Changan Deepal S07 (2026) Review
Designed in Italy and engineered in the UK, the striking Changan Deepal S07 brings Mediterranean yacht-inspired design, advanced tech, and a highly competitive package to South Africa, but have we been desensitised by the fierce styling and impressive performance of so many other similarly-priced competitors?
Chinese EVs are streaming into SA, and the latest contender hoping to carve out a slice of the pie is Changan. Distributed locally with international backing from Jameel Motors, the brand is entering our market with serious intent. Leading their charge into the premium new-energy space is the Deepal S07, an all-electric mid-size SUV that pairs sharp, futuristic design with luxury-focused tech and generous interior proportions. But does this newcomer have the real-world substance and everyday usability to win over South African buyers?
Changan Deepal S07: Quick specs
| Specification | Details |
| Model | Changan Deepal S07 (2026) |
| Price | R995,900 |
| Drivetrain | Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) Electric Motor |
| Power Output | 160 kW |
| Torque | 320 Nm |
| 0-100 km/h | 7.9 seconds |
| Battery | 80 kWh Ternary Lithium |
| Real-World Range | 430 - 450 km (approx. 400 km on highway) |
| Energy Consumption | 16 - 19 kWh / 100 km |
| DC Fast Charging | Up to 93 kW (30% to 80% in +/-40 minutes) |
| Wheelbase | 2,900 mm |
| After-Sales Package | 5-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, 8-year/150,000 km battery warranty, 5-year/90,000 km maintenance plan |
Styling
Penned in Turin, Italy, it brings a fresh aesthetic to our local EV landscape, but with so many ultramodern cars in SA already, it doesn't stand out as much as it should, and we should acknowledge brands like Jetour for that. Be that as it may, the S07 is easy on the eyes. The coupé-inspired silhouette gives it a sleek, aerodynamic profile, complemented by flush, concealed door handles that pop out when you approach, frameless doors, and Lamborghini-inspired headlights.
There's so much of everything rolled into the S07's design. I see Lexus, Lamborghini, Tesla, and more!
Large 20-inch alloy wheels fill the arches perfectly, while the rear LED light signature impresses. It is a handsome car that elicits long looks by other road users, but the logo is a puzzle to most people, and they looked quite perplexed as we drove past. I overheard my daughter calling it a "knockoff-Tesla" because of the T-shaped emblem on the nose. (Incidentally, it is Tesla's Model Y that Changan is targeting.)
The S07 is quite sensational, but it would have been more of a jaw-dropper three years ago.
When the car was being washed, the lady who made the booking seemed dumbfounded. What car is it? She asks. A Deepal S07, I reply. Yes, but what is the brand? Is it a Suzuki, a Mercedes, or what? To clarify, Deepal is a sub-brand of Changan, a Chinese brand. (Still, the puzzled look.) She shakes her head and writes down Deepal (spelt incorrectly) and my number.
Interior comfort, space, and build quality
Open the door, and the Mediterranean yacht inspiration Changan speaks of becomes immediately apparent. A wraparound centre console, plenty of soft-touch materials, unique panel finishes, and plush perforated vegan leather seating greet you. As far as Chinese SUVs go, it's the familiar dual-tiered layout; charging pad at the top with a deep, central armrest cubby, big enough to fit a medium-sized handbag, and USB ports and more out-of-sight storage on the second 'shelf'.
There's so much space inside the S07 that the thicker, elegant sport seats don't rob anyone of legroom.
A massive 1.9-metre panoramic glass roof floods the cabin with natural light, making the already spacious interior feel even more airy. If you regularly have adults in the back, the generous rear legroom (a major perk of its dedicated EV architecture and long 2,900 mm wheelbase) will be a welcome highlight, along with designated air vent controls and a singular USB-C port. Build quality feels solid, and road noise is kept to a minimum thanks to double-glazed front windows.
Long-legged family members of all ages will travel in supreme comfort.
Technology and convenience
Changan has leaned heavily into digitisation, meaning traditionalists might need a moment to adjust. The nerve centre of the Deepal S07 is a massive 15.6-inch rotating infotainment touchscreen that automatically swivels towards the driver or the passenger. It looks incredibly sharp, supposedly supports intelligent voice and gesture controls, and serves as your command centre for almost all vehicle functions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are, thankfully, standard and wireless and work glitch-free.
The mega-screen will rotate to face you, all by itself.
The traditional driver's instrument cluster has been entirely binned in favour of a crisp Augmented Reality Heads-Up Display (AR-HUD) that projects your speed and navigation directly onto the windscreen. Throw in a 14-speaker premium sound system and the ability to use your mobile phone as a key, and the S07 firmly caters to the connected generation. It's just a little too connected for my liking, however, and despite its many talents, we couldn't get the voice control to work. This was peculiar, as the much cheaper Changan UNI-S we drove the previous week wowed us with its intelligent voice assistant.
A head-up display relays important driving info on the windshield in front of the driver's eyes.
As for physical buttons, there are none, so you cannot adjust the air-conditioning anywhere but on the screen. Adjusting the temperature and fan speed is easy enough, but you cannot manually alter the airflow direction; you drag a finger to where you want the air to go and hope for the best. I can still hear my daughter's voice mocking me because I was driving and she was passenger princess, in control of organising the air-con: "Get the air off my legs, it's too cold now. No, what are you doing? I want the air on my face, MY FACE, please!"
As for the doors, you press a button on the armrest instead of pulling a lever or a latch. This made me feel quite claustrophobic because what if you suddenly encountered a large body of water and needed to exit the car quickly? There is a manual override behind a plastic lid for all four doors below their respective door handles. If you know where it is, you could theoretically break the seal and exit the car in under 5 seconds, but it is for emergencies only, as it bypasses the child locks and safety systems.
Would you be satisfied with pressing a button instead of pulling a latch to exit the car each day?
My husband was more concerned with not being able to open the door while the car was moving, because what if someone tries to kidnap you? When the S07 is in motion, it's as if all the child locks are on. Let's say you trapped your dress in the door and just wanted to open it quickly at low speed? It's not an option. The driver would have to come to a complete stop.
Download the official Deepal S07 brochure here to view all specs.
Driving the Changan Deepal S07
While the styling says sports coupé crossover, the S07's primary focus is on effortless, silent progress. The rear-mounted electric motor produces 160 kW and 320 Nm of torque, resulting in smooth, quick acceleration. It does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds, hardly whiplash-inducing but more than brisk enough. The steering can be adjusted for a firmer sensation, while the drive mode remains in Eco mode to harvest as much power as possible.
We love the cosseting cabin, soft and pliant ride, tinted rear windows, and excellent sound system.
Despite sitting on large 20-inch wheels, the suspension soaks up our less-than-perfect roads remarkably well. You'd have to switch off the electronic nannies that nudge you back into your lane or make the car vibrate if you intend on having any fun at all - it's quite a clinical experience overall and not really what I would prescribe for driving enthusiasts. If you want to be greatly entertained, opting for the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce is probably a better choice, but you will sacrifice major range and space. (Still, you can pick up a used model for R600k here. )
Range and charging
During our test week, our routes were split around 50/50 between urban commuting and open-road driving. We kept the RWD S07 exclusively in Eco mode to maximise regenerative braking and maintained sensible highway speeds, cruising mostly at 100 km/h and never exceeding 120 km/h. Our energy consumption was quite good (around 16-19 kWh per 100 km), translating to a highly respectable real-world range of roughly 430-450 km on a single charge, but if you're going to drive faster on the highway, your range will drop fast; we reckon 400 km is what you should bargain on, in Eco mode.
If you plug it in at home overnight via a standard wall box, your daily commute will cost a fraction of what you'd pay for petrol. If you should need a top-up on a longer journey, the S07 can fast-charge its 80kWh Ternary Lithium battery from 30% to 80% in about 40 minutes using a DC fast charger.
Be advised that the S07 can handle a maximum DC fast-charging rate of 93 kW, so this 150kW charger at Somerset West wasn't going to get the job done any quicker.
Apart from the charger at the Somerset Mall, we regularly used the 60 kW fast charger at Caledon Fresh Stop on the N2. But, with EVs becoming more commonplace, public chargers in remote areas are becoming more popular. When my husband set out to power up in Caledon, there was a bit of a queue, and some tempers rose as he insisted on a full charge, since the Hermanus DC charger is out of order, and only one of the 2 DC chargers worked in Caledon. It's best to use an app like Gridcars to check whether the chargers are working and available.
Safety and driver assistance
The Deepal S07 features a comprehensive suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including integrated adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking, to name a few. Multiple airbags (6) keep you protected, while the 540-degree high-definition camera (with a transparent chassis view) helps keep your car dent-free. It was awarded 5 stars from EuroNCAP, and it's the same car we have in SA.
Image courtesy of EuroNCAP - as you can see, the S07's cabin is completely intact.
The only issue is that there is no spare wheel. About a day after we took delivery of the S07, we noticed that the rear-left tyre was losing pressure. The tyre-pressure monitor (clearly visible on the large display) confirmed it. Upon closer inspection, we realised we had picked up quite a large nail. We promptly used the onboard Tyre Inflation Kit (which comprises Tyre Sealant and a 12V Compressor), then drove to Hi-Q Hermanus at no faster than 80 km/h, where they fixed the tyre for only R120.
That's all good when you're in suburbia. The problem is that when you badly damage the sidewall in the middle of nowhere, treating the tyre with sealant would be like sticking a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound. True peace of mind on local long-distance routes still requires a real spare wheel. Good news: 24-hour roadside assistance is included in the Changan Journey after-sales package, covering you anywhere in the country for 5 years or 150,000 km (matching the vehicle warranty). If you're stranded between Laingsburg and Beaufort-West, it may take some time to get to you, though.
Electrification, space, and luxury for under R1-million.
Price and competitors
Changan has arrived with a very aggressive introductory pricing strategy. At R995,900, the Deepal S07 sits just under the psychological million-rand mark. Backing up the flashy tech is a reassuring after-sales package: a 5-year/90,000 km maintenance plan, a 5-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, and an 8-year/150,000 km battery warranty.
But what else can you get for similar money? If you are looking for a fully electric SUV that matches the S07's generous interior room, its direct rivals include the BYD Sealion 7 (from R1.1 million) and the Toyota bZ4X BEV AWD (R1,182,800), which brings all-wheel-drive capability and trusted Japanese brand heritage at a higher price point.
If you aren't quite ready to commit to a full EV lifestyle, the Chinese Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) market has exploded with highly equipped alternatives. For almost the same price as the S07, you can step into the flagship Omoda C9 1.5T PHEV Explore AWD (R999,900), which offers a similarly massive, luxurious cabin and all-wheel drive without any range anxiety. Alternatively, you can save roughly R300,000 by opting for the Omoda C7 1.5T SHS PHEV or the Jaecoo J7 PHEV (both starting at R689,900), which offer premium features and sufficient electric range for daily commutes at a significantly lower price.
Will you fall for this stylish, electric Chinese crossover?
The verdict
I loved almost everything about the S07, but not being able to adjust the air conditioning perfectly by hand and not being able to pull a lever to unlock a door were simply things that irked me. Other idiosyncrasies included the infotainment system, which at times seemed illogical. If you're very tech-oriented, these things probably won't be an issue for you.
Should you buy the Deepal S07? If sexy, aggressive coupé styling, luxurious features, and second-row space are at the top of your list, and you don't mind driving a brand that nobody in SA really knows yet, then it's a yes, if you can take the depreciation knock when the time comes to sell.
But compared with the Toyota bZ4X? The Toyota is pricier (you can buy a Toyota Vitz for the price difference), and the cabin is not quite as roomy for rear passengers. Still, it will hold its value better than the Changan, and there are dedicated buttons inside for people like me.
The solution? You could buy a used Deepal S07. Find one here.
Want to see Chad's video review of the S07? Watch it here.
