The Australian electric vehicle landscape is changing faster than you can say “range anxiety,” and the arrival of the 2025 Deepal S07 marks yet another aggressive push from a Chinese challenger. Backed by automotive giant Changan, the Deepal sub-brand is setting its sights squarely on the mid-sized electric SUV segment, and it’s doing so with a vehicle that aims to win hearts (and wallets) on sheer curb appeal.

The blog title asks a crucial question: Is the Deepal S07 the sexiest Chinese electric SUV yet, and more importantly, is there the substance to match the style? For Aussie buyers drowning in a sea of increasingly similar electric crossovers, the S07 arrives with a compelling, and often conflicting, set of attributes.

🎨 The Head-Turning Style: A Design Statement

From the first glance, the Deepal S07 stands out. Its sleek, low-slung profile and purposeful creases mark it as a true EV design, moving away from repurposed combustion-engine body shells. Finished in a bold colour like Cosmic Yellow or Celestial Blue, its aesthetic is undeniably modern and premium.

Deepal has clearly invested in making a visual impact. The front lighting signature is distinct, and the overall silhouette is more coupé-SUV than boxy family hauler. It’s certainly a more engaging design than some of its segment rivals, including the omnipresent Tesla Model Y. Inside, the design flair continues. The cabin feels premium, with a notable step-up in material quality compared to some budget-focused Chinese alternatives. Soft-touch materials are abundant, and the overall fit and finish are impressive.

The highlight is the technology suite, centred around a massive 15.6-inch floating centre touchscreen that can physically rotate up to 15 degrees towards the driver or passenger. This, combined with an Augmented Reality Head-Up Display (AR-HUD) in lieu of a traditional driver’s cluster, certainly delivers on the brand’s promise of “touching the future.”

In terms of pure style and interior feel, the S07 is a genuine contender for the title of ‘sexiest’ in its class.

💰 The Financial Appeal: Under-Cutting the Competition

The S07 has landed in Australia in a single, highly-specced variant, priced at a sharp $53,900 before on-road costs. This puts it directly at an emerging sweet spot for mid-sized electric SUVs, aggressively undercutting key rivals:

Crucially, the S07 comes with a huge list of standard equipment, including a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated electric front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 14-speaker Sony audio system. For the money, the value proposition is undeniable for the Aussie buyer looking for maximum features without breaking the bank. Deepal also offers a reassuring seven-year/160,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/240,000km battery warranty.

🔋 The Substance Check: Performance and Charging

A pretty face and a low price are only half the story; for an EV, the true substance lies in its powertrain, range, and charging ability.

The S07 features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 160kW of power and 320Nm of torque, resulting in a respectable 0-100km/h sprint of 7.9 seconds. This is adequate for most Australian driving needs, feeling swift around town without being a traffic-light drag racer.

Powering the S07 is an 80kWh ternary lithium (NMC) battery pack that offers a competitive 475km (WLTP) claimed driving range. Real-world consumption figures hover around 18.6kWh/100km, which aligns well with the official claim, suggesting a real-world range closer to the 400km mark. This is a very usable range for daily commuting and weekend trips down the coast.

However, the chink in the S07’s armour emerges when you look at charging speeds. Its peak DC fast-charging rate is a modest 92kW. While Deepal claims a 30-80% charge in about 35 minutes, this rate is notably slower than key rivals. The Tesla Model Y, for instance, charges at a far greater peak rate, allowing for much quicker turnaround on a long-distance road trip. For urban dwellers who mainly charge at home via the respectable 11kW AC on-board charger, this might not be a deal-breaker, but for those planning frequent interstate journeys, it’s a significant drawback.

🧠 The User Experience: Tech and Tangles

The premium feel and high-tech cabin come with a caveat: the user experience is not always refined.

The sheer reliance on the central touchscreen for everything—from climate control and basic car settings to adjusting the air vents—can be overwhelming and distracting while driving. The absence of a separate driver’s display is somewhat mitigated by the AR-HUD, but the learning curve for the infotainment system is steep.

More critically, the initial launch was marred by overly intrusive and poorly calibrated active safety systems. Australian reviewers and early buyers widely criticised the overzealous driver attention monitoring and lane-keep assist systems, which beeped and intervened frequently and unnecessarily.

Crucially, Deepal’s local importer has listened. In a commendable display of responsiveness to the Australian market, an over-the-air (OTA) software update has been released allowing the driver to permanently disable some of the more annoying functions, like the driver monitoring system. This fix drastically improves the daily drivability of the S07, though the move has drawn scrutiny from ANCAP regarding its compliance with “default-on” safety protocols for the five-star rating.

🛡️ Safety: A Five-Star Foundation

One area where the Deepal S07 firmly delivers on substance is safety. It has achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating against the stringent 2023-2025 assessment criteria.

• Adult Occupant Protection: A standout score of 95%, matching some of the best-performing vehicles on the market.
• Child Occupant Protection: An excellent 86%.
• Safety Assist: Scored 78%, benefiting from a full suite of standard driver aids including AEB (car, pedestrian, and cyclist), and a comprehensive lane support system.

The S07 also includes a centre airbag to prevent front-occupant collision in a side impact. This high-level safety performance offers genuine peace of mind and is a massive tick for family buyers.

✅ The Verdict: Style Wins, but Substance is Close Behind

The 2025 Deepal S07 is indeed one of the sexiest and best-value Chinese electric SUVs to hit the Australian market. Its standout styling, premium cabin materials, and aggressive $53,900 price tag make a powerful first impression that few rivals can match on specification alone.

The substance, however, is a mixed bag. The vehicle delivers on safety, interior space, and a generous list of equipment. The large battery provides a genuinely usable range. Where it falls short is in its charging speed (a key factor for long-distance driving) and the initial refinement of its user interface and driver assists. The manufacturer’s quick response to fix the annoying safety systems demonstrates a commitment to the local market, turning a major ‘con’ into a hopeful ‘pro’.

For the Australian buyer who prioritises style, interior luxury, features for the price, and safety for mostly urban and local travel, the Deepal S07 represents a formidable new option. For those who frequently road-trip and rely on the fastest possible charging, some of its Korean and American rivals may still hold an edge.

The Deepal S07 is a compelling debut that proves Chinese manufacturers are not just competing on price, but are now seriously challenging established players on design and features. It’s not dynamically perfect, but its style and value give it serious momentum in a crowded EV market.

Deepal S07 vs. Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6: A Comparative Analysis of Price, Range, and Charging Speed in the Australian Market

📊 Key Specifications Comparison: Deepal S07 vs. Tesla Model Y vs. XPeng G6

Below is a direct comparison of the entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) variants of the Deepal S07 against its key Australian market rivals, the Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6, focusing on price, range, and charging speed.

🔍 Analysis of Key Differences

1. Price: The Deepal S07 has a significant advantage as the most affordable vehicle in this comparison, undercutting both the XPeng G6 and the Tesla Model Y by several thousand dollars for the base model.
2. Range: The Deepal S07 claims the longest range (up to 530 km WLTP) for its starting price point, which is substantially more than the entry-level XPeng G6 and a notable increase over the base Tesla Model Y.¹
3. DC Fast Charging:
   • The XPeng G6 leads in maximum DC charging power with up to 215 kW (and 280 kW for the Long Range variant), thanks to its 800V architecture, resulting in the fastest claimed charging time (10-80% in about 20 minutes).²
   • The Tesla Model Y’s charging network access (Supercharger) and consistent 170 kW peak are a key advantage.
   • The Deepal S07 has the slowest advertised DC charging rate and time among the three, which is a major compromise for its lower price and higher range claim.

⭐ Overall Summary

• Deepal S07: Offers the most affordable starting price and the longest claimed WLTP range among the base models, but has the weakest DC fast-charging performance. This makes it a strong value proposition for buyers who prioritise outright range and budget over charging speed.
• XPeng G6: Strikes a great balance, offering highly competitive pricing (closer to the Deepal than the Model Y) and an industry-leading charging speed thanks to its 800V system. Its range is the lowest of the three base models.
• Tesla Model Y: Sits at a higher price point for the base model, but offers the significant benefit of the Supercharger network and a very respectable charging power. It has the second-best range and has the advantage of a more established brand presence and proven resale value.

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