Mazda CX-70 vs Deepal E07

What's the difference?

For mine, the CX-70 is the pick of Mazda's premium SUV range, and if you can survive without a third row of seats, it's significantly cheaper than its CX-90 twin, too.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Deepal E07 is not a truck, so tradies need not apply. However, for couples and families it's a generously equipped and luxurious EV with a unique electronic approach to a reconfigurable interior, albeit with practicality partly compromised by its fastback styling. So, only car buyers will determine if this is a short-lived automotive curiosity, or a bold new direction for SUV design.

Yes, the Mazda premium SUV range can look a little same-same, but Mazda insists there are critical differences.

That said, if you can immediately spot the difference between the CX-70 and CX-90 without taking a peek inside, you're doing better than me, given it is the same exact dimensions as Mazda's three-row flagship.

Sure, Mazda talks about things like this design being a “passion pursuer” that serves up "dignified performance” – all of which sounds utterly ridiculous – but the less marketing-speak version is that it looks like a shapely large SUV that ditches the boxy dimensions of a proper 4WD for a more sleek and swooping profile.

Inside, it's a plush and premium-feeling space, with lovely cabin materials, plenty of tech, and plenty of space.

The E07 rides on a 3120mm wheelbase with 5045mm overall length, 1996mm width and 1680mm height, so compared to the segment-leading Ford Everest it’s larger in wheelbase, length and width but not as tall. It also has active air suspension with adjustable ground clearance and ride firmness.

The exterior styling, which can best be described as a fastback SUV, disguises the electronic interior transformations that largely occur behind its privacy glass. Our example’s black paint ensures it looks smaller and less conspicuous than its generous dimensions would suggest.

Its spacious and airy interior is enhanced by the panoramic sunroof. It has a futuristic look and feel, although the optional bright orange nappa leather trim may be too garish for some. It was also showing light staining and scuffmarks, so perhaps not a practical choice for families with young kids.

The CX-70 measures a substantial 5120mm long, 1994mm wide, and 1745mm tall, and it rides on a 3120mm wheelbase.

It will tow 2.5 tonnes no matter which engine you choose, and the expansive boot will swallow between 589 litres and 2015 litres, depending on how you configure the backseat.

All of that space translates to a hugely airy backseat experience, with the second row able to be fixed in a position that either prioritises leg room or boot space.

With the former, you've got tons of space in the second row. I'm 175cm, and my knee and leg room was ample, with only the intrusive tunnel that runs down the middle-centre of the cabin eating into leg room for the middle passenger.

There are also air vents and temp controls, twin USB charge ports, seat heating in the window seats and swathes of very nice materials.

The boot is massive, too. I can't even reach the back of the rear seats when I lean into it, and Mazda says it will swallow smaller surfboard or SUPs without needing to resort to roof racks.

Under-floor storage adds a bit more security for precious items, too.

Its 2320kg tare weight and 2930kg GVM provides 610kg of internal load capacity. That should comfortably cater for the weight of five large adults, with their belongings shared between the 131-litre front boot (aka frunk) and the rear luggage area which offers 524 litres or just over half a cubic metre of load volume with the glass dome closed and rear bulkhead upright.

This is a modest load volume compared to conventional seven-seat large SUV rivals (with their third rows folded) like the Isuzu MU-X (1119L) or Ford Everest (898L), which is largely due to the E07’s fastback design.

It’s also rated to tow up to 1500kg of braked trailer but Deepal doesn't quote a GCM rating so we don’t know how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time, which is a surprising omission for a vehicle claiming to be a truck.

Push a button and the rear glass dome retracts forward into the roof to expose the rear luggage area to the great outdoors (a nice space for tethered dogs to ride in). Push more buttons and the tailgate opens, the rear bulkhead window slides down and both the bulkhead and rear seat fold forward and flat to create more than 1.6 cubic metres of internal load volume, which again is modest compared to conventional large SUV rivals.

And if you’re a tradie or other service provider needing to carry bulky tools and equipment, the E07 lacks the basic requirements of a truck when the interior is in this flat-floor configuration.

For example, it can theoretically carry up to 500kg or half a tonne of cargo plus driver without exceeding its GVM limit. However, there are no load anchorage points provided on the B pillars and the strongest anchorages in the rear luggage area are only rated at 50kg each. And there’s no cargo barrier provided (or available as an accessory) behind the front seats to protect the driver and front passenger.

We also noted when using the E07 to haul gardening tools and equipment that the trailing edge of the metal roof was low enough to require deflating the tyre on our wheelbarrow to just squeeze under it (see image), so tall loads would be an issue.

And although the E07 can be driven in this fully open configuration, if the cargo is large enough to stop closure of the glass dome and you get caught in the rain, the luxurious nappa leather trim could get wet. So, we don’t expect to see one of these ‘trucks’ replacing a Ranger or HiLux for tradie duties any time soon.

Front of cabin storage includes big bins in each front door but there’s no glove box or overhead glasses holder. The two-tiered or ‘floating’ style of centre console has a large storage tray at floor height while the upper level provides two USB-C ports, wireless phone charging, a pair of cupholders and a large box with padded lids that provide comfy elbow rests.

The large rear doors open wide to access a bench seat which for a fastback body style is surprisingly accommodating, even for tall people. I’m 186cm and when seated behind the driver’s seat set in my position I have ample foot, knee and headroom.

Even those in the middle seat can ride in comfort, enhanced by a spacious flat floor with no transmission tunnel to straddle. The 60/40-split backrests can also recline but with the trade-off being less legroom given the base cushions must slide forward to achieve this.

Rear seat storage includes bins in each door, pockets on both front seat backrests and two cupholders which appear when the centre seat backrest is folded forward to serve as an armrest.

The rear of the centre console also has a USB-C port and small touchscreen that allows rear passengers to adjust various comfort settings.

The rear luggage area has numerous hooks for securing light duty straps or load nets plus a 12V accessory socket and a domestic three-pin plug outlet for the 6.6kW V2L (vehicle to load) inverter to power a variety of devices and appliances.

The Deepal E07 is available in a choice of drivetrain specifications comprising a single-motor RWD entry-level model with 252kW/365Nm for a list price of $64,900, plus on-road costs, or premium dual-motor AWD ‘Performance’ variant with 440kW/645Nm for $73,900.

Our test vehicle is the single-motor RWD, finished in 'Obsidian Black' which is one of three colours available including 'Hematite Grey' and 'Quartz White'. Its eye-catching orange nappa leather-appointed seat trim is an extra cost option in preference to the standard black nappa trim.

There’s currently no competitor in the ‘Large SUV Under $80K’ segment in which the E07 competes that can match its electronically reconfigurable interior, which appears to draw inspiration from the futuristic ‘Transformers’ movie franchise (see Practicality).

Our example comes standard with numerous luxury appointments including 21-inch alloy wheels with 265/45R21 tyres but no spare (repair kit only), heated door mirrors with auto-dipping and memory settings, panoramic sunroof with electronic sunshade, roof rails, rear privacy glass, active grille, LED headlights/DRLs/tail-lights and lots more.

The sumptuous interior, with smart key access and start, offers a head-up display, heated steering wheel with power adjustment/position memory, eight-way power adjustable driver and front passenger ‘zero gravity’ seats with heating/ventilation/massage/position memory/courtesy functions, power tailgate, dual-zone climate, rear seat recline/heating/ventilation/massage, wireless phone charging, integrated dashcam and a handy 6.6kW V2L (Vehicle to Load) inverter to power numerous devices and appliances.

There’s also a large 15.4-inch touchscreen which controls vehicle functions (see Driving) and the multimedia system with premium 18-speaker sound and wireless Apple and Android connectivity.

You can have one of two engines in the CX-70, with the cheapest being a 3.3-litre, six-cylinder turbo-petrol, producing 254kW and 500Nm. There's also a 3.3-litre, six-cylinder turbo-diesel, making 187kW and 550Nm. Both are equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid system to marginally reduce fuel use.

All models are AWD, and pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The single electric motor, which drives the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission, produces 252kW of power and 365Nm of torque.

Deepal claims a zippy 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds, compared to its dual-motor AWD sibling which does the same sprint in less than four seconds.

Petrol-powered cars will sip 8.1L/100km on the combined cycle, while the diesel drops that to 5.4 litres.

Both models get a 74-litre tank, meaning a theoretical driving range of around 900kms in the petrol, and almost 1400kms in the diesel.

It has a WLTP estimated driving range of up to 550km (510km for the dual-motor AWD) and like its sibling draws energy from a 90kWh lithium-ion propulsion battery beneath the floor.

Deepal claims a maximum AC (Type 2 plug) charge rate of 7.0kW can fill the battery from 0-100 per cent in 13 hours while DC (CCS2 plug) fast charging at the maximum 240kW can do 30-80 per cent in just 15 minutes.

When we collected the test vehicle, the touchscreen was displaying 95 per cent charge and an estimated range of 524km. We covered 219km during our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving, with 45 per cent charge and 245km remaining.

We did an overnight charge at home using the AC Type 2 cable and after 14 hours at a glacial 1.6kW the battery charge increased from 45 to 63 per cent, adding an extra 100km of range (346km).

We added another 80km to achieve a total distance of exactly 300km, after which the touchscreen was claiming average consumption of 15kWh/100km. So, based on our real-world figure, a range of 500km or more from a single charge is credible.

Interestingly, the CX-70 has been tagged as the expected smallest seller of Mazda's premium SUV range, but I reckon it just might be the pick of the bunch.

Every one of the CX-0 models (60, 70, 80 and 90) all get slightly different suspension tunes, and while you can find harsh edges in the other models, the CX-70 feels utterly composed and refined, at least on the smooth-ish roads of our launch test route.

Perhaps most surprising, though, is the CX-70's ability to hold its own on a properly twisting road. We expected lots of weight transfer and the high-pitched sounds of tyres screaming out in pain, but instead found Mazda's massive SUV served up grip, composure, and very little in the way of sea-swell-style body roll.

The two big six-cylinder engines also feel perfectly suited to a vehicle in this space. There's tons of power whenever you need it, and solid levels of refinement in terms of engine noise or diesel rattles.

For mine, the petrol engine is the pick though, feeing just a little smoother than the diesel option. The latter can feel a bit jerky at slower speeds, whether that's the power delivery or the gearbox, and it doesn't seem to happen with the petrol engine.

The biggest caveat, though, is that we haven't driven the CX-70 in its natural environment, the city and suburbs, so while it largely shone on flowing country roads, how it performs on roads like the ones near your place remains a bit of a mystery.

The E07 offers plenty of personalisation including four drive modes, a ‘super’ power saving mode and multiple adjustments for acceleration, steering, braking, regenerative braking, suspension height and ride firmness.

It has a spacious and comfortable driving position but the view takes some getting used to given there’s no conventional instrument cluster. You rely only on the head-up display for key info like road speed, traffic sign recognition, indicator direction etc.

Steering column stalks provide some basic functions like gear selection and indicating/headlight flashing but many settings like wipers, lights, climate control, audio etc are controlled by the central touchscreen.

This can be very distracting while driving, given the need to accurately place your fingertip on a virtual button or slider each time you need to change a setting. Yes, it has ‘Hey Deepal’ voice assistance, but physical dials and buttons would be quicker and easier.

The E07 is otherwise nice to drive with its near silent powertrain and low tyre/wind noise combined with good steering feel, strong braking and sure-footed handling with an air-cushioned ride. Its electric air-con was also impressively cold when daytime temperatures reached the mid-30s.

While the single motor and RWD can’t match the performance of its dual-motor AWD sibling, our test vehicle’s smooth and spirited acceleration in the sub-7.0 second 0-100km/h zone is more than ample for family duties with the added benefit of a longer driving range.

The E07 is yet to be tested by ANCAP but comes with an exhaustive menu of passive and active features including eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist alert, lane-keeping, front/rear cross-traffic alert with autonomous braking, tyre pressure monitoring, traffic sign recognition, front/rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, reverse tracing assistance and much more. The rear bench seat is equipped with dual ISOFIX child seat anchorages while the original two top-tethers have recently expanded to three to meet ADRs.

Servicing is not particularly cheap in the CX-70, and the service intervals, at least in the diesel, feel a little short, too.

Buy that one, and you’ll be visiting the dealership every 12 months or 10,000kms, and the first five years of ownership will cost you $3298.

Petrol cars require servicing every 12 months or 15,000kms, and five years will set you back $3436.

The CX-70 is also covered by Mazda's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The E07 RWD comes standard with a seven-year-/140,000km warranty plus a separate eight years/240,000km warranty covering the propulsion battery. There’s also 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/20,000km whichever occurs first. Capped pricing applies to the first seven scheduled services up to seven years/140,000km totalling $2955, or an average of $422 per service.

Deepal has a small but expanding national dealership network comprising around 14 locations, with each also providing vehicle servicing.