2026 Zeekr 7X evaluate: Fast drive

Should you’re going to problem the Tesla Mannequin Y, you higher be prepared. Geely-owned Zeekr was shaped in 2021 and launched in Australia in 2024, making 22-year-old Tesla appear comparatively prehistoric as an organization.

The Zeekr 7X is the third mannequin from the Chinese language luxurious upstart in Australia after its small electrical SUV, the Elon-like ‘X‘, and the 009 electrical individuals mover, however the latest Zeekr makes essentially the most sense: it’s a mid-size electrical SUV which the native arm says will change into its best-seller. 

Related in dimension to the Mannequin Y – which Zeekr doesn’t immediately identify as a rival – the 7X is 5mm shorter and sits on an extended wheelbase, boding nicely for cabin house, packaging and driving dynamics. 

The entry-level RWD variant additionally undercuts the Mannequin Y by $1000 at launch – and its 480km WLTP driving vary betters it by 14km, too – whereas Lengthy Vary AWD and Efficiency AWD fashions grades cap the three-tier 7X lineup. 

Whereas many supposed rivals have come out swinging in opposition to it, the Mannequin Y stays the best-selling EV in Australia and goes for a fourth-consecutive 12 months on high. 

The Toyota bZ4X, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4 and, extra just lately, the Nissan Ariya all compete in the identical section, however are but to make an influence on the Mannequin Y’s dominance.

The BYD Sealion 7 has come closest, touchdown a number of blows by topping month-to-month gross sales charts, but the Mannequin Y remains to be leaving rivals in its wake Down Beneath to this point this 12 months.

The Zeekr 7X, then, brings a robust on-paper menace with extremely aggressive pricing, attention-grabbing design and complex applied sciences as a part of the Geely model’s push to develop the model, together with an 800V electrical structure that permits ultra-fast DC charging.

Is it time, then, you stepped previous the old-faithful Mannequin Y – even with its latest updates – and stepped into Zeekr’s youthful, brisker electrical SUV?

How a lot does the Zeekr 7X value?

The 7X is available in three totally different flavours, with the entry-level – badged merely ‘RWD’ – variant opening the vary at $57,990 earlier than on-road prices to undercut the bottom Mannequin Y by $1000.

The 7X additionally undercuts rivals just like the bZ4X, ID.4, Cupra Tavascan, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Subaru Solterra.

There are cheaper rivals, nonetheless, such because the Sealion 7, Ariya, Deepal S07, and Xpeng G6. Skoda has additionally introduced a brand new entry grade for its Enyaq vary, priced at a really sharp $54,990 drive-away.

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

Allow us to aid you discover your new automotive

Purchase your new automotive with out the stress. It is quick, easy and fully free.

Nice service from Travis and crew, second time I’ve used this enterprise wouldn’t hesitate to suggest them to anybody

Craig C.

Bought a Ford Ranger in Sunshine Coast, QLD

CarExpert helped Craig save $7,224 on his Ford Ranger, now allow us to prevent in your subsequent new automotive.

Get your BEST value

What’s the Zeekr 7X like on the within?

The spacious Zeekr 7X cabin is neatly completed and high-tech, beginning with pillar-mounted sensors to open the doorways. 

You’ll have to clarify this to first-time customers, however they work fairly nicely at popping open the doorways, with sensors stopping them from hitting an adjoining door, wall or parked automotive – even when a traditional door deal with would have executed the job.

The Lengthy Vary 7X we drove had perforated artificial leather-trimmed seats, whereas the top-spec Efficiency affords Nappa leather-based as a substitute, forward of which you’re introduced with a flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel. 

It has the identical stitching discovered on the seats, throughout the dashtop and doorways, and glorious consideration to element corresponding to minimal piano black surrounds, brushed silver detailing and a 3D applique, all of which add depth and create a premium really feel. 

Steering column adjustment is handbook within the base RWD, however the electrical adjustment in the remainder of the vary is frustratingly accessed through the 16.0-inch central touchscreen.

So too is the establishing the mirrors, with changes made through the multi-function squared-off steering wheel buttons when you’ve made the choice within the touchscreen menu.

Fortunately, there are extra standard seat-mounted buttons for electrical seat adjustment, together with lumbar on the motive force’s aspect, enabling you to simply discover a appropriate driving place that provides good rearward imaginative and prescient. 

The centre console is generously sized and homes a cubby lidded by an arm relaxation that’s hinged on all sides, so can open it in the direction of the motive force or passenger through a bodily button.

Its felt lining can also be echoed on sliding covers for the cupholders and a pair of wi-fi cellphone charging bays, whereas there’s a roomy decrease part with two USB-C ports and a rubber mat. 

The centre stack includes correct, sturdy textured buttons forward of the centre console for features corresponding to drive modes and the electrical tailgate – however, sadly, bodily local weather controls aren’t included. 

As soon as once more, they’re discovered within the touchscreen menu, however no less than they’re positioned alongside the underside of the house web page, providing some respite from the whole lot being hidden behind a digital wall.

The display screen is great, providing fast and easy accessibility to cameras views – together with a silhouette of the automotive – backed by clear, crisp graphics. Opening the 62-litre frunk is completed by merely hitting the frunk icon within the graphic of the automotive on the centre display screen.

Within the driver’s seat, the place there’s loads of hip and shoulder room, the skinny and vast digital instrument cluster and head-up show are crisp, though we discovered the HUD difficult to learn in harsh South Australian daylight now and again.

The second-row seating is much more spacious, with vital legroom amplified by loads of house beneath the entrance seats for toes – however solely the tallest passengers will come near needing it.

There are map pockets on the again of the entrance seats, and air vents within the B-pillars, and there’s a tray behind the centre console for rear passengers, too. 

The centre armrest of the 60:40-split rear seat contains two cupholders and a lined bin with its personal separate lid, plus USB and USB-C ports for charging units.

4 top-tethers and 4 ISOFIX anchors are included, and there’s ample room for 3 child seats if required. 

The illuminated boot boasts an underfloor storage space, a 12V energy outlet and built-in bag hooks. Cargo space packaging is just partially restricted by the sloping C-pillar and rear windscreen that assist give the 7X its smooth, aerodynamic form. 

There’s no spare wheel and getting down beneath the rear-end reveals a flat underfloor – a results of battery placement and Zeekr’s quest to maximise driving vary by means of aero effectivity.

It’s a superb, spacious and neatly introduced cabin, particularly the leather-lined Efficiency flagship, with only some foibles corresponding to its touchscreen-operated options counting in opposition to it. 

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

What’s beneath the bonnet?

The Zeekr 7X is obtainable with two powertrain choices throughout the three-level mannequin lineup.

All 7Xs characteristic an 800V electrical system, a 22kW AC charger, and three.3kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) performance which lets you energy exterior electrical home equipment.

Its super-rapid charging functionality must be applauded, however in actuality Australia’s EV charging infrastructure isn’t developed sufficient to take full benefit of this – even when the 7X is future-proofed relating to charging.

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

How does the Zeekr 7X drive?

We had limits on attending to know what the 7X is like in the actual world, because the launch drive didn’t embody public roads of any variety. 

As an alternative, our first expertise behind the wheel of the 7X was on a racetrack which – maybe much more irrelevantly – was adopted by a spot of roughing it on a close-by off-road course. 

Throughout a handful of laps round The Bend circuit in South Australia, which has a clean floor however was suffering from a great deal of rubber ‘marbles’ following a weekend of Supercars racing, the 7X proved competent.

The double-wishbone entrance and multi-link rear suspension, and the longish 2900mm wheelbase and brief overhangs, convey loads of promise on paper. 

And our preliminary impressions behind the wheel of the mid-spec Lengthy Vary RWD had been constructive, because of a well-sorted chassis and driving place – even when, as soon as once more, adjusting the steering column and wing mirrors must be executed by means of the touchscreen.

The perforated artificial leather-clad seats are comfy, a lot so that you simply sink into them and settle in after sliding throughout the shallow bolsters. 

On monitor within the 310kW mid-spec 7X, acceleration was fast, braking efficiency was stable and the steering was heavy sufficient to offer some confidence, however not overly communicative – not that there was a lot to speak on the graceful monitor floor.

There are a number of drive modes – Consolation, Normal and Sport – that alter a raft of attributes together with acceleration, steering and regenerative braking, with the change in steering character being most noticeable on monitor. 

Sport mode merely weights up the steering through a decrease stage of help, contrasting with the lightest Consolation setting, however doesn’t appear so as to add any extra precision. 

Sport mode additionally sharpens the throttle response, however nonetheless wasn’t in a position to eradicate a short useless spot in energy supply throughout preliminary accelerator pedal journey.

The Efficiency variant severely steps issues up, as you’d count on with its dual-motor AWD powertrain that delivers a punchier 475kW energy output, and a considerable 270Nm of additional peak torque (710Nm). It proved predictably fast, and the added magic beans of adjustable air suspension offers it fairly a distinct character. 

The additional shove, which makes Efficiency flagship’s claimed 0-100km/h time of simply 3.8 seconds appear completely plausible, is channeled by means of 21-inch Continental tyres. One in all Lengthy Vary 7Xs readily available was operating 19-inch Continentals and one other rode on Michelins. 

The one quibble when getting into the Efficiency is that the seats aren’t any totally different to the lesser variant, so burying the throttle pushes you again into the delicate leather-based barely unnervingly. Nevertheless, the extent of traction is great, with no trace of wheelspin throughout a maximum-attack launch out of The Bend’s pit lane. 

In comparison with the mid-range variant, the Efficiency can carry extra velocity in corners, however the 7X’s excessive stage of refinement meant the quicker tempo was largely mirrored within the head-up show’s speedo relatively than by any type of flurry or fluster. 

There’s extra physique roll – not due to a scarcity of composure, however as a result of further velocity and traction. Nevertheless, whereas this isn’t a high-performance automotive, the 7X Efficiency manages its weight fairly nicely on its air suspension, particularly for an SUV that hits the scales at round 2500kg.

The four-piston Akebono brakes are glorious, and do you have to mess up a line right into a nook, the Consolation mode really affords extra steering adjustment than the heavier, extra resistive Sport setting. 

Sports activities seats would higher maintain you in round corners and will let you take advantage of the additional acceleration, which is ferocious out of corners and accompanied by some nostril carry. 

The seats are sufficient within the mid-spec 7X however fall brief within the Efficiency at tempo. Nevertheless, they really feel good when off-roading within the Efficiency, which appears unlikely to have been within the script when the 7X was being conceptualised.

The air suspension and repeatedly managed dampers ironed out pebbly gravel nicely on the Efficiency’s huge wheels, and might enhance floor clearance from 172mm to 232mm, with the off-road part permitting us to really feel the AWD system shuffling torque between every axle. 

Giant ruts and bumps had been dealt with nicely, however this was as shut as we bought to any indication of real-world efficiency on Australia’s suburban roads or metropolis streets.

There’s an Off-Highway mode, which turns off the parking sensors and different techniques to forestall a continuing audio assault as you dig deeper into the terrain.

Our transient first drive, whereas removed from definitive, suggests the 7X is a fast electrical SUV that additionally has promising composure. The mid-range variant appeared to supply higher general steadiness throughout our restricted time behind the wheel – however issues might be totally different in the actual world.

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

What do you get?

The 7X is available in RWD, Lengthy Vary AWD and Efficiency AWD mannequin grades.

2025 Zeekr 7X RWD gear highlights:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Panoramic glass roof with energy sunshade
• Autonomous parking help
• Sentry Mode
• 13.02-inch digital instrument cluster
• 16-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• 10-speaker sound system
• 2 x 50W wi-fi cellphone chargers
• Tri-zone local weather management
• 4-zone voice command
• Ambient lighting
• Leatherette upholstery
• 14-way energy driver’s seat with reminiscence
• 10-way energy passenger seat with reminiscence
• Heated entrance seats
• Heated rear seats
• Rear bench with 10-degree energy recline
• Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel

The Lengthy Vary RWD provides:

• Rear privateness glass
• 36.2-inch head-up show
• Energy-adjustable steering wheel
• Ventilated entrance seats
• Massaging entrance seats

The Efficiency AWD provides:

• 21-inch cast alloy wheels
• Air suspension
• Steady damping management
• Automated doorways
• Nappa leather-based upholstery
• Rear aspect glass energy sunshade

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

Is the Zeekr 7X protected?

The Zeekr 7X doesn’t have an ANCAP security ranking as but, however sister authority Euro NCAP awarded it 5 stars earlier this 12 months.

Its Euro NCAP scores included 91 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 90 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 78 per cent for susceptible highway person safety, and 83 per cent for Security Help.

Normal security gear throughout the vary contains:

• 7 airbags incl. front-centre
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Entrance cross-traffic alert
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Automated lane change
• Encompass-view digicam

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

How a lot does the Zeekr 7X value to run?

The Zeekr 7X is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre automobile guarantee and an eight-year, 160,000km battery guarantee. Zeekr Australia additionally affords 5 years of roadside help.

Service intervals are 24 months or 40,000km (whichever happens first), however Zeekr Australia ‘recommends’ well being checks yearly or each 20,000km.  

To see how the Zeekr 7X traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software

CarExpert’s Tackle the Zeekr 7X

Our brief first check of the 7X exhibits this all-new mid-size electrical SUV is nicely completed in and out, with a largely intelligent design that’s teamed with a spacious, comfy and sensible cabin. 

Drawbacks recognized throughout our first encounter embody a scarcity of bodily local weather controls, and touch-operated mirror and steering wheel changes. Auto-opening doorways are additionally typically extra hassle than they’re price, typically hampering entry and egress. 

Extra differentiation for the Efficiency range-topper – notably the seats – can be welcome, however general the 7X delivers loads of cachet worth because of its very sensible design, high-quality supplies and spectacular match and end. 

However we haven’t examined its driving vary, nor pushed it on actual Australian roads, so we’ll reserve judgement till we’ve negotiated city site visitors, tackled pockmarked rural roads, and assessed vitality effectivity within the latest Zeekr.

We additionally haven’t pushed the entry-level RWD – but our transient first date with the 7X has us keen to fulfill once more, given this contemporary Mannequin Y rival’s potential to largely ship on its promise. 

CarExpert can prevent 1000’s on a brand new Zeekr 7X. Click on right here to get a terrific deal.

Click on the photographs for the total gallery

MORE: Discover the Zeekr 7X showroom