The eye-catching Avatr 07 can park itself

SINGAPORE – During driving lessons, instructors drilled “nine and three o’clock” into learners the moment they got behind the steering wheel.

Years later, many steer one-handed and call it style – but the Avatr 07 puts an end to that. Its rectangular “wheel” requires a two-handed grip, unless you want to look like you are fending off karate kicks in a Jackie Chan film.

The unconventional set-up is part of Avatr’s identity as a design-led, tech-heavy, upmarket electric vehicle (EV) brand from China. Like IM Motors’ IM 6, the electric sport utility vehicle is aimed at premium European rivals.

The Avatr 07 screams “tech” with its digital banner for driving information, which spans nearly the entire dashboard. The remaining spaces on either side of the banner are reserved for the digital wing mirror screens, which are a $5,000 cost option on the dual-motor version.

The banner is behind the central touchscreen, which stands on the edge of the dashboard that handles the infotainment and car settings.

Positioned farther from the driver than a conventional instrument cluster, the banner is easier to read for long-sighted eyes – a thoughtful touch for Singapore’s ageing drivers.

It is proof that Avatr’s on-board tech prioritises usefulness beyond screen size and pixels.

Furthermore, the car’s smartphone app works reliably as a digital key. Wireless pairing to the touchscreen requires a one-time set-up. Thereafter, the system reconnects almost as soon as the doors are unlocked.

The only notable ergonomic slip-up is the small electric door-release button on the shiny black panel. It sits slightly away from the grab handle, so you end up needing two hands to ensure the door does not swing open.

In the unlikely event of an electronic failure, there is a back-up mechanical lever tucked at the edge of the door pocket. But a well-positioned conventional lever would avoid this problem altogether.

The Avatr’s steering wheel is mostly painless to use, except when making U-turns, and parking, when the driver’s hands have to cross or change positions. While it feels a bit strange when making tight turns, the car’s self-parking feature proves a capable alternative to twirling the rectangular wheel.

Automated parking is not uncommon these days, but the 07 seems better than most. It identifies parking spaces quickly, and the driver can opt to stay seated while the car wiggles itself confidently into the parking space or stand outside to watch the whole process. The car can also drive itself out of the parking space.

This may not be the full autonomous driving experience, but it feels tantalisingly close. And the system seems reliable enough to not be just a party trick.

That said, the 07’s adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping function can be further honed. On more congested roads, it accelerates too tentatively to keep pace with the cut-and-thrust of heavy traffic. The steering inputs are a little choppy.

Compared with the slightly larger Avatr 11 reviewed by The Straits Times in August 2025, the 07 feels like a significantly better drive. For one thing, the accelerator pedal is much more responsive.

The suspension is a bit on the softer side, so the car will bob a little during heavy braking or acceleration. But the overall handling is competent and the ride comfort is good. The steering may not give much feedback, but the car always feels accurate and easy to place on the road.

Still, driving dynamics are only part of the 07’s story. Avatr knows something about making its cars look eye-catching and the cabin, comfortable.

It features an exaggeratedly long bonnet, more for show than necessity, since there is no engine to carry. Instead, beneath the bonnet lies a sizeable 90-litre cubby, or frunk, good for storing a charging cable when driving across the Causeway. For local drives, anything strong-smelling, such as takeaway food, can go into that instead of the cabin.

Drawing more attention are the prominent daytime running lights that frame the entire front of the car. The roofline – which tapers towards the rear to meet a short windscreen – gives the car a distinctive rearward stance.

The cabin feels convincingly premium, with Avatr showing serious styling flair in its choice of materials. The seats and dashboard are dressed in a strangely attractive deep purple hue. The colour is more subtle than it appears in the pictures.

Beyond design and tech, the 07’s fundamentals are more conventional. Fast or direct current (DC) capacity at 420kW is among the quicker ones around, although there are not many chargers that can deliver power at that speed. Its alternating current (AC) rating is just 6.6kW, lower than the 11kW or so of other premium electric cars.

In practical terms, being capped at 6.6kW means the Avatr cannot fully exploit Singapore’s ubiquitous 7.4kW chargers. A full charge from empty will tether the car to the plug for over 14 hours, roughly an hour longer than if the 07 could utilise the charger’s full output.

The operating range from the car’s 82.16kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery is said to be 488km, which is class-competitive, if not outstanding. The test car’s trip computer projects a real-world range of under 400km, particularly due to the time spent parked with the air-conditioner at full blast during the outdoor photo shoot.

The Avatr 07 comes in two versions, with a $20,000 price gap between the single-motor, 252kW Max and the dual-motor, 440kW Ultra. Both are Category B certificate of entitlement (COE) cars and well-equipped.

Not having a tuned-down Category A COE version may keep some buyers away. But stacked against its direct rivals, the 07’s blend of design and tech ranks it high in its class. And its strengths occasionally surpass those of its premium European competitors.

Avatr 07 Max RWD

Price: $268,999 with COE, before applicable discounts
Motor: Permanent magnet synchronous with 82.16kWh LFP battery
Transmission: Single-speed rear-wheel drive
Power: 252kW
Torque: 365Nm
0-100kmh: 6.8 seconds
Top speed: 200kmh
Power consumption: 19.3kWh/100km
Charging capacity: 6.6kW AC; 420kW DC
Range: 488km
Agent: DPL Premium Automobiles
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Comparable considerations

Larger and just as well-equipped, with great design and plenty of technology, the IM 6 is probably the 07’s closest rival in form. The single-motor Sport is a more accurate equivalent to the 07 Max in terms of price and performance, instead of the 572kW dual-motor Performance AWD model tested in October 2025. IM Motors also offers a Category A COE version of the car.

Chinese-owned Swedish EV brand Polestar oozes Scandinavian design. Less tech-heavy in approach than the Avatr, the 4 drives smartly and has a promised range of 590km. The Single Motor, 200kW version claims to be able to cover an additional 30km, while being priced $10,000 lower than the Dual Motor, which makes it worth considering.

Under the Audi Q6’s handsome but also rather conventional design is an advanced EV architecture that is shared with the Porsche Macan Electric. The overall driving experience feels more traditional, which makes it easier for some drivers to get used to than the upmarket Chinese alternatives.