Note: This review was first published on 3 July 2025.
Purchasing a car is about the heart as much as it is about the mind. Style and the way a car makes you feel matter just as much as how much it costs to run and what your monthly payments are going to be. And if you tend to let your heart rule over your head, the Deepal S07 could be the EV to tug at your heartstrings.
The Deepal S07 is a mid-sized SUV that’s set to go up against the likes of the BYD Sealion and Tesla Model Y. It comes from Deepal, a new EV player in our market. Although Deepal is new to us, it’s really an established player in its home ground, China, where it’s a subsidiary of the state-owned Changan Automobile group.
At this point, it’s probably a good idea to address the name, because I had numerous people tell me it sounds goofy. It’s not entirely clear how the name Deepal came about. The brand’s name in its native tongue is 深蓝 (shēn lán), which, if directly translated, should be Deep Blue. The model name, S07, doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue either. But if you can look past this matter, there’s a lot to like.
To start, I think the styling is a highlight. Sure, it still looks somewhat generic—there’s a slight whiff of Tesla and BYD about it—but most people I showed it to said it looks handsome. It helps that it comes in interesting colours. Sadly, the test car was Comet White, which I don’t think is the best. I saw units in Sunset Orange and Cosmic Yellow in the showroom and thought those looked considerably more attractive.
Doesn’t this Orange interior remind you of the tan interiors of Ferraris? Note the complete absence of physical buttons.
HWZ
Happily, the test car came with the Orange interior, which I’m fond of because not only does it liven things up, it also stands out from the scores of dull grey, black, and white interiors that plague modern cars. It’s also reminiscent of the tan interiors that you find in Ferraris, which probably isn’t all that surprising because Deepal is keen to point out that the S07 was designed in Turin, Italy. The gigantic glass roof helps accentuate the space inside. My only gripe is that while everything looks chic, the aircon vents are placed far too low and don’t do a good job of cooling your face and head on a very hot day.
Like most modern cars, the driving environment is sparse. There’s no conventional instrument cluster. Instead, an informative HUD shows critical information like speed and navigation to help drivers keep their eyes on the road. Then, there’s a huge 15.6-inch touchscreen display for your infotainment and HVAC controls. There are no physical buttons.
