New Changan Deepal S05 PHEV undercuts Kia Sportage by £6,000
Plug-in hybrid version of Chinese SUV is now on sale from £32,990
The Changan Deepal S05 PHEV is now on sale in the UK, with prices starting from £32,990. That’s £5,000 less than its all-electric Deepal S05 sibling and means it undercuts rivals such as the top-selling Jaecoo 7 (£35,170), as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage (£38,595) and Volkswagen Tiguan (£43,380).
Partially developed at Changan’s R&D centre in Birmingham, the Deepal S05 PHEV comes equipped with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, mounted alongside an 18.4kWh battery and front-mounted electric motor. Together, these produce a combined 255bhp, resulting in 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds.
Aside from the cheaper price, another reason the PHEV may appeal more to buyers than the EV is the flexibility it offers; Changan says it’ll do 62 miles on electricity alone, and offers the potential to reach 139mpg.
When the battery does run dry, the S05 PHEV will still return 52.3mpg, while 55kW rapid charging capability allows for a quick top-up at public charging stations.
These figures put the Deepal ahead of its Jaecoo 7 rival in terms of outright electric range. However, those wanting to go even further on a charge should perhaps look at the MG HS PHEV which comes with 75 miles and right now is available with an average saving of over £5,000 on the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
Two versions of the Deepal S05 PHEV are offered at launch: Pro and Max. Base Pro models come with all the necessities, including a 15.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, electric vegan leather seats, and a 360-degree camera system. For an extra £2,000, Max adds a tilting function to the touchscreen, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, heated ventilated and memory front seats, ambient lighting, a wireless phone charger and an upgraded 14-speaker sound system. Pro cars make do with eight speakers.
First deliveries are due later in October, with owners able to add extras including a panoramic roof for £1,000 on Max models, or metallic paint for £900. Like every Changan model in the UK, the Deepal S05 PHEV comes with a seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, as well as an eight-year or 124,000-mile warranty for the plug-in hybrid system.
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