PROS ›› Luxurious, extremely powerful, bold looks CONS ›› No brand cache, unknown prices, heavy We’ve seen several Chinese car brands come and go over the past few years, failing to crack the ultra-competitive market in their home country or overseas. It’s a cut-throat industry, and new brands have to nail the performance, safety, technology, and practicality requirements of car buyers, all while delivering at a price point that most Western legacy brands couldn’t dream of matching. Among those Chinese brands that appear to have proper staying power is Zeekr. The company was founded just five years ago as one of Geely’s EV- and plug-in-hybrid-focused luxury brands, and has already made aggressive expansions outside China into countries across Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Earlier this year, we spent a few days with the superb Zeekr 7X, finding it to be not only a real Tesla Model Y rival but also a legitimate competitor to the BMW iX3, all at a far lower price. For as impressive as the 7X is, Zeekr has several even more enticing products just around the corner, and we recently put a handful of them to the test, on snow and ice, no less. The focus of this preview was to get behind the wheel of the Zeekr 8X and 9X, two uber-luxurious SUVs that will land in Australia next year. Aimed at the BMW X5 and BMW X7, respectively, they both have the potential to shake up the luxury SUV market. We also spent some time behind the wheel of the smaller Zeekr X, the new 7GT shooting brake, and the brand’s wild 001 FR. Zeekr 8X Due to time constraints, we didn’t get to drive the 8X, but we did get an up-close look at it and thoroughly explored the interior. It became immediately apparent that legacy brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi should be worried. Measuring in at 5,100 mm (200.8 inches) long, 1,998 mm (78.7 inches) wide, and standing 1,780 mm (70.1 inches) tall with a 3,069 mm (120.8-inch) wheelbase, the 8X is roughly 170 mm (6.7 inches) longer than an X5 and has 94 mm (3.7 inches) extra length between the wheels. It’s pretty big then, and it’s available with two or three rows of seats. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – Chinese brands have shattered the illusion that you need to pay premium money to get a high-class, luxurious interior. Zeekr says it wants to combine BMW’s luxury with Tesla’s technology. In the case of the 8X we experienced, it’s noticeably more luxurious than any X5, with premium leather surfaces, plenty of metallic touches, a suede headliner, and massive dual screens across the dashboard. In China, car buyers love having a big screen for the front-seat passenger, although we’re not convinced Australian buyers will be quite as receptive. The premium feel continues into the rear with plush seats, tables folding out from the front seats, and Mercedes-style seat adjustments on the doors. Then there’s the performance. Local specifications haven’t been confirmed, but in China, the 8X uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with either two or three electric motors. The dual-motor version delivers 660 kW (885 hp), while the tri-motor has 1,030 kW (1,381 hp) and 1,410 Nm (1,039 lb-ft) of torque, and offers 55 kWh and 70 kWh batteries. The Chinese Cullinan Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops and Zeekr Australia The Zeekr 9X takes things to another level entirely. It’s absolutely massive, measuring 5,239 mm (206.2 inches) long and featuring a 3,169 mm (124.7-inch) wheelbase. In Ningbo, China, where Zeekr is based, it’s been nicknamed the ‘Hangzhou Bay Cullinan,’ and since launching in late 2025, more than 62,000 examples have been sold. Not only will it soon land in Australia, but it’s also heading to Europe. Like the 8X, the 9X uses Zeekr’s advanced new 900-volt electrical architecture. It is also available with 55-kWh or 70-kWh batteries and is configured as standard with a 2.0-liter turbo and either two or three electric motors. The example we drove was the tri-motor version, delivering a hypercar-rivaling 1,030 kW (1,381 hp) and 1,410 Nm (1,039 lb-ft) of torque. Zeekr isn’t saying whether or not Australia will get this version, but in Europe, power has been capped at 660 kW (897 hp), so something similar may be done Down Under. While I did drive the 9X in the snow, it was only for a few minutes, and objectively, it’s difficult to comment on how it performs based on that. On first impressions, it doesn’t feel too big, nor does it feel overpowered. We’re eagerly awaiting its local arrival to give it a proper test. For now, I can say it feels surprisingly dynamic given its size and weight, is happy to kick out its tail, and is easy to hold powerslides with. Beyond the driving, or lack thereof, the 9X feels absolutely deserving of its nickname. It feels more special inside than an X7 and is more akin to a Mercedes-Maybach GLS in fit, finish, and choice of materials. As one industry colleague told me, it even seems to out-Cullinan a Cullinan, and that’s high praise. Whether or not it’ll stand the test of time like a Rolls-Royce remains another question, of course. Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops and Zeekr Australia The front half of the cabin is great, with a digital instrument cluster and a central infotainment screen as standard, although it is also offered in China with a passenger display. Taking lessons from the 007 sedan, which was almost entirely devoid of physical buttons, Zeekr has ensured that all subsequent models, including the 9X, have plenty of real switches, dials, and knobs. The second row is the standout, featuring a pair of massive captain’s chairs similar to those in Zeekr’s 009 minivan. With heating, ventilation, and massaging functions, the 9X has them all, and the seats can even spin around 180 degrees. Drifting On Snow While I’ve driven on snow before on ski trips and the like, I’ve never had the opportunity to push EVs and plug-in hybrids with supercar power to their limits on snow and ice before. All the cars we tested were equipped with studded winter tires, but, as you’d imagine, they were all happy to kick out their tails with a healthy dose of throttle. Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops I spent a good part of the session on snow behind the wheel of the refreshed 2026 Zeekr X, the company’s entry-level SUV. In all-wheel-drive configuration, it uses a 66 kWh NMC battery and has a pair of electric motors with 365 kW (489 hp) and 573 Nm (423 lb-ft) of torque. On the road, it can apparently hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds. While I wasn’t able to put the straight-line acceleration to the test, I was able to explore the X’s dynamics through a series of oversteer exercises and slaloms that were set up for us. Typically, the X doesn’t let owners completely turn off the traction and stability control systems, but the ones we tested had been tweaked to shut them down. Yanking hard on the steering wheel and pinning the accelerator is enough to send the X into easily controlled drifts. Much to my surprise, while enjoying some sideways action in the X, I never yearned for driving something with a combustion engine. The Zeekr 7GT is one of the company’s most exciting new models. In July, it and the BMW iX3 became the first two cars to earn five-star safety ratings under Euro NCAP’s overhauled testing procedures. While we spent plenty of time driving it, we can’t yet comment on how it feels. Another Zeekr product I can comment on is the 001 FR. Hypercar Power In A Sedan The 001 was Zeekr’s first model, a sleek shooting brake originally designed for the Lynk & Co brand but later adapted for Zeekr. Because of this, it’s at odds with the designs of other Zeekr models, instead sporting the design language of Lynk & Co. In FR guise, it’s an animal. The car is fitted with a 100 kWh CATL battery and has four electric motors, combining to produce 1,248 hp that’s enough to send it to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.02 seconds. It could be considered Zeekr’s answer to the Tesla Model S Plaid, though it’s arguably even more track-focused, with a host of carbon-fiber parts and huge AP Racing brakes. Despite its extraordinary power, the 001 FR doesn’t feel intimidating, at least not on snow. It’s far more rear-biased than the likes of the X, 8X, and 9X, only requiring small throttle inputs to kick out the tail and hold slides. Final Thoughts Zeekr Australia Regardless of how you may feel about the age of electrification, there’s no denying we are living in very exciting times for the auto industry. In America, the EV evolution led to the creation of exciting firms like Rivian and Lucid, both of which have proven that a brand doesn’t need a century of history to develop, manufacture, and sell class-leading vehicles. The same thing has happened in China. Thanks to huge investments from conglomerates like Geely and Chery, as well as juggernauts like BYD, the era of high-performance, ultra-luxurious vehicles being attainable only by the rich is long gone. Zeekr is still in its infancy, and there’s no telling where it’ll be in a decade, or two, or three decades. What it’s been able to build in the last five years is impressive, and vehicles like the 8X and 9X suggest the future is bright. Whether Zeekr can attract Western buyers from established premium brands remains to be seen. In the segments where the 8X and 9X will compete, buyers of vehicles from rival brands like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Land Rover, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce are fiercely loyal to what they know. If Zeekr can get prices right and deliver good after-sales service, there’s little stopping it from achieving the same success it’s enjoying in China elsewhere. Zeekr Australia
+19 others
