tuned for UK roads. After a few miles, I began to question whether those roads were imaginary.
Changan Deepal S07: Familiar or similar?
Walk around the S07 and you’ll be playing a game of automotive spot the difference. Spend time squinting, and there are hints of Polestar, BYD, Lexus and even Cupra. It’s not offensive, but it’s the kind of car that could disappear into a car park full of other silver SUVs without a trace.
Inside, it’s more of the same. You get a big portrait touchscreen that swivels electrically to face either driver or passenger — because why not? — and absolutely no physical buttons. Everything from your wipers to your mirror adjustment hides somewhere in that screen. Why? The only person who wants that is someone in a showroom, impressed by the tech. Get out on the open road, and relying entirely on touchscreens is irritating and dangerous.
Still, the quality’s good, with soft-touch materials, vegan leather, and a panoramic glass roof that floods the cabin with light. Space, especially in the back, is genuinely impressive, and there’s even a giant front boot, or frunk, to swallow charging cables or weekend bags.
The boot itself, however, has a loose-fitting parcel shelf that doesn’t so much close off the luggage area as act as a vague suggestion that you might want to. It does nothing to keep the noise out, leaving the cabin oddly loud for an EV.
Bumps in the road
Underneath, there’s a single electric motor sending 218hp to the rear wheels. That’s good for 0–62mph in just under eight seconds, which is plenty brisk enough. The 80kWh battery promises a 295-mile range on paper and about 250 in the real world, depending on how heavy your right foot is.
On smooth roads, it’s comfortable enough. Hit anything less than perfect, though, and the illusion of refinement collapses. The suspension feels like it’s trying too hard to impress, jiggling constantly over every lump and ridge. It’s not crashy in a dramatic way, just relentlessly unsettled. You find yourself scanning the tarmac ahead, looking for imperfections to avoid or brace yourself for.
Handling is good enough. The steering’s light and predictable, traction is decent, and it’ll go where you point it. It just does it all without enthusiasm. There’s no sense of connection or fun here, but that’s really okay for a family SUV. Not everybody wants to feel energised every time they pop to Domino’s to pick up a Meateor. Just me, then? Okay.
It’s also not the most relaxing long-distance companion. Road noise seeps in from the tyres, wind rustles faintly around the frameless windows, and the ride’s constant fidget never quite fades. You can switch drive modes between Eco, Normal and Sport, but none make a meaningful difference.
Even charging is another area where Changan still trails the established brands. The S07 tops out at 90kW on a DC charger, so you’re looking at about 45 minutes to get from 10% to 80%. That’s fine in isolation, but most rivals are significantly quicker — a Polestar 4 will charge at 200kW, more than twice as quickly.
A lot of car, little character
To its credit, Changan has thrown the kitchen sink at the spec sheet. Heated and ventilated seats, ambient lighting, a large head-up display, 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, and even a ‘Smoking Mode’ that opens the windows for you. Seriously. Everything’s included in the £39,990 asking price, and the seven-year vehicle warranty is as good as anything from Kia or Hyundai.
It’s also reassuring to know that the brand already has a UK parts hub in the Midlands and is working with dealer groups to expand its network. So, it’s not some fly-by-night import.
The problem is that, aside from the name, none of that makes the Changan Deepal S07 memorable. It does everything competently, but never brilliantly. It’s comfortable until it isn’t, smart inside until you use the screen, and well-priced until you remember that a Skoda Enyaq or Renault Scenic E-Tech costs about the same and rides properly.
Changan Deepal S07: The verdict
So the Changan Deepal S07 isn’t bad. It’s just bland. There’s plenty of space, solid quality, and enough tech to fill an instruction manual the size of a phone book, but nothing that makes you want to drive it again once you’ve handed the keys back.
For anyone chasing value and equipment, it’ll tick a lot of boxes. For everyone else, it’s another anonymous entry in an increasingly crowded list of SUVs from Chinese manufacturers making cars that are ‘fine’.
Model tested: Changan Deepal S07
Price: £39,990
Average Joes rating: ★★★☆☆
He is the founder of Huff Media, publisher of Professional Pickup, Professional Van, Average Janes, Average Joes, and CALIBRE. His work focuses primarily on light commercial vehicles, pickups, and real-world vehicle use, with much of his time spent on manufacturer launches, industry events, and long-term vehicle testing.