Deepal S09

Model Overview

The Deepal S09 is the first full-size flagship SUV from Changan Automobile's Deepal sub-brand, officially positioned as a "flagship intelligent six-seater family SUV". Pre-sales for the newcomer officially commenced at the April 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. Built on the Deepal Super Range Extension 2.0 platform, the entire line-up features the Huawei Qiankun Intelligent Driving System and HarmonySpace Cockpit as standard. The Deepal S09 is offered in six variants, with recommended retail prices ranging from RM239,900 to RM309,900. Key rivals include fellow full-size six-seater SUVs like the Li L9 and AITO M9, yet its entry price is roughly half of what they command.

Design Language

The Deepal S09 adopts the "Symbiosis Aesthetics" design language, sporting a clean, imposing visual presence. Up front, it features a closed-off fascia with an 1,838 mm full-width light bar and split LED headlamp assemblies—slender daytime running lights up top and matrix headlamps below deliver high tech appeal and instant road presence. The side profile shows sleek lines, flush pop-out door handles, and a floating roof design. At the rear, it gets a Galaxy Neon full-width taillight strip with segmented illumination on either side. Dimensions measure 5,205 mm long, 1,996 mm wide, and 1,800 mm tall, riding on a 3,105 mm wheelbase—nearly identical in footprint to the Li L9 (5,218/1,998/1,800 mm, 3,105 mm wheelbase). The drag coefficient is rated at a slippery 0.283 Cd. Four exterior colours are available: Misty Sea Blue, Ink Black, Mountain Snow Silver, and Cangshan Grey.

Inside, the cabin features light colour schemes and a minimalist layout, elevated by extensive leather and soft-touch upholstery for an upscale feel. Seating is arranged in a 2+2+2 six-seater configuration.

Powertrain & Performance

Across the board, the Deepal S09 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged range extender engine (110 kW max output), paired with either rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) setups. The RWD variant utilises a rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering a total output of 231 kW (approx. 314 PS) and 375 Nm of torque, completing the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds. The AWD variant adds a 131 kW electric motor to the front axle, boosting total system output to 362 kW (approx. 492 PS), and slashing the century sprint to 5.9 seconds. Top speed is capped at 205 km/h.

For energy storage, it employs CATL-sourced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs. The standard version comes with a 40.18 kWh pack good for 220 km of CLTC pure electric range, while the Ultra Long Range variant packs a 53.49 kWh battery, offering a CLTC pure electric range of 310 km on RWD and 300 km on AWD models. Total CLTC combined range reaches up to 1,210 km. Charging-wise, it supports 5C ultra-fast charging, juicing from 30% to 80% state of charge in roughly 10 minutes. Under WLTC testing, fuel consumption in battery-depleted state is rated at 5.6 L/100 km for RWD and 5.9 L/100 km for AWD.

Chassis & Handling

The chassis setup is one of the Deepal S09's biggest technical highlights. It features a front double-wishbone independent suspension paired with a rear H-arm multi-link independent setup (cast aluminium H-arm). A single-chamber air suspension and Continuous Damping Control (CDC) system come standard across the range, offering 70 mm of height adjustability to actively tailor vehicle stance according to driving modes and road conditions—softening up in Comfort mode to iron out road imperfections, and firming up in Sport mode for sharper body control. Chassis tuning was co-developed with Land Rover's engineering team, striking a fine balance between high-speed stability and low-speed agility for the 5.2-metre body. The electric power steering feels featherlight at parking speeds and reassuringly weighted on the highway. With an approach angle of 19° and a departure angle of 21°, it can handle mild off-road duties with ease.

Cockpit & Features

The intelligent cabin serves as another headline selling point. Fitted with the Huawei HarmonySpace 5 Cockpit, the system is powered by either a Kirin 9610A or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor. The screen setup comprises dual 15.6-inch 2.5K HD front screens (central infotainment + front passenger display), a 43-inch AR-HUD, and a roof-mounted 21.4-inch 3K rear entertainment screen, all capable of seamless multi-screen interaction. The system also supports 6-zone intelligent voice command.

On the seating front, the second row boasts twin standalone Zero-Gravity captain chairs equipped with 180 mm lateral adjustment, 8-point massage, ventilation, and heating functions. The third row provides a 360 mm seat cushion height, up to 870 mm of knee room, and built-in seat heaters. Up front, the sliding centre console can travel backwards by up to 700 mm, housing an integrated 10-litre hot/cold refrigerator (-6°C to 50°C). Luggage capacity stands at 427 litres in standard guise, expanding to 1,392 litres with the third-row seats folded flat. Audiophiles are treated to a 23-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos support.

Safety & Driver Assistance

Advanced driver assistance is central to the S09's appeal, offering two tiers of Huawei Qiankun ADS suites. The high-spec variant (with LiDAR) features a 192-line LiDAR sensor (250-metre detection range), 11 HD cameras, 3 millimetre-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors, backed by 200 TOPS of computing power from the MDC 610 platform. Running on ADS 3.3 (upgradable to ADS 4.0), it supports Highway Navigation Cruise Assist (NCA) with auto-following, lane changing, and ramp entry/exit; Urban NCA with traffic light countdown recognition, unprotected junction turning, and congestion assist; along with full-scenario automated parking (spanning over 160 scenarios). The RWD Ultra Long Range variant omits the LiDAR unit but retains Huawei Qiankun ADS 4.1 driver-assistance capabilities.

Active safety is anchored by Huawei CAS 3.0 omnidirectional collision avoidance, delivering autonomous emergency braking up to 120 km/h forward, 60 km/h sideways, and 15 km/h in reverse. Passive safety credentials include a 100% high-strength steel passenger cell, 81% high-strength steel and aluminium alloy body construction, and 2,700 mm full-length side curtain airbags. In CATARC safety crash tests, the Deepal S09 earned top-tier "G" and "G+" marks for vehicle safety assist and pedestrian protection respectively, bagging full marks in the AEB VRU evaluation.

Market Performance & Review

Expectations ran high for the Deepal S09 when it first broke cover. Boasting full-size dimensions on par with the Li L9 and AITO M9, Huawei's full-stack tech suite, and an aggressive entry price of RM239,900, it was hailed as a "half-price flagship". However, real-world market take-up has fallen short of targets. Sales peaked in June 2025 at 3,250 units before tapering off steadily—2,467 units in August, 1,747 units in October, 464 units in November, and 375 units in December. Into 2026, deliveries across the first quarter amounted to just 1,626 units. Over the past six months, average monthly sales have hovered around 1,400 units, below the industry-estimated break-even volume of 2,000 to 2,500 units.

Industry analysts attribute the soft sales to several factors: Deepal's lack of established pedigree in the premium RM200,000-plus segment (the preceding G318 also struggled), brand image fallout from an earlier "ad controversy", and the fact that rivals in adjacent price brackets now also pack Huawei tech, diluting the S09's unique selling proposition. That said, the Deepal S09's core product credentials remain undisputed—a 310 km pure EV range, 5C ultra-fast charging, air suspension with CDC, and Huawei advanced ADAS offer immense value for money. As Deepal's vanguard in the upper-tier market, the S09 successfully plugs the brand's gap in the full-size six-seater SUV space. Moving forward, Deepal plans to roll out newer offerings like the S08 to form a broader product offensive and turn the tide.