Changan Deepal S05 Ultra review: A fine first PHEV
3OUT OF 5
The verdict
A worthy first effort that's comfortable in its own skin
Unlike some similarly-priced Chinese rivals, the Deepal S05 Ultra doesn't try too hard. It won't blow your socks off in the handling stakes, but it's a likeable, equipment-packed car with an air of quiet confidence.
★★★★★
Never heard of Changan? That’s alright, because China’s oldest car maker only made its UK debut as recently as September last year.
To give you a short history lesson, Changan began life in 1862 as an arms manufacturer. In 1959, it produced its first car, and now it’s building electrified vehicles.
The weapons maker-turned-OEM’s initial foray onto British shores was the all-electric S07. Since then, it has introduced two additional C-segment SUVs, the all-electric S05 and the subject of this review, the S05 Ultra PHEV or plug-in hybrid.
Built (largely) in China, designed in Turin, and tuned in the United Kingdom, the S05 Ultra is Changan’s first PHEV and it aims to square up to the best-selling Jaecoo 7 SHS-P, the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, and the MG HS.
How, then, does this latest Chinese newcomer get on in this rapidly heating up value-focused segment?
Design and interior
From the outset, things are promising. With a sharp nose and interesting exterior angles aplenty, the Changan Deepal S05 Ultra looks very much its own thing. The slim headlights and cab-forward design are far removed from the anonymity of the Chery and the MG, and by following a largely unique design language, the Changan thankfully won’t draw any “Temu Range Rover” comparisons as per the Jaecoo.
Our test car, the range-topping Changan Deepal S05 Ultra Max, was finished in Moonlight White (a £900 option) with blacked-out, 18-inch standard-fit alloys. The contrasting colour scheme works, and it makes the car look lower than it actually is. With its butt-wide lightbar, it put me in mind of the fully-electric 1,500bhp Dodge Hornet R/T FC1 rallycross car of a few years ago. The light-up red Changan logo is a bit Dodge-y, too.
Upon initial glance, the Changan Deepal S05 Ultra’s cabin is exactly out of the budget-focused Chinese C-segment SUV playbook. It’s all nicely built with plenty of cow-free pleather, a solid mixture of brushed metal effect and gloss black surfaces, and a whacking great 2.5K, 15.4-inch touchscreen placed in the centre of dashboard.
The cabin can be trimmed in black or a Ronseal-y terracotta. The darker hue with contrasting terracotta stitching is much easier on the eyes.
When it comes to practicality, the cabin’s roominess is amplified by a flat floor and 552 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place. An additional 60 litres are hidden under the boot floor.
Technology and equipment
Usually, this is the part of the review when I begin ranting and raving about the lack of physical buttons. But I won’t, and that’s because the ‘Sunflower’ screen can be electronically-tilted 15 degrees towards the driver or the passenger. Sunflower… geddit? This doesn’t sound like much, but being able to move the screen just that little bit closer towards you makes a whole world of difference when changing cabin temperature, fan speed, or radio volume while on the move.
Given that the screenorama trend is likely here to stay for better or worse, Changan’s decision to introduce an adjustable screen is one that vastly improves the driving and UX experiences.
While sharp and responsive, the screen itself is quite busy and the icons are quite small. Nonetheless, the voice commands to adjust whatever needs adjusting are perfectly responsive. Unfortunately, the Tesla-style rollers on the three-spoke steering are hateful and add an unnecessary layer of complexity to things, but this isn’t a Changan-specific issue. They’re horrible on any car.
That said, a shortcut button beneath the left scroller can be configured to where you want to go in the sub-menus. I set it to ADAS, and switching the beeps and bongs off in three pushes was surprisingly easy. To tell the truth, the ADAS was far from intrusive, but still, having the shortcut button was a nice touch.
This promps me to think that Changan has tried to make the car as easy as possible to live with, and leads me nicely onto the name ‘Deepal’.
According to Changan, the Deepal moniker refers to the ‘deep’ connections between people, and a ‘pal’ as your mate. At a time when car names are overly aggressive, this is rather sweet. At least from where I’m seated, anyway.
As with similar cars in its class, the Changan Deepal 05 Ultra is packed with equipment, Changan has taken a leaf from Apple’s branding book with its naming system: The entry-level car is badged ‘Pro’, while the range-topping model is named ‘Max’.
Beyond the cow-free pleather upholstery and the 15.4-inch touchscreen, Pro versions come with electrically-adjustable and heated front seats, keyless entry, and an eight-speaker sound system. If, like me, you are not particularly gifted at parking, the 360-degree parking camera with transparent view comes in extremely useful. An integrated dash cam and adaptive cruise control are also standard.
Step up to the Max car, and Changan throws in heated and ventilated front seats, an oddly-titled fold-flat ‘Queen Seat’ featuring an electrically-operated foot rest for the passenger, and a beefy 14-speaker sound system. Other useful additions include the 50W wireless phone charging pad beneath the touchscreen, and the driver’s head-up display.
Unsurprisingly, Changan’s generous equipment list means that options are few and far between. Moonlight White and Andromeda Blue are a £900 paint option on both models, as is a £700 tow bar. The additional £1,000 panoramic sunroof is exclusive to the Max trim car.
Range, battery and charging
The Changan Deepal S05 Ultra’s plug-in hybrid powertrain comprises a 1.5-litre internal combustion engine mated to a beefy electric motor fed by an 18.4kWh battery. Combined, the PHEV system offers 62 miles of electric-only driving.
First and foremost, the S05 PHEV is a range-extending hybrid, meaning that the internal combustion engine’s primary purpose is to top up the battery and cut in when the battery is out of charge.
This translates into four drive modes, which you can access through the touchscreen: ‘Pure EV’ keeps the ICE switched off at all times, and ‘EV’ lets the engine kick for short bursts of power when the battery is low. ‘Hybrid Auto’ is when the engine kicks in to charge the battery as and when needed, while ‘Hybrid Manual’ allows the you to custom set how much charge you want the four-pot up front to give the battery.
Based on the time I spent with the car, keeping it in EV mode is what you’ll want as the motor sips electricity. You’ll also find yourself modulating the throttle to keep the ICE from entering EV-only territory on the driver’s head-up display. It’s genuinely quite addictive.
The Changan Deepal’s 18.4kWh battery has a maximum fast-charging rate of 55kW, and can be charged from 30%-80% in just under 15 minutes. Using a slow charger, this will take you 2.5 hours. Working together, the Changan Deepal S05 Ultra has a combined range of 648 miles.
Performance and driving
With 255bhp sent through the front wheels, the Changan Deepal S05 Ultra deals with 0-62mph in a respectable 7.9 seconds. The top speed is 112mph. Why you’d want any more than that, I don’t know. Neither does Volvo, who capped all of their EVs at 112mph for the 2021 model year. That’s by the by, though.
Unless you have owl-like hearing, which I don’t, noticing when the petrol motor kicks in is impossible. It’s seamless to both the ears and through the chassis. The low drag-coefficient and frameless doors keep noise down when on a motorway, too. It’s comfortable, quiet, and easily copes with the UK’s signature potholed and poorly-surfaced roads when up to speed.
Unfortunately though, while the Deepal S05 Ultra’s handling was developed at the firm’s R&D centre in the UK, it won’t be winning any awards for vehicle dynamics, but – let’s be honest – nor will any of its competitors.
Like with most Chinese SUVs of this size and price bracket, the steering is quite elasticky as in it feels like the front wheels are connected to the steering wheel via a rubber band. It’s neither lifeless nor sharp, but it doesn’t encourage particularly spirited driving and makes the car feel taller than it actually is. At lower speeds, the slightly-firm suspension sees the Changan jiggle around town.
Price, trim and rivals
As mentioned earlier, Changan has kept trim levels simple with the Deepal S05 Ultra and pricing is no different. Entry-level Pro cars are priced from £32,990, and the flagship Max starts at £34,990. Both prices are subject to a £1,000 ‘Launch Offer’ discount, though.
Rivalling PHEVs include the Jaecoo 7 SHS-P, the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, BYD Sealion 5 and the MG HS. The Chery and BYD are the cheapest of the quartet at £29,995, and the Changan comes second in the affordability stakes. The MG HS is priced from £33,495, while the Jaecoo comes in last with a £35,170 price-tag.
Chery’s Super Hybrid and Jaecoo’s SHS-P systems offer less electric-only range than the Changan’s (56 miles to 62 miles), and the MG is the longest-legged here with a 75-mile range. Changan offers all models with a seven-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty, eight-year/124,000-mile battery warranty, and up to three years’ roadside assistance.
Verdict
The Changan Deepal S05 Ultra is a fine first PHEV from one of China’s latest newcomers to the UK. It’s well-built, its styling isn’t completely anonymous, and there’s some genuinely intelligent tech underneath. Factor in the heaps of standard kit included, and it’s a strong value proposition.
The handling is nothing to write home about, but no Chinese C-segment SUV priced from around £30k will pack class-leading dynamics. But my favourite thing? The Changan Deepal S05 hasn’t been a described as a “Temu this” or a “bargain that”. And for that sense of identity alone, I’d take one over the equivalent Jaecoo 7 any day.
For
Clever plug-in hybrid powertrain
Unpretentious character
Adjustable screen
Against
Bouncy at low speeds
Elasticky steering
Over-reliance on a screen
Fact file
Changan S05 Ultra PHEV
Price
£32,990
Powertrain
1.5-litre four cylinder with a front-mounted electric motor
Battery
18.4kWh
Power
255bhp
Torque
221 lb ft
Top speed
112mph
0-62mph
7.9 seconds
Range
62 miles (electric-only) / 648 miles (combined)
Consumption
139 mpg
Real-world range
N/A
Real-world consumption
N/A
Charging
55kW DC
Boot space
552 litres
Insurance group
36D
The rivals
Alternatives worth a test drive