Changan Deepal S05

Changan's Deepal S07 is the best Chinese family EV on sale in the UK. Is its smaller sibling similarly talented? Despite not yet being as recognisable as the likes of BYD, Jaecoo and Omoda, Changan has been around much longer than you might think. Based in Chongqing, it has been in the car manufacturing game for over 60 years. It launched its first car in the UK, the Changan Deepal S07, earlier this year, which proved to be a very respectable effort.Next up is the smaller Deepal S05, which the firm hopes will help to accelerate its influence in the UK at “China speed”. It promises tech, performance and the sort of stuff that ‘lifestyle’ people go all giddy over.We had our first taste of the S05 in Austria for some cold-weather driving and low-grip fun, but we've now had the chance to test it on the UK's more demanding Tarmac. Changan has had an R&D base in the UK for years, as well as a design house in Italy, so it should be able to make good on its promise that its cars are 'tailored to European needs'. But can it challenge the European elite?