2025 Deepal E07 review: How practical is its unconventional ‘multitruck’ SUV?

Generally speaking, the new car market is a bit sterile in 2025. Thanks to factors such as tightening emissions rules globally, manufacturers rarely take risks with car development and if it’s not an SUV or ute with hybrid or electric power, chances are that it likely won’t be built. Apparently Deepal missed the memo, however, and its latest creation will have you asking “what the truck?”.

Enter the E07, which is called the ‘Multitruck’ by its maker. What exactly is it? Essentially, it uses the platform of an electric SUV and features a configurable ute-like body on top. Deepal says that it offers the best of both worlds by driving like an SUV, yet offering the practicality of a ute.

The E07 is offered in two flavours in Australia: entry-level rear-driver ($64,900 plus on-road costs) or upper-spec all-paw ($73,900 +ORC), with both variants using the same 90kW lithium-ion battery that can be charged at up to 240kW for a quick 30-80 per cent charge in a claimed 15 minutes.

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Standard features include 21-inch wheels, Nappa leather upholstery, electric/heated/ventilated/massaging front seats, a tilting 15.4-inch touchscreen, a head-up display, tri-zone automatic climate control, height-adjustable air suspension, a full suite of active safety features and the folding window and seat section that turns the E07 from an SUV into a ute.

That latter is undoubtedly its unique selling point and is actually quite useful. In standard form, its coupe-like sloping rear window hides a handy 524-litre bootspace. There are also hooks to hang bags off on each side and under-floor storage – though no spare wheel. If you need more space, there’s also a huge 131-litre front boot.

However, use the buttons on the sidewall and you realise that the E07 is definitely not a mid-size SUV. It has a split tailgate, like a ute, and the rear window slides up to lie on top of the roof and open up the tray. The middle window opens independently, while the rear seats fold flat with the middle divider wall also folding with them. Doing so unlocks 1654 litres of space, and fully extended, 1865mm of length. Considering the length of the bed and its vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, the E07 would be a great vehicle to take camping.

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As we’ve previously seen with other Deepal models, the E07’s cabin is surprisingly luxurious and
high quality. Material quality is impressive and it all feels far more expensive than its sub-$65k pricing would suggest. The front seats are endlessly adjustable and comfort is excellent. However, a huge 15.4-inch touchscreen controls everything in the cabin, bar the windows, indicators and gear selection. The screen quality is crisp, but the layout is cumbersome and it takes a lot of time to learn. It’s packed with features such as wireless CarPlay and Android Auto and sat-nav, but adjusting the headlights, wiper sensitivity and even air vent direction is accessed through it, which is frustrating – especially at speed, plus the small icons do not help.

The E07’s storage space is excellent, while the rear cabin is almost limo-like. Six-footers will be fine for headroom, legroom is great, and there are many features such as heated and even ventilated seats, a separate temperature zone, charging ports and controls for the roof blind and rear window.

On the road, however, the E07 is less impressive and there’s precious little enthusiast appeal. Even smaller bumps have the suspension struggling to adapt and the steering offers little feel. Drive it dynamically and it struggles, though in regular driving it’s comfortable and its refinement is excellent, with very little road noise.

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The 252kW E07 RWD initially feels a bit slow but builds up pace well, and the active safety features are thankfully far more relaxed than when Deepal initially launched locally. The claimed 550km WLTP range is healthy as well, and is fairly achievable in the real world.

It’s been a long time since a new car has broken tradition as much as the E07, which in itself is refreshing. Its ute-cum-SUV practicality is well considered and offers appeal, particularly to those who want a ute for its practicality, but not for off-road or towing capability. There’s still work to be done, however – there’s far too much in the touchscreen and the soggy dynamics need local tuning for a more cohesive driving experience. But overall, the Deepal E07 presents a unique perspective on what an SUV should be and for that alone, it’s definitely worth a look.

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Specs