2025 Deepal S05 review: International first drive

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2025 Deepal S05

Chinese brand Deepal – a subsidiary of Changan, one of its home market's largest car makers – arrived in Australia in recent months with the S07, a mid-size electric SUV to rival the Tesla Model Y.

Now it is expanding its line-up with the E07 ute-SUV mash-up, and this car, the S05, both due in the second half of 2025.

It is only slightly smaller than the S07 – remaining closer to a Model Y than a BYD Atto 3 in length – but wears smoother styling, and is likely to carry a more affordable price.

Overseas buyers can choose between electric power, or a 'range-extender' that drives its wheels on electric power from a battery offering a circa-200km claimed electric driving range, but that can be topped up by a small petrol engine serving as an onboard generator.

Could it be the value sweet spot in the Deepal range? Drive was invited to China as a guest of the manufacturer to test the S05 ahead of its Australian launch later in 2025.

How much is a Deepal S05?

Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the Deepal S05 in Australia, as is whether local showrooms will offer the electric model, range-extender hybrid, or both.

If the electric model is sold locally – which is likely – it's fair to assume it will undercut the $53,900 plus on-road costs of the larger S07.

In China, the S07 in a specification equivalent to Australian examples is 29 per cent dearer than a top-of-the-range, rear-wheel-drive electric S05, which could point to a local price of $40,000 to $45,000 before on-roads.

If such an RRP comes to fruition, it could undercut even the most affordable models in the electric mid-size SUV market, such as the Leapmotor C10 ($45,888) and Geely EX5 ($43,490).

The smaller BYD Atto 3 starts from $39,990 plus on-roads, but the high-grade Premium with a longer range and extra features lists for $44,990.

Hybrids are typically cheaper than fully-electric cars, but the complexity of fitting a petrol engine and large battery – combined with recent reductions in battery costs – means the S05 range-extender costs about 3 per cent more than an equivalent electric version.

How big is a Deepal S05?

You may think the Deepal S05 is a small SUV competing with the likes of the BYD Atto 3, given it's smaller than the S07, but this car is still well in the mid-size SUV segment.

The S05 measures 4620mm long, 1900mm wide and 1600mm tall, making it similar in size to a hybrid Toyota RAV4 or petrol Mazda CX-5, but a longer 2880mm wheelbase (vs a RAV4's 2690mm) translates to more interior space.

Interior design is similar to the larger S07, with no instrument display – just a large 15.4-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, and a head-up display ahead of the driver showing speed and key metrics.

Nearly every surface within reach is covered in soft, leather-like material, making for a cabin that feels more expensive than it is, with good perceived build quality, and a funky two-tone blue, grey and lime green colourway in the vehicle we tested that's likely to be optional.

On initial impression, the front seats are comfortable, with power adjustment, heating and ventilation, while there's a good range of adjustment in the steering column and its leather-trimmed wheel. The gear shifter is a stalk behind the steering wheel.

Storage is a highlight inside the S05, with a large space between the front passengers' shins where the USB ports sit, a cavernous area under the centre armrest, and well-sized door pockets, but there's no glovebox.

Frameless door windows add to the premium feel, and the interior is otherwise stacked with amenities, including wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic glass roof.

Space in the rear is generous, with plenty of knee room for taller passengers behind similarly sized drivers, plus ample head room for six-footers (183cm tall or more), and some toe room under the front seats.

The floor is flat, and under-thigh support is adequate, but not excellent due to the battery under the floor.

Rear occupants have access to air vents, two more USB ports, and a fold-down armrest with two cupholders, but weirdly there are no seatback map pockets.

Boot space is rated at 464 litres in the range-extender we drove, or 492L in the EV, which are respectable but far from class-leading numbers in the mid-size SUV market (a RAV4 quotes 542L).

There is a considerable load lip, and the aperture is not as low to the ground as the Deepal S07, but the tailgate is power-operated, and there are lights and a 12-volt socket in the cargo area.

As with most electric cars, there is a tyre repair kit under the floor rather than a spare wheel – at least in this Chinese-market model.

Does the Deepal S05 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Standard in the S05 overseas is a 15.4-inch touchscreen – which, interestingly, is slightly but imperceptibly smaller than the 15.6-inch display in the S07.

As with its larger sibling, the S05's display is high-resolution and bright with quick responses and a similar menu structure, though there are quite a lot of menus to get your head around, and it will take some time to get used to.

The screen has a 'sunflower' swivelling function – allowing it to tilt from left to right – but it feels like a gimmick, and we'd much rather Deepal spent its money on physical controls for air conditioning, as at present they all run through the touchscreen, and are more distracting to use on the move than turning a dial or pressing a hard key.

Expect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on local models, but this is yet to be confirmed.

The augmented-reality head-up display cannot show as much information as a traditional instrument cluster, but we are glad it is present, and it is more convenient – and less distracting – than taking your attention off the road to look at the speed on the centre display, as in a Tesla.

It remains to be seen whether the S05 will be offered with support for a smartphone companion app in Australia.

What safety technology does the Deepal S05 have?

In China, the S05 is offered with a full suite of advanced safety features, many of which are likely to reach Australia.

They include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts with braking functions, a driver attention monitor, and safe exit assist.

It remains to be seen how well they will perform in the real world.

Testing by Drive and other media outlets has found the safety systems in the first batch of S07 SUVs to reach Australia to be intrusive, particularly an oversensitive attention monitor that beeps incessantly when the driver takes their eyes off the road for more than a moment.

The company is working on a software update for the S07 aimed to fix the issues, with engineers flown out from China – with similar Australian calibration work expected to be conducted on the S05.

What is the range of a Deepal S05?

Deepal Australia is yet to confirm which version (or versions) of the S05 will be sold locally, across both powertrain type – electric and range-extender – and the derivatives within them.

A preliminary specification sheet distributed to Australian media – subject to change and final approval – suggests there could be a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive electric variants with a 68.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

Estimated driving ranges under WLTP testing standards are listed as greater than 470km, and greater than 430km respectively for the rear- and all-wheel-drive variants – numbers competitive with a Tesla Model Y (466–551km) and Kia EV5 (400–555km).

As a guide, the Chinese specification sheet for the range-extender lists a 200km EV range under more lenient CLTC protocols, and fuel consumption of 4.35 litres per 100 kilometres in the same lab tests.

DC fast charging at up to 168kW is quoted for the EV – much faster than an S07's 92kW – for a claimed 30 to 80 per cent recharge in 15 minutes.

The range-extender's 27.28kWh battery can complete the same charge in 20 minutes, at a lower, unspecified peak power.

AC charging at up to 7kW is quoted for the 2WD, and 11kW for the AWD, meaning a full charge is estimated to take nearly 13 hours – slow for such a large battery.

What is the Deepal S05 like to drive?

Our time behind the wheel of the S05 was brief – and limited to a tarmac skidpan with little to no bumps – and only in the range-extender model, which is yet to be confirmed.

Still, we came away with a positive impression of Deepal's entry-level SUV.

The range-extender powertrain promises to be the best of both worlds. The rear wheels are driven by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor and 27.28kWh battery, but there's a 92kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder under the bonnet to top it up when needed and extend the driving range.

It's an interesting concept that hasn't been offered in Australia before. A Nissan e-Power hybrid also uses a petrol engine solely as a generator, but its battery is much smaller (2.1kWh) so its EV range is much shorter, while other PHEVs on sale can drive their wheels on electric or petrol power, or both.

It combines the instant response and performance of an electric car – though it's not a rocketship, just above average in terms of acceleration for a compact SUV – with the surety of a petrol backup.

Deepal claims 200km of EV range in Chinese testing, which extends to 1234km in hybrid mode with a full tank of fuel and fully charged battery.

Given the petrol engine does not directly drive the wheels, there's no 'hand-off' between the two power sources, but the petrol motor is reasonably quiet and smooth when the driver puts their foot down and it does kick into life.

The fully-electric S05 is available with a single 175kW/320Nm rear electric motor, or dual electric motors developing 295kW, for claimed 0–100km/h acceleration times of less than 7.5 and 5.5 seconds respectively. We look forward to testing these if they're sold in Australia.

The near lack of bumps on the skidpan gave us little opportunity to test the S05's ride, but what we could glean from cruising over undulations in the surface suggested a soft suspension tune as the body moved around on its wheels over imperfections.

It's not the most dynamic car, with plenty of body roll in sharp turns, but most buyers will prefer a more supple ride over razor-sharp handling.

The steering is direct and well weighted across the range of drive modes – although it has a slightly 'magnetic' or 'sticky' feel on centre – while the brake pedal is soft, without the reassuring feel we'd prefer.

There is regenerative braking to capture energy under deceleration, but as with the S07, there's no one-pedal drive mode (or, at least, one that is easy for the driver to find) and lacks the reassuring feel we’d like.

Visibility out the front and sides is good, but the rear window is letterbox-like.

Should I buy a Deepal S05?

If it's priced well, the Deepal S05 may be another option worth considering for mid-size electric SUV buyers willing to take the leap on a new brand.

It is not as practical as the larger S07, but should its smaller footprint translate to a lower price – hopefully closer to the $45,000 mark for the electric model – it loses little in the way of interior space or equipment, and on first impression is pleasant to drive.

In that respect, it could be the pick of Deepal's family SUV range.

But this part of the market is becoming very competitive, and the S05 does little to stand out or give buyers a compelling reason to choose it over one of its many rivals.

One point of difference could be found in the range-extender version, if it is sold locally – but its appeal will ultimately boil down to how persuasive Deepal Australia can be in its negotiations on pricing with head office.

The post 2025 Deepal S05 review: International first drive appeared first on Drive.