With new Chinese EVs being launched here seemingly every other week, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and establish a competitive advantage. Any newcomer would have a tough task to prove to buyers why they should opt for it instead of the myriad of competitors on the market.
It appears though that the market has now started to settle on a formula that almost guarantees some measure of success. Offer your EV in the shape of a decently-sized SUV, and pair it with a COE Cat A-eligible drivetrain, while giving it a reasonable price tag, and you’ll be sure to clock up at least a decent amount of sales. The evidence is clear, judging by the type of EVs that tend to appear in significant numbers on our roads here.
Deepal is hoping to capitalise on that wave with the S05, its contender in the hotly-contested Cat A electric SUV arena. The brand made a bit of a splash when it debuted here with the larger S07 in 2025, but the S05 is the car that Deepal will be banking on to propel it into the mainstream and challenge the numerous other Chinese brands that have been vying for the attention of car buyers in Singapore.
Compared with the sharp-looking S07, the smaller S05 features a slightly sleeker style, with more emphasis on soft curves instead of hard lines. It doesn’t quite look as aggressive as its bigger sibling, and it comes across as somewhat more conservative and traditional in its design.
There are some hints of the Porsche Macan in the details, such as the rear three quarter treatment with its slightly bulbous wheel arches, but on the whole the S07 is a car that doesn’t exactly stand out, and will blend rather nicely in traffic without grabbing too much attention.
The interior however is essentially identical to the S07, with the main highlight being the 15.4-inch touchscreen that Deepal dubs ‘Sunflower’, because it can swivel left and right to face the front passenger or driver. It seems gimmicky, but it actually does feel somewhat useful as it puts the controls within easy reach, especially for the driver.
In a way, it seems like a necessary measure even, because almost everything is accessed via the touchscreen. Ordinarily this would have been quite annoying, but we’ve gotten used to this setup from many Chinese EVs now. To be fair, the S05’s latest operating system software does feel somewhat responsive and intuitive to use, and key functions are generally no more than two taps away.
Thankfully there are still some stuff that are controlled physically, like the air con vents and wipers, which seems kinda obvious, but is not something that we can take for granted these days. One only needs to look at the larger S07 to see how even those functions have been relegated to the touchscreen.
At least one of the better things that the S05 shares with its sibling though is its sense of space, with the car offering quite a generous amount of room for passengers. The S05 actually has a wheelbase that is merely 20mm shorter than the S07, and it results in a rear cabin where passengers can truly stretch out their legs in comfort.
It appears that the S05 has its upper hand over its larger sibling in terms of packaging too, especially when it comes to cargo capacity. The smaller S05 actually has a bigger boot, standing at 492 litres with the rear seats up, versus 445 litres for the S07. It also has a larger frunk compartment, capable of holding 159 litres compared to the S07’s 125 litres.
In terms of driving though, the S05 reverts to the unspectacular. The Cat A drivetrain, with 133bhp and 290Nm of torque, means that it is never going to excite the loins, and the S05 makes no pretence of its laid-back nature. 0-100km/h comes in a leisurely 11.4 seconds, and the acceleration can be best described as smooth and steady rather than demonstrating any sort of brisk urgency.
It complements this with a softly-sprung ride that copes well with most road surfaces. The car only gets disturbed over very harsh bumps, but for the most part the S05 is more than comfortable enough to suit daily driving within Singapore’s urban confines.
If you’re looking for enjoyment though, then the S05 is not the place to be. Faced with a set of corners, the car merely goes through the motions. There’s a decent amount of body control, but the steering is lifeless and it executes your inputs with the same amount of enthusiasm as an AI chatbot.
At least it functions fairly well as an EV, with its 68.82kWh battery giving the car a claimed range of 482km on a full charge. That’s slightly above average when compared with some of its rivals, and its quoted efficiency figure of 6km/kWh seems pretty impressive too.
It does have its work cut out with lots of rivals vying for the attention of buyers, but where the S05 stands out from the competition is through how it does the important things well. Buyers shopping in this segment generally look for space, practicality, ease of use and a comfortable drive, and the Deepal delivers capably on all these fronts. It’s not a car that does things spectacularly, but it offers excellent value for those who want something that will fit into your life seamlessly.
