Deepal SL03-Hybrid REEV

¡¾Driving Experience¡¿
Overall, the experience surpasses that of fuel-powered vehicles in the same class. My car was manufactured on December 12, 2022. Although there aren't many physical buttons, it's quick to get the hang of, with a low learning curve. It's more exciting to accelerate and overtake than small-displacement turbocharged cars, but there's still a gap compared to mainstream 2.0T models. Body roll control is decent, and being a rear-wheel-drive car, there's no slipping during full-throttle acceleration. The starting and braking×Ë̬ are good, and the acceleration feel is linear. The main issue is that the extended-range version's torque and power are average; there's a pushing-back sensation, but not as strong as imagined. Essentially, it's still a family car and doesn't quite fit a sporty character. Many fellow car owners have mentioned suspension problems: there's a bouncing phenomenon, the road feel is vague, and the tuning leans towards American cars. It's particularly worth noting that when driving at 80-90 km/h on wet roads, there was a situation of weak braking. At that time, the tire pressure was 2.6, and the vehicle's braking mode was set to standard. The initial braking force wasn't obvious, failing to give the driver enough confidence; you had to press at least three-quarters of the way down to get significant deceleration. Switching to sport mode improved it slightly, which is barely acceptable, and I've been using the custom mode ever since.

¡¾Most Dissatisfactory¡¿
1. The power is lower than the officially claimed 7.5 seconds; daily acceleration is mostly over 8 seconds, a full second slower, and¶¯Á¦ is²»¼° the acceleration of mainstream B-class cars with 2.0T engines. However, the 515 version performs better; the extended-range version is just average.
2. Unprovoked braking. This is an issue with the "Automatic Emergency Braking" function: it intervenes with braking when no intervention is needed, which can·´¶ø create dangers. After driving nearly 5,000 kilometers, there have been 2 occasional instances of "ghost braking". This is the most deducted item. An OTA update has been received so far, and it hasn't happened again temporarily.
3. The braking tuning is average. When the battery level is above 90%, regenerative braking is disabled, and at this point, the initial braking force is insufficient, requiring more driver adaptation; otherwise, there's a potential safety hazard of delayed braking.
4. The price issue, which everyone is well aware of.
5. The build quality and materials are still average. The top of the instrument panel is¾¹Ȼ still hard plastic, the rear seats have no ventilation or heating, and the infotainment system only has 8+64 configuration available. While these aren't major issues, they're worth mentioning for reference to those who haven't purchased the car yet.
6. The optional SONY sound system has muddy and indistinct low frequencies with insufficient depth. The vocals are»¹Ëã natural, but the overall performance is lackluster andµÍÓÚ expectations.

¡¾Fuel Consumption¡¿¡¾Range¡¿
I'm combining these two because I'm quite satisfied with both. I mainly use the car in two scenarios: medium to short-distance highways and city driving. When using pure electric mode with economy or comfort settings, the energy cost (calculated at a commercial charging pile rate of 0.77 yuan per kWh) is approximately 0.12 yuan per kilometer. A full charge shows a WLTC range of over 180 kilometers on the display, which is quite reliable, with little actual difference. The sound of the range extender when starting at low battery is acceptable, and it also occasionally kicks in during sudden acceleration when the battery is charged, both of which are tolerable. I haven't paid much attention to fuel consumption when the battery is low; the display shows around 5L, and highway range is also decent. On rainy winter days, the displayed 180 km range is estimated to be around 140 km in reality, so I'll bring some extra fuel for highway trips. The fast charging power is generally not high. I currently only use commercial 120 kW charging piles, with actual charging power usually around 30 kW, a peak of about 35 kW, and no more than 15 kW after reaching 80%. Charging speed is average; a fast charge takes about an hour to full, with the longest session in winter being 75 minutes.

¡¾Space Performance¡¿
Although a lot of soft wrapping materials are used, some details reveal problems, such as the areas on both sides of the center console where legs and knees rest being hard plastic without soft covering, and the seatbelt retraction force being too weak. The width and length of the rear seat cushions are good, but the height isƫµÍ, requiring seat adjustment to get better leg support. I'm 175cm tall, and the space isn't cramped. The trunk also performs well, and there's ample storage space inside the car. However, my wife says the front passenger seat doesn't have a vanity mirror light, failing to meet a woman's needs. Regarding NVH, I personally think it's okay; after driving about 5,000 kilometers, including nearly 1,000 kilometers on the highway, I haven't encountered noticeable wind noise. I use the original factory Giti P10 tires, and tire noise is acceptable, not too loud.

The exterior is actually okay, not too flashy, just average. My wife thinks it looks very nice. To me, all cars look different, each with its own beauty¡ªI even think the old Santana looks good.

The interior photos are ugly, but the real thing is nice. Since there's only one configuration option for this model, I had no choice. There was no actual car to see when I went to check it out, but it turned out better than expected.

As for the driver assistance features, I rarely use them, but having them is better than not. It once activated when following a car at an intersection too fast and braked for me. I hope it can help me in a real emergency someday, though I¡¯d rather that day never comes.

I just successfully picked up my car today. As my first pure electric vehicle, there are many things I want to share!

It took about two weeks from looking at cars to ordering one. First, I chose cars based on my budget range; second, I cared a lot about the appearance; third, the comfort during the test drive; fourth, the vehicle's three-electric system and functionality (I paid more attention to: battery, vehicle intelligent system, assisted driving, reversing image, automatic parking, etc.).

Originally, the cars I had my eye on were Tesla Model 3, Xiaomi SU7, Xpeng P7, Xpeng Mona M03, and Deepal SL03. In the end, due to budget constraints, I had no choice but to pick the Deepal SL03. The Deepal L07 has similar configurations, but the common issues haven't been fixed and it's more than 10,000 yuan more expensive, which feels not cost-effective.

1. Appearance: Needless to say, it has a high rate of second glances on the road. Maybe because people haven't seen this brand before, several passers-by even asked me about it.
2. Intelligence: Basically, many functions can be controlled by voice, which is quite intelligent. It's just that sometimes it's too sensitive and will respond even when I didn't call it.

Range: I haven't driven it much yet. The CLTC range is 530 km, and the WLTC range is directly 430 km. So in winter, with the air conditioning on, the basic range is about 360 km. For those with long-distance needs or inconvenient charging, you can directly go for the extended-range version. (I can accept this because I mentally prepared myself for it from the beginning.)

Complaints: ¢Ù The key is really annoying. It can't be pressed when too far away, and it unlocks automatically when too close. When I parked the car on the roadside and ate at a breakfast shop, it kept unlocking and locking... ¢Ú The car is really a bit big. I have to be very careful of people every time, especially when reversing and meeting other vehicles. ¢Û The front seats are not very comfortable; they are too high, especially the driver's seat. Every time I need to use the sun visor, it hits my head. ¢Ü There is some tire noise when driving on the highway. Even I, who don't know much about cars, can hear it (when you test-drive the car, you can choose a road where you can drive above 80 mph to listen to the tire noise). ¢Ý The sun visor mirror has no light. ¢Þ The steering wheel easily makes hands sweat and has no heating function. ¢ß The sound system is just average (those with a budget can directly opt for an upgrade).

However, I can accept all these within my budget. If you want to buy a car, focus on choosing what you like. By the way, I recommend the Deepal SL03; it's very handsome.