What can a car manufacturer do to try and get more potential customers to walk through the doors of their local dealerships? Some have resorted to outfitting their offerings with a plethora of gimmicks – think elaborate doors, camera mirrors and so on.

Others are trying to win consumers over by slashing their pricetags. Both approaches come with their own flaws. The most obvious being a lack of baseline improvements in either scenario. But with so many options to choose from, consumers are becoming privy to the marketing fluff and to the attractively low pricing.

Which is why Dongfeng’s approach is commendable. At first glance, the spec sheet of the 007 appears to be rather underwhelming. Especially in a market in which consumers are experiencing a “paralysis by analysis”.

But give it some time and a chance, experience the car for yourselves and you’ll understand just what Dongfeng is trying to do. This is an honest-to-god family-centric saloon that is just all-round value for money – no gimmicks required.

Hey, It Looks Strangely Familiar. Kind of Anyways.

Dongfeng has decided that the 007 doesn’t need a whole plethora of gadgets and gimmicks. Instead, it decided that car buyers are perhaps more interested in a sensibly-optioned, well-put together car. This general ethos is very visible on the exterior of the car.

You don’t get overly fussy body lines or elaborate, over-engineered doors or mirrors here. Instead, you get a rather handsome looking machine, one that appears to have drawn inspiration from some of the hotter selling EVs currently on sale.

The front fascia is a prime example of this. Undoubtedly it looks classy, clean and very simple. And yet the surfacing and split headlight clusters appear to have been inspired by a blend of the updated Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

The rear ¾ is rather more unique, though one could argue that the general proportions are close to what you’d find on the previous generation Audi A7. The rest of the car is what you’d expect from a stereotypical modern EV, with its flush handles and rear lightbar. It is an inoffensive car to look at, and one that punches way above its visual weight class.

It’s What’s Inside That Counts

But clean-cut exterior aesthetics is only one part of the equation. For cars in its segment, it’s really what’s inside that matters. And The 007 excels in this department. For the most part anyways. We can start by first addressing the pluses of the car.

The overall fit and finish is a sizeable step up from the BOX. There are plenty of soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, which once again makes it feel far more expensive and premium than you’d expect from its pricetag.

There’s also little to complain about on the space front too. You get generous amounts of room in all of its seats, with the flat floor even allowing you to comfortable sit in the middle seat without any major space constraints. The seat bases in the back could have been more steeply angled so you get more under thigh support though.

And there are still some other issues. For instance, the infotainment screen is riddled with minor translation errors. It is really more of an annoyance than an actual hindrance to day-to-day use, but something still worth pointing out.

Also, there’s no native Android Auto compatibility – you’ll need to first pair your phone to the infotainment screen, and then activate it via an installed app. And even then it doesn’t seem to work properly, as the cropping hasn’t been properly defined. No such issues if you use an Apple device however.

Surprisingly Engaging to Drive?

Unlike a lot of the current crop of Chinese EVs, especially from the Shenzheners, the 007 has a surprising sense of athleticism to it. Sure, you can tell it is geared towards comfort, but there’s still a satisfying about of feedback and agility in its steering.

It also feels more softly sprung than most of its immediate rivals, meaning you do get some detectable body roll when you really push the limits. But it is a worthwhile trade-off, as it does ride a lot better than most of its compatriots.

Our test car is the mid-spec Premium variant. This particular version packs a 73.48 kWh LFP pack, pushing its electrons through a rear-mounted 268 bhp electric motor. Again, there’s a sense it is tuned for comfort, with a fairly long throttle pedal (progressive acceleration) and fairly mild regen even on its most aggressive setting.

And this does pay dividends when it comes to range. Dongfeng claims a range of 650 kilometres on a full charge, or an efficiency rating of 4.7km/kWh. Throughout our weekend test drive, the 007 clocked 7.5km/kWh, far more than its homologated figure. If we drove the car till the pack was flat, it’d return roughly 550 kilometres, which is rather respectable all things considered.

Subtlety and Substance

The 2026 Dongfeng 007 Premium doesn’t try to reinvent the electric saloon — and that’s really its strength. Rather than chasing gimmicks or flashy theatrics, it focuses on what matters: space, comfort, efficiency and honest value – thoughtful engineering beats over marketing any day of the week.

But it isn’t perfect. The infotainment translation quirks and Android Auto workaround show there’s room for polish. Also, the rear visibility is rather poor, as a result of the central seat’s headrests (again a problem that is easily resolved). Still, these flaws don’t overshadow the core experience. In return, you get a comfortable ride, strong real-world efficiency, a well-finished cabin, and a driving character that balances ease with enough engagement.

In a market crowded with spec-sheet heroes and aggressive pricing plays, the 007 stands out by being sensible. It doesn’t shout — it simply delivers. And for families wanting a capable, well-rounded electric saloon without the fluff, that may be more than enough.

We drove Dongfeng’s entry-level hatchback here!