Dongfeng 007 Premium Review

"Another day, another Chinese EV." That was the first thought that came to mind after being assigned to tackle the Dongfeng 007. That preconceived notion, however, disappeared as I walked up to the car. Instead of a generic-looking SUV, I was looking at a fastback. And it's a stylish one, too.

If you think it looks familiar, it's because there are hints of the Lotus Eletre, with the eyebrow-like daytime running lights separated from the actual headlamps. The overall design is clean, with no attempts at adding overly striking components to make the car stand out.

The taillights, though, have been done differently. Rather than just using a plain single light bar, there are crystal-shaped elements to make the rear end more distinctive. Speaking of which, the Mystic Purple paintwork seen here is no longer offered, making this hue a limited-edition one.

There are few buttons here, but key functions such as the climate controls are easily found at the bottom of the screen

Form and function

The 007's cockpit has a sensible and user-friendly layout. There's an 8.8-inch instrument panel, while the infotainment is displayed on the 15.6-inch touchscreen. The menu layout isn't complicated, although the only thing I couldn't figure out was how to delete my smartphone from the system after pairing it.

Apple CarPlay loads immediately when you get into the car - there was only one instance in which I had to wait for the infotainment system to load. The main goodies here include ambient lighting, a 19-speaker Wanos audio system, and ventilated front seats.

The headrest speakers enable the driver to keep his phone conversations private

For practicality, there's a two-layer centre console and roomy door bins for loose items. None of these are particularly sexy (useful features aren't usually exciting), but they will continue to come in handy for the eventual owner.

With a wheelbase length of 2,915mm, it's no surprise that the 007 offers plenty of legroom. However, there's very little foot space beneath the front seats, and passengers taller than 1.75m will find headroom at a premium, as the low internal height puts their heads close to the panoramic sunroof. Thankfully, the dark-tinted glass is heat-reflective, as there's no retractable sunshade to block the sun.

There's no lack of legroom, but the single air vent could cause arguments on especially hot days

Interestingly, the backseat has three full-sized head rests, so the centre occupant can't complain of being left out. However, these head rests end up blocking nearly all of the rearward visibility. If there was ever a need for a digital, camera-based rearview mirror, the 007 would be a prime example.

One of the biggest advantages of a fastback is that it offers a lot more boot space compared to a sedan. Capacity is 452 litres with the rear seatbacks in place, and 1,026 litres when they're folded. Folding the seats ensures there's more than enough volume for stowing a full-sized bicycle.

Apart from being spacious, the large aperture facilitates loading and unloading, too

Range and performance

At the heart of the 007 is a 73.48kWh LFP battery, which Dongfeng claims is good for a range of 650km. The electric motor punches out 200kW (268bhp) and 310Nm of torque through the rear wheels, enabling the 007 to finish the century sprint in 5.8 seconds.

Now, while the performance figures look exciting on paper, they didn't immediately translate into scintillating on-road performance. To be sure, 5.8 seconds is much, much quicker than most vehicles on the road. But if you want a car that makes your heart race and the hair on the back of your neck stand, this isn't it.

The 007's 'Combat' mode helps measure 0-100km/h times, and this feature should only be used on a racetrack

Instead of rapid bursts of power that snap your head back, the 007 is tuned for measured, controllable delivery. You'll still be the first off-the-line and the first to cross the next junction (if that's a priority), but it won't make your passengers scream.

At first, this made the 007 seem rather normal. However, the more I drove it, the more I enjoyed how easy it was to modulate the delivery. This is key to being able to drive the car not just quickly, but comfortably. Any abrupt surges in power would only unsettle the car, which could be dangerous.

Grippier tyres and better brakes would complement the car's linear power delivery and good ride-handling balance

The 007 has nice balance and mild understeer, which can be reduced by fitting sportier and grippier tyres. Its suspension is firm but never harsh, allowing the car to flow through corners calmly and predictably. Even stabbing at the accelerator in 'Sport' mode won't upset it. Given its potential, more stopping power would be nice.

Dongfeng states that the 007 manages 4.7km/kWh, but that is easily surpassed. And with 650km of range, the average motorist could go 10-12 days between charges.

Growing on you

The 007 is a car that grows on you over time. Its design doesn't titillate, and its cabin is more sensible than sexy. But practical cars are like that; they satisfy you over time instead of exciting you at first glance.

The model's trump card is its controllability. A rear-wheel drive fastback that's always predictable and easy to handle will appeal to keen drivers. And I like how the 007 Premium isn't marketed as sporty. This sort of positioning only ends up unnecessarily raising expectations. It's far better to get buyers behind the wheel and let the car do its thing.

"Another day, another Chinese EV" doesn't apply to this model. And thank heavens it's not another SUV. Having kept an open mind, I now get to walk away happy from this drive.

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