Amid the green mountains and clear waters of Guiyang, I gripped the steering wheel of the Deepal S09 and floored the accelerator. This "big guy" standing over 1.8 meters tall shot forward like a nimble feline. In the rearview mirror, the trees and scenery on both sides flew backward, yet inside the cabin it was so quiet I could hear my front passenger friend lightly tapping the armrest—this in-depth experience, from static appreciation to dynamic thrill, completely overturned my preconceived notions of a "family SUV."
Dynamic Test Drive: The Range Extender Is So Quiet It Might as Well Not Exist
Driving along Duocai Avenue, the Deepal S09's "two faces" began to emerge. In Eco mode, the accelerator pedal of this dual-motor AWD model felt like it was smeared with butter, with power delivery as linear as a naturally aspirated engine. But switch to Sport mode, and the moment you stomp on the throttle, the 5.9-second 0-100 km/h sprint means overtaking on demand, suddenly making me understand what "still as a maiden, swift as a hare" truly means.
Through a series of curves, the combination of air suspension + CDC began to show its might. Body roll in corners was controlled just right, and the steering was as precise as driving a sedan—nothing like piloting a 5-meter-long behemoth. Even more surprising was the chassis quality: fine bumps were filtered out completely, yet speed bumps were dispatched with two crisp "thunk-thunks." This "big car, small feel" experience is arguably unmatched among SUVs in its class.
Equipped with Huawei's Qiankun ADS intelligent driving system, it handles complex urban road conditions with ease. The system precisely identifies pedestrians, vehicles, and traffic signs, automatically handling car-following, lane changes, and obstacle avoidance; on winding curves, the vehicle relies on intelligent torque distribution and steering assist to glide through smoothly and steadily, showcasing the safety and convenience of intelligent driving at its finest.
What amazed me most was the range extender's lack of presence. During hard acceleration in a low-battery state, when the 1.5T range extender kicked in, cabin noise increased by only about 3 decibels—imperceptible unless you listen carefully. The 210 km (CLTC) pure electric range means you never need to start the engine for trips around Guiyang, while the 1,200 km combined range completely cured my range anxiety.
Real-World Driving: The "Fairness Master" for Family Trips
Driving the test car around Guiyang's old town truly revealed the Deepal S09's "family wisdom." When squeezing past oncoming traffic on narrow Diantai Street, the 540° transparent chassis left no blind spots hidden; passing the night market stalls at Qingyun Market, the auto-parking feature slotted into a parallel spot in one go, drawing passersby to snap photos. Most heartwarming is the child mode—the rear monitoring camera projects in real time to the center screen, so you no longer need to constantly turn around to check on the kids.
On mountain roads, the Deepal S09 revealed a sporty gene rarely seen in "dad cars." Through continuous S-curves, the rear-wheel steering system made this big car as agile as if it were waltzing, with body dynamics responding nimbly. On descents, the hill descent control silently took over the vehicle—I only needed to focus on steering. This "moisturizing things silently" intelligence is the warmth that technology should have.
Summary: Redefining Family Travel
After the test drive, the Deepal S09 proved with real ability: a family SUV doesn't need to choose between "big" and "fun to drive," or between "practical" and "interesting." It has MPV-level space magic while delivering sedan-like driving fun; it can transform into a mobile living room or tear up mountain roads; range-extender technology bids farewell to long-trip anxiety, while the intelligent ecosystem turns the cabin into a happy planet for the whole family. While competitors are all racing to stack refrigerators, TVs, and plush sofas, the Deepal S09 delivers a triple punch of "space philosophy + performance aesthetics + intelligent ecosystem," offering family users a standard answer with no weaknesses—perhaps this is the ultimate form of family travel in the new era.
