Zeekr 7X review

Zeekr is the latest brand from Geely, and it's targeting Tesla, Audi and Volvo, starting with this big electric SUV

Zeekr is the latest Chinese marque that's on the brink of elbowing its way into the UK car market.

Owned by Geely (and therefore sharing an overlord with Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and Smart) Zeekr was established in 2021 in its domestic market – chiefly as a Tesla rival. It's already well entrenched in EV-dominated markets including Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands and is currently making inroads into France, Denmark and other European markets. The expansion will continue with the introduction of the Zeekr 7X into the UK later in 2026.

The 7X is a large electric SUV that sits on a version of the SEA platform that underpins the Polestar 4 and Smart #5. At just under 4.8 metres long, it’s spot on for rivals like the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y.

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DESIGN & STYLING

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The Zeekr 7X is perhaps a bit samey to look at, next to plenty of other modern SUVs, but the uninterrupted, full-width lights at the front are quite distinctive, and at the back the detail on the D-pillar adds interest (and is peculiarly reminiscent of the old Vauxhall Adam).

The raised ‘taxi light’ bump above the windscreen houses the lidar and radar and is becoming more common. We’ve seen it on the Volvo ES90, for one, and on various cars from Nio, to name another Chinese brand with designs on the UK market.

There are only four colours available on the 7X, and three of those are monochrome. The Forest Green paint has an appealing Lotus vibe to it, though.
Vicky Parrott

The UK 7X line-up is yet to be confirmed, and it’s not even quite certain when Zeekr will come over here. But going by the offerings in other markets, we will get an entry-level Core model with a 71kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery for a WLTP range of 298 miles, while the Long Range will get the same rear-mounted 421bhp electric motor but a 94kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery to deliver 382 miles of range. The top-spec Privilege model gets the same big battery but a dual-motor set-up with an eye-roll-inducing output of 637bhp; it's good for a WLTP range of 337 miles.

The charging stuff is also impressive. With 800V architecture, the 7X can charge at up to 360kW, making it one of the fastest-charging EVs on sale and capable of a 10-80% top-up in as little as 16 minutes. A heat pump and vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging are also thrown in, as is 22kW AC charging.

INTERIOR

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You can’t miss the Tesla influence when you slide into the 7X’s cabin. The huge, 16in central touchscreen dominates the dash and is your window to all of the car’s controls, including Pet Mode, Camping Mode and every other mode – and also your steering wheel adjustment, which is annoying. Still, it gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor! Oof… Check out those processing speeds.

It’s a slightly boring, predictable-looking cabin, but in this high-spec test car there are some subtle crystal- and metal-effect trim highlights, and it all feels pretty classy. Having said that, maybe the crystal bits are a tad chintzy? Still, you can see and feel that this is no Leapmotor or Jaecoo: Zeekr is out for Tesla, Volkswagen, BMW and Audi, and it’s got the perceived quality and the equipment to back that up.

In this range-topper, there are eight-way electrically adjustable seats that are heated and cooled, a huge panoramic glass roof, two cooled wireless phone charging pads, Matrix LED headlights and all of the semi-autonomous systems you expect, while an optional pack adds a 36in head-up display and a 21-speaker sound system.

It’s not short of space, the 7X. There’s masses of space in the heated back seats, which also recline electrically and have their own climate control.

The doors open to 90deg for great access, too, which is useful if you’ve got small kids to wrangle into their child seats.

The boot is also huge, with a broad, deep boot floor offering 539 litres of space – almost as much as you get in the Skoda Enyaq.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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We drove the top-spec Privilege, which gets the big battery and active 4WD from two motors, with that huge output of 637bhp being shuffled about according to conditions – and depending on which drive mode you choose.

Ask for full performance from the 7X in Sport mode and you get a predictable yet still shocking wash of power to carry you up the road at a truly ridiculous pace. At no point does this feel like a car that needs a 3.8sec sprint time, nor is there any of the handling tactility that you need make such vast performance accessible and enjoyable.

You can tow up to two tonnes with the 7X, including with the single-motor models, making this one of the better electric SUVs for towing.
Vicky Parrott

Zeekr is far from the only one to be doing it, but the 7X is an excellent case in point of why we need to get over the strange craze of delivering plainly unnecessary levels of performance in everyday family cars. Just because it can be done, doesn’t mean that it should be done.

The long-travel accelerator pedal is surprisingly laggardly in its response, too. Even in Sport mode, you feel like you have to really push past a lot of pedal travel before you access that deep well of power.

The regenerative braking has three separate modes plus a one-pedal mode, which are all selected via the touchscreen. That’s never as convenient as having adjustment paddles on the steering wheel, of course, but the settings are there if you want them and the regen is progressive and intuitive enough.

Overall, the refinement and performance in the Zeekr are more than good enough to make you think twice about a Tesla, even if it doesn’t feel as if it’s bringing anything new to the class in this regard.

We haven’t had a chance to drive the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive 7X models, but given that they have more modest yet perfectly respectable performance and lower prices, they seem the far saner options.

RIDE & HANDLING

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The 7X is a peculiarly wafty, soft-edged car, thanks to the standard adaptive air suspension that brings a lolloping ride comfort even in Sport mode. It’s got something of a wallowy, old-school SUV feel to it, which is good for soaking up bigger bumps, although there’s still some patter at lower speeds.

Even in Sport mode, we found the 7X still feels like a car that is primarily focused on comfort and has a bit too much body movement for something with this sort of performance.

There are six drive modes in the 7X, including a Winter mode and an Off-road mode.
Vicky Parrott

It’s not bad to drive by the standards of this class, and if you favour a soft ride, you may well like the 7X. Alternatives like the Model Y and Enyaq have quite a bit more precision and reward to the way they drive, but the 7X is… just fine, really.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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Zeekr isn’t in the UK, yet and won’t be until later in 2026 or even 2027. Nor have any UK-specific details and pricing been confirmed, so it’s very hard to speculate on what the financial ownership proposition.

It’s likely that the 7X will get pricing that’s competitive with the Model Y, while generous equipment levels and monthly finance deals will be big selling points.

In most countries, Zeekr also offers a five-year/62,000-mile vehicle warranty, extended up to 10 years and 144,000 miles for free, provided you service the car at official dealerships. Only Toyota and Lexus rival that warranty, so it’s a compelling selling point. The high-voltage battery is covered separately for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Efficiency may not be a strong point, though. By official numbers, the new BMW X3 and the Model Y are more efficient.  

VERDICT

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The 7X is a decent alternative to the likes of the Model Y and Enyaq. It’s smart and spacious inside, full of tech and likely to be comparably decent value when it goes on sale in the UK.

However, we will have to wait and see how it stacks up when pricing and specs are confirmed before we can really know any more than that.

Vicky Parrott

Vicky Parrott

Vicky Parrott has been a motoring journalist since 2006, when she eventually did so much work experience at Autocar that it felt obliged to give her a job.

After that, she spent seven years as a features and news writer, video presenter and road tester for Autocar, before becoming deputy road test editor for What Car? in 2013. After five years with What Car?, Vicky spent a couple of years as associate editor of DrivingElectric and then embarked on a freelance career that has seen her return to writing for Autocar and What Car? as well as for The Daily Telegraph and many others.

Vicky has been a Car of the Year juror since 2020, and the proud owner of a 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300-SL 24V since 2017. She aspires to own an Alpine A110 and a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.