2026 Dongfeng 007 Review — The Car That Looks Like It Costs Twice As Much

Walkaround

There is a specific kind of double-take the Dongfeng 007 produces in a car park. You see the silhouette from a distance and your brain starts reaching for a price point somewhere north of RM250,000. The low, swept liftback roofline, the wide 1,895mm stance, the sculpted surfaces and the full-width LED tail light bar all register as premium sports sedan before anything else. Then you look at what it actually costs. The Premium variant, which is the Long Range RWD model, starts from RM169,888, and that gap between visual expectation and purchase price is the most interesting thing about this car.

The 007 measures 4,880mm long on a 2,915mm wheelbase, putting it squarely in the large sedan category in terms of footprint. The split-level LED headlamps, each containing over 100 individual LED elements, give it a distinctive face that is immediately recognisable in a rearview mirror. The drag coefficient of 0.209 tells you the aerodynamic work is thorough, and the fastback proportions back that up, every surface flows toward the rear in a way that reads as genuinely purposeful rather than cosmetically applied. The hidden door handles flush against the frameless door frames add to the clean overall impression, and the frameless doors themselves are a detail that most cars charge considerably more to offer.

Our test unit arrived in Celestial White, which suits the 007’s proportions well. The clean exterior colour lets the body’s surfacing do the talking, and under direct sunlight the sculpted flanks develop real depth and shadow that photographs do not fully capture. The only visual note I would register is that the 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels on 235/45 R19 rubber look slightly undersized relative to the body’s scale, a common observation and a minor one, but noticeable when you look at the car from certain angles.

The full-length 1.82 m² panoramic roof is a presence inside the cabin before you even open the door. Step inside and it floods the black and white interior, which is the colour combination exclusive to the Premium Long Range RWD variant, with an openness that makes the 007 feel genuinely airy despite the swept roofline. Soft-touch materials cover the majority of surfaces in regular contact, the stitching is consistent, and the quality of finish positions this cabin convincingly above its price point.

The 15.6-inch central touchscreen dominates the dashboard in the manner that most modern EVs have adopted, and the 8.8-inch full LCD instrument display ahead of the driver handles driving information clearly. Physical controls are genuinely sparse here, most functions require a trip into the screen, which is logically laid out for primary controls but can become dense when hunting for secondary settings. The 50W wireless phone charger sits in a well-placed console pocket, and the single wireless charging pad placement is adequate for most users.

The seats are comfortable and supportive with their 6-way electric adjustment and premium leatherette trim. The ventilation function, however, is one area that does not match the seat quality on offer. Even at maximum output it is noticeably weak, and in Malaysian heat that is a daily friction point rather than an occasional observation.

Where the 007 makes its strongest practical argument is in the rear and boot. The 2,915mm wheelbase delivers genuine rear legroom that taller passengers will actually notice, and the panoramic roof’s absence of a structural crossbar maintains headroom that the roofline profile would otherwise threaten.

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The boot offers 452 litres in its standard configuration and opens to 1,026 litres when the rear seats fold down. The catch, and it is worth knowing before purchase, is that the rear seats fold as a single piece rather than the more practical 60:40 split arrangement that most rivals in this segment offer. If you regularly carry a combination of rear passengers and large cargo, this is a consideration that does not show up in specification sheets.

Specifications

Energy Efficiency

During our review period, we received the Dongfeng 007 at 100% battery (picture shows 99% as I forgot to snap a photo as soon as I got in the car) and drove it for 262.7km in a 60/40 urban to highway mix, and used up 50% of its 73.48 kWh battery, which equals to 36.74 kWh. This means we got an energy efficiency of:

This is particularly interesting for me as it’s the first time we drove a BEV and it exceeded the claimed WLTP range, albeit within negligible range. It’s not that I drove slow all the time either as I intentionally drove around 120 to 130km/h in highways to get a better feel of the car given its sporty looks. Undoubtedly, the Dongfeng 007 is an energy-efficient vehicle to drive, and it’s something anyone with range anxiety would appreciate.

The 73.48 kWh LFP battery in the Premium variant delivers 520 km on the WLTP cycle, and the 200 kW DC fast charging capability takes the battery from 30 to 80% in approximately 26 minutes. The 7kW AC charging, which would take about 11 hours to go from 0 to 100%, handles overnight home replenishment.

For a car at RM169,888, this combination of range and charging speed is competitive, though it would have been better if we had a bump up to 11kW for AC charging, though this is not something people who can charge at home would mind. Moreover, the V2L capability adds a genuine practical dimension for anyone who wants to use the car’s battery as a mobile power source. These are the numbers that determine real-world ownership confidence, and the 007 holds its own on both counts.

The Good

The Design Is A Genuine Showstopper At This Price

This is where the 007 makes its argument most persuasively and most immediately. The fastback liftback proportions, the 104-element LED headlamps on each side, the full-width Sky Matrix LED tail light bar with its 230 LED units, and the way the 0.209cd body shape flows from front to rear all combine into an exterior that looks like it should carry a much higher price tag. In Celestial White, the surfacing under direct light develops genuine depth, and the 007 produces consistent reactions from people who see it parked without knowing what it is. For a car at this price point, looking this compelling is a meaningful differentiator in a segment where design quality usually scales with cost.

The Interior Space Punches Well Above The Price

The 2,915mm wheelbase delivers rear passenger accommodation that actually earns the description roomy. Tall passengers have genuine legroom and the panoramic roof maintains headroom that the liftback profile otherwise threatens. The premium leatherette trim, 64-colour ambient lighting, and consistent soft-touch surfaces throughout give the cabin a finish quality that holds up to scrutiny at this price. The air-purifying climate control with one-touch high-temperature disinfection, illuminated door sills, and the frameless door design all contribute to an interior that lands with more polish than the sticker suggests.

The Feature List At RM169,888 Is Difficult To Argue Against

Frameless doors with hidden handles, a full-length panoramic roof, 540-degree HD panoramic camera with transparent chassis view, 19-speaker audio, 50W wireless charging, highway driving assist, autonomous emergency braking for both pedestrians and car-to-car scenarios, full LED matrix headlights with adaptive beam, and V2L all come standard. The AWD Prime variant at RM195,888 adds driver distraction and fatigue monitoring on top of this already comprehensive list. When evaluated as a feature package relative to its price, the 007 consistently finds itself offering more than what the segment typically provides at these numbers.

Generally Pleasing and Useful Audio System

The 19-speaker WANOS system is the headline audio specification, and the hardware setup including two headrest speakers dedicated to the driver sounds promising. It’s not something that would please audiophiles but to call it outright bad would be an exaggeration. The speakers create an decently good acoustic envelope, and while it the audio sounds rather flat and boring by default, but you can (and should) toy around with the Equalizer and the DSP’s spatial presets.

For the most part, you don’t need to be an audio expert as you can rely on presets, and there should be at least one option that should satisfy you. If you know how to play around with the curves, you’ll have a noticeably better experience overall. Just using the “Rock” preset alone will give you a deeper low and sharper highs, resulting in a more warm, enjoyable sound experience. Another pleasing element is the two dedicated speakers on the driver’s headrest itself, which makes it easier to be alert while driving in case of any notifications, and gives you a more private calling experience from the rest of the cabin without having to pick up your phone directly.

The Bad

The Driving Dynamics Do Not Match The Visual Brief

This is the central paradox of the Dongfeng 007, and it deserves directness. The exterior looks like a proper sports sedan. The driving experience does not feel like one. In Eco and Comfort modes the steering is largely devoid of weight and feel. Switching to Sport mode, or the amusingly named Combat mode which displays “Fight!” on the driver’s screen when you engage it, adds weight to the wheel without meaningfully improving communication from the front axle. The chassis is competent and predictable, but it defaults to understeer at relatively modest cornering speeds, and the traction control system cuts power aggressively at the slightest hint of wheelspin on corner exit, which makes spirited driving feel managed rather than engaging.

The important caveat is that the 007 does live up to the dynamic expectations of a large rear-wheel drive sedan at this price point. It is fast, benign, predictable, and unlikely to spring unpleasant surprises. What it does not do is deliver the sharp, rewarding drive that its visual identity strongly implies, and that gap between how it looks and how it drives will be felt by anyone who buys into the exterior design expecting matching performance.

The Lane Keep Assist Demands To Be Turned Off

The lane keeping assist is one of the most actively frustrating elements of the 007’s driver assistance suite. Rather than holding a centred position, it tends to pull toward the lane marking and then overcorrects, producing a persistent tugging at the wheel that is distracting rather than helpful on any sustained highway section. The deeper issue is that disabling it requires navigating through the infotainment system’s menus rather than a single steering wheel button or easily accessible toggle.

Since it defaults back to on at each startup, this is a multi-step process that becomes a ritual at the start of every drive until you learn to do it from memory. This is a software calibration issue that an OTA update could address, and DongFeng’s track record with such updates gives reasonable expectation that it will improve over time. As tested, it needs to be turned off.

The Rear Seats Do Not Split

The rear seats fold as a single unit rather than in a 60:40 or 40:20:40 split arrangement. For buyers who regularly combine rear passenger use with cargo transport, this is a meaningful omission. It is not a daily inconvenience for drivers who primarily use the rear seats for passengers or the boot for cargo, but anyone who anticipated the versatility that split-fold provides will find the 007 more limiting than the boot’s generous capacity initially suggests.

Single Rear Air Vent Is Strange in this Segment

Given that the Dongfeng 007 is targetted at a more affluent crowd, this drawback is a bit strange. Yes, it does have a rear air conditioning vent but it’s only a single vent. This means that if you 2 or 3 people sitting at the back, they will either have to take turns or fight for it. What it does right is the height and angle of the vent, where it won’t be stuck blowing cold air to your knees and nothing else, along with a single USB-C port and a single USB-A port. I just don’t understand why they can’t split the vent to two given the price and target market for this BEV.

Dongfeng 007 Verdict

The Dongfeng 007 Premium is one of the more genuinely surprising value propositions in Malaysia’s EV market. At RM169,888 for a car that looks this compelling, covers 520 km on the WLTP cycle, accepts DC charging at 200 kW, carries a comprehensive feature list from standard, and delivers a cabin quality that holds its own against considerably pricier rivals, the case for it is straightforward for a large segment of buyers. Given recent promotions, you would have been able to get this for a noticeably lower price as well.

The case against it is equally straightforward; the driving experience does not match the visual promise. The dynamics are competent and safe rather than engaging, the steering says little about what is happening at the front axle, and the lane keep assist requires a deliberate intervention at every startup until software updates improve the calibration. Lastly, the single-fold rear seats limit cargo versatility that the liftback body style implies.

Taken together, the 007 is a car of contrasts. The looks, the range, the charging speed, and the feature count all represent exceptional value at this price. The driving dynamics and a handful of execution details remind you of what it costs. For buyers who prioritise design, interior presence, long-range capability, and overall feature density over dynamic engagement, the 007 makes a genuinely compelling argument. For buyers who want the exterior to be a performance promise rather than a styling statement, the gap will hit you from the very first corner.

With that in mind, we award the 2026 Dongfeng 007 Premium model with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Volt Auto Malaysia and Dongfeng Cars Malaysia Kota Damansara for loaning us this car for the purpose of this review.