Deepal S07 Review (2026): A Rear-Drive Electric SUV That Undercuts the Model Y

The Deepal S07 is the car that introduces most Australians to Deepal, the electric brand of Changan, one of China's biggest car makers. It is a mid-size electric SUV pitched right at the heart of the market, against the Tesla Model Y and the BYD Sealion 7, and its pitch is straightforward: most of what those cars offer, for less. Here is the data-led take.

How much is the Deepal S07?

One well-equipped grade. The price is before on-road costs.

At $49,990 the S07 sits below the Tesla Model Y and is line-ball with the value Chinese EV SUVs. There is no confusing variant ladder to navigate; you get one generously specified car, which keeps the buying decision simple.

Range, performance and charging

The S07 uses a single rear-mounted motor making 160kW and 320Nm, which is plenty for a relaxed, brisk drive rather than a 0-100 hero. The rear-drive layout is the same approach the premium EVs take, and it gives the S07 a planted, balanced feel that front-drive EVs cannot match. Claimed range is 475km WLTP from the battery, so expect roughly 380-430km in real-world mixed driving, which comfortably covers a week of commuting and the odd longer run.

Charging is the one area where the S07 is mid-pack rather than a leader. DC fast charging peaks at around 92kW, so a 30-80% top-up takes roughly half an hour, slower than the 150kW-plus you get from some rivals on a road trip. Home AC charging runs at up to 11kW, which fills the battery overnight. In practice this is a car you charge at home and top up on the road occasionally, which suits the vast majority of EV owners just fine.

Dimensions and practicality

At 4,750mm long, 1,930mm wide and riding on a 2,900mm wheelbase, the S07 is a properly sized mid-size SUV, slightly longer than a Tesla Model Y and with the rear-seat space to match. The long wheelbase translates to good legroom in the back, and the flat floor of a dedicated EV platform makes the middle seat usable. It is a five-seater aimed at families.

Inside, Deepal leans on a large central touchscreen and a clean, minimalist dashboard, with a level of material quality and equipment that feels a step above the price. The 145mm ground clearance marks it out as a road-focused SUV rather than an off-roader, which is exactly right for the audience.

Running costs

This is where any EV makes its case. Charging the S07 at home at roughly $0.30/kWh works out to around $700-$800 a year in electricity over 15,000km, against roughly $2,000 for a comparable petrol SUV burning 7L/100km. That is well over $1,000 saved a year on fuel alone, before you count the minimal servicing an EV needs: no oil changes, no spark plugs, no timing belts. Even allowing for occasional public DC charging at higher rates, the S07 is cheap to run, and the rear-drive single-motor layout is efficient.

Safety and ownership

The Deepal S07 holds a 5-star ANCAP rating dated 2024, with autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise standard. Ownership is covered by a 7-year warranty with separate longer cover on the battery; confirm the latest terms with the dealer. The reassurance here is the Changan backing: as one of China's largest car makers, it has the scale to support parts and software long term, which is an important consideration with any newer brand. Resale is still establishing itself, the usual trade-off against the low price.

How it compares

The benchmark is the Tesla Model Y, which has the Supercharger network, faster DC charging and the strongest resale, but costs more and has a famously minimalist, button-free cabin. The BYD Sealion 7 is the other obvious rival, with BYD's Blade battery and a bigger dealer footprint. The Deepal's answer to both is price and rear-drive balance: it gives you the core mid-size-EV experience for less, if you can live with mid-pack charging and a smaller service network.

See where it ranks in our best electric cars under $50k guide and the best Chinese electric cars roundup.

The verdict

The Deepal S07 is a well-judged value play. It nails the things mid-size EV buyers actually use, range, space, a balanced rear-drive chassis and a 5-star rating, and undercuts the established names while doing it. The charging speed is only average and the brand is new to Australia, so it is competing on substance and price rather than badge. But with Changan's backing behind it and a sub-$50,000 sticker, it is one of the smarter affordable electric SUVs on sale and deserves a spot on the test-drive list.