Pros: Interior, good tech, great price
Cons: Inefficient, slow air conditioning, heavy
The Success of the Zeekr Brand
The electric car market sees many startups, but only a handful are capable of delivering on their promises. Zeekr is one of those rare exceptions. In just five years, this premium brand owned by the Geely Group has already introduced a series of truly impressive models and demonstrates real progress in battery technology development.
Initially, Zeekr models were sold only in China, but the company quickly expanded its presence abroad. First came the compact X SUV, which shares technology with the Volvo EX30 and Smart #1. The latest model launched in Australia is the 7X. It is positioned as a competitor to the Tesla Model Y, but can it really match the world’s most popular electric car?
Quick Model Facts
Model: 2026 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD
Starting Price: AU$72,900 ($50,800) in test configuration
Dimensions: Length 4,787 mm, Width 1,930 mm, Height 1,650 mm, Wheelbase 2,900 mm
Weight: 2,385 kg
Powertrain: Two electric motors / 100 kWh battery
Power: 637 hp (475 kW) / Torque 524 lb-ft (710 Nm)
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 3.8 seconds
Transmission: Single-speed
Efficiency: 21.8 kWh/100 km
On Sale: Already available
After extensive testing of the flagship 7X Performance AWD version, we are convinced: it not only does not lag behind the best Tesla models but surpasses them in several aspects, and in some cases can compete with electric cars costing twice or three times as much. In short, this model deserves your attention.
How Much Does the Zeekr 7X Cost?
Three different versions of the 7X are available. The base rear-wheel drive (RWD) model starts at AU$57,900, which is AU$1,000 cheaper than the equivalent Tesla Model Y. In the middle of the lineup is the Long Range RWD priced at AU$63,900, which is AU$5,000 less than the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive.
At the top of the lineup is the Performance AWD, with a starting price of AU$72,900, making it significantly more affordable compared to the Model Y Performance All-Wheel Drive at AU$89,400.
For this money, you get the 7X Performance AWD with a 100 kWh NMC battery and electric motors on both axles, with a combined output of a colossal 475 kW (637 hp) and 710 Nm of torque. Thanks to an advanced 800-volt architecture, the car supports DC fast charging up to 420 kW and AC charging at 22 kW.
What Is the Car’s Interior Like?
The 7X’s cabin is a true celebration of technology. Unlike Tesla and some competitors like Xpeng, Zeekr did not take the path of ultra-minimalism, which often turns out to be cost-cutting on details.
Opening the door, I immediately felt the impressive build quality of the 7X’s interior. It feels not only more premium and interesting than the Model Y’s but also higher than the standards of competitors like the Kia EV5, and even BMW and Audi. In fact, the 7X’s interior feels almost as luxurious as the Lotus Eletre, which is also owned by Geely but costs three times as much.
In the center of the dashboard is a 16-inch infotainment display, which operates incredibly fast thanks to a powerful Qualcomm processor. It is very user-friendly.
Like many other electric cars, it uses a smartphone-inspired concept with menus for quick access and notifications, as well as a detailed settings menu. The screen loads instantly, and if a phone is connected, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto also launch instantly.
All climate control settings are on the screen, which is usually criticized, but in the 7X it did not cause problems due to the convenient interface. However, I noticed that on hot days the air conditioner can take up to 5 minutes to start blowing really cold air.
What Else Stands Out in the Interior?
The 13-inch digital instrument cluster and 36-inch head-up display are also excellent, although the instrument cluster offers very few customization options, which is a drawback.
Zeekr’s designers and engineers paid great attention to detail. The interior features beautiful metal switches, metal speaker grilles on the pillars and door panels, and soft materials on almost every square centimeter, even on the lower parts of the door panels.
Additionally, there are hidden pockets in the door armrests, two 50-watt wireless charging pads with cooling, and a huge storage compartment in the center console. Among the luxury features are heated and ventilated seats, as well as a massage function for the front seats, which is one of the best. The rear seats even have electronic sunshades that extend at the touch of a button, as well as hidden storage boxes under the seats.
The Long Range RWD and Performance AWD models also include a high-quality 21-speaker audio system that is very flexible to adjust. Zeekr also added a panoramic glass roof, and unlike some competitors, it has a complex sunshade. A cabin camera is also installed on the B-pillar, which streams live video to the main screen, allowing the driver to monitor children in the back seats.
What Are the Door Features?
The doors on the 7X are electric. From the inside, touching a button opens them, with sensors detecting obstacles and automatically adjusting the opening degree. When entering, the doors can be closed manually or by pressing the same button. The driver can even close all doors by pressing the brake pedal, like in a Rolls-Royce.
For the most part, these doors work well, although there were instances where they did not open fully even in the absence of obstacles. Fortunately, the electric functions can be disabled, and then the doors are used as conventional manual ones.
The 7X is also equipped with an adaptive Magic Carpet air suspension with continuous damping control and five ride height levels, from very low to high for off-road driving.
Visibility is good, although the view through the rear window is limited. Given the amount of technology, it’s surprising that the car lacks a digital rearview mirror similar to the one used by its sister brand Polestar. Cargo volume is 539 liters, and with the rear seats folded down it increases to 1,978 liters. There is also a 42-liter frunk.
What Are the Driving Impressions?
With such power, it’s no surprise that the 7X Performance AWD feels incredibly fast in a straight line. Zeekr claims a 0-100 km/h time of 3.8 seconds, and we were able to confirm this figure. Acceleration is not limited even at low battery charge — the car still accelerates in less than 4 seconds even with a charge below 30%.
The “Performance” name might suggest it’s a focused, sharp model akin to a BMW M or Audi RS, but that’s not the case.
SUVs, especially heavy electric ones that overly emphasize handling dynamics, often have poor comfort. Some owners might tolerate this for the occasional mountain road trip, but for the vast majority of driving scenarios, luxury electric cars like the 7X need to be refined and comfortable. This is exactly what Zeekr’s engineers have achieved.
If you enter corners aggressively, the 7X demonstrates a high level of grip but can feel a bit unsettled. Additionally, the front seats lack sufficient lateral support. However, if driven at 80% of its capability or less, the car feels almost perfect.
First and foremost, it’s comfortable. The adaptive suspension offers Comfort, Standard, and Sport modes. The first is very soft but perhaps too “floaty.” Most of the time I drove in Standard mode, where the suspension remained soft over speed bumps, without excessive bouncing. Even in the stiffer Sport mode, it is softer than some other heavy electric SUVs like the Kia EV5.
The steering also has three modes. Regardless of the choice, the steering remains precise, although, like almost all modern electronic systems, it doesn’t transmit enough road feel. To my surprise, I often used the Comfort mode, enjoying the lightness and direct response of the steering.
Zeekr also calibrated the brakes excellently. They feel completely natural, as if there is no regenerative braking, although it is present. Of course, there is a one-pedal driving mode, perfect for the city. However, this mode is not as intense as in some competitors, so for a complete stop you will still have to smoothly press the brake pedal. This is not a problem, as even during spirited driving, the large orange brake calipers handle the task superbly.
While the RWD and Long Range RWD models have 19-inch wheels, the Performance AWD is fitted with larger 21-inch forged alloys paired with Continental EcoContact7 tires. Grip is good, although at highway speeds some tire noise is audible.