Jeepers, what’s a Zeekr?
This comparatively new electrified Chinese language model is trying to transfer into the extra premium area, backed by its Geely dad or mum which additionally owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar.
Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see right here, the flagship in its city-size small EV vary that boasts the type of energy and efficiency claims you’d anticipate from high-performance luxurious vehicles.
Zeekr additionally touts its European design affect, in addition to its excessive degree of ordinary specification and know-how. Don’t neglect, the Zeekr X can also be very carefully associated to the Volvo EX30, which is a succesful little EV in its personal proper.
In April your complete Zeekr X vary obtained worth changes, with financial savings of between $2000 and $7000 relying on variant – the flagship on check was topic to a $2000 discount.
WATCH: Paul’s video evaluate of the Zeekr X RWD
So whereas the car itself hasn’t modified a lot since its launch late final yr, the worth proposition actually has particularly when you think about how shortly the EV market is shifting.
Is that this newcomer value a punt?
How a lot does the Zeekr X value?
Zeekr lately introduced important worth changes for its X vary, with the AWD variant on check right here dropping by $2000. The bottom RWD had its sticker slashed by an enormous $7000.
| Mannequin | Value earlier than on-road prices* |
|---|---|
| 2025 Zeekr X RWD | $49,900 (-$7000) |
| 2025 Zeekr X AWD | $62,900 (-$2000 |
*As of April 2025
For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Prolonged Vary begins from $59,990 earlier than on-road prices, with the equal Twin Motor Efficiency variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – virtually $10,000 greater than the Zeekr.
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
What’s the Zeekr X like on the within?
You positively can’t accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, as a result of the cabin of the X presents very nicely from the get-go.
Tender and padded surfaces, distinction stitching, and refined flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of many nicer in-car ambiences at this finish of the market, and it actually feels ‘particular’ quite than simply ‘completely different’.
Significantly in our check car’s non-compulsory Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes an amazing first impression. The very fact it’s also possible to get this inside within the base RWD for some $13,000 much less is fairly cool.
And regardless of its comparatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels fairly ethereal and spacious, significantly in comparison with the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings.
Key touchpoints and normal tactility is of a excessive commonplace for the category, and the brilliant and crisp show know-how solely provides to the atmosphere. This actually has a variety of showroom enchantment.
Consolation and adjustability is fairly good too, with big selection of electrical adjustment for the entrance seats, and there’s guide adjustment for the steering column. It is best to be capable to discover a comfy perch no matter your dimensions.
Storage up entrance is a little bit of a combination bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders decrease down within the cabin, augmented by common door bins and a slot to your telephone within the centre armrest with in-built wi-fi telephone charger. There’s additionally a cubby beneath the aforementioned central armrest.
The fold-out plastic pocket underneath the infotainment show is fascinating, although I’m not fairly certain what most closely fits in it. Above it’s a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it surely’s not likely an amazing spot to retailer a lot else.
Additional quibbles begin to floor when you begin digging into the show tech and normal useability of the switchgear, too.
Like a variety of new car designs, Zeekr has gone for an virtually buttonless method for the X’s cabin. The one bodily switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on stated steering wheel, that are accompanied by push buttons for voice management and biking via the motive force cluster widgets.
This extra excessive degree of minimalism impresses on the showroom flooring however may be fiddly in the true world. You’re required to regulate most capabilities by way of the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a little bit of a studying curve and a few car settings are buried in sub-menus that are impractical to toggle on the transfer.
Additional, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system quite than commonplace adaptive cruise management requires an extended press of the drive selector stalk past its detent, which I incorrectly tried for days as a result of the 2 downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one exhausting one – get your thoughts out of the gutter.
There’s additionally restricted breadth of shows within the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which regardless of wanting like an identical unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar merchandise, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates.
Whereas there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I’m not significantly keen on, I’m a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Customary within the AWD and boasting 13 audio system, it’s fairly punchy – I significantly just like the ‘Live performance Corridor’ setting which is harking back to the Gothenburg Live performance Corridor profile in Volvo’s Bowers and Wilkins programs.
The ‘Ice Block’-effect LED ambient lighting is fairly swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as nicely, with a perforated impact to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ’s dwelling metropolis within the Chinese language province of Zhejiang.
You may summon the Zeekr X’s AI-powered clever voice help to carry out numerous capabilities too, like audio, navigation and local weather management. The little character illustration of the assistant additionally pops up in a B-pillar-mounted show while you unlock the car, giving a cheeky smile earlier than displaying ‘Hello’. Cute.
The massive 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system provides over-the-air updates, in addition to wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It provides has graphics and actually snappy load instances, along with on-line connectivity, however the interface and menus have a number of too many layers and may be convoluted when toggling car settings.
Additional, I had a persistent challenge the place Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my telephone – whether or not it was music or name audio – via the car’s sound system. It was unattainable to repair on the fly, with out stopping and deleting my telephone’s profile from the infotainment after which reconnecting anew.
Within the rear, the Zeekr X provides a extra useable space to seat a pair of adults in comparison with its Volvo-badged cousin. There’s extra head, leg and knee room, although that is nonetheless a comparatively compact car – it’s no limo.
| Dimensions | Zeekr X AWD |
|---|---|
| Size | 4432mm |
| Width | 1836mm |
| Peak | 1572mm |
| Wheelbase | 2750mm |
| Cargo capability | 362-1182 litres |
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
What’s underneath the bonnet?
The Zeekr X AWD will get a potent dual-motor electrical drivetrain that’s shared with the Volvo EX30 Efficiency.
| Specs | Zeekr X AWD |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Twin-motor electrical |
| Battery | 66kWh li-ion NMC |
| Energy | 315kW |
| Torque | 543Nm |
| Drive kind | AWD |
| Weight | 1960kg – kerb |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 3.8 seconds |
| Vitality consumption (claimed) | 18.3kWh/100km |
| Vitality consumption (as examined) | 16.6kWh/100km |
| Claimed vary | 470km |
| Max AC cost charge | 11kW |
| Max DC cost charge | 150kW |
As famous earlier, there’s a extra inexpensive single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h sprint.
With the identical 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of vary on the ADR cycle – based mostly on extra lenient NEDC testing – in comparison with the AWD’s 470km.
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
How does the Zeekr X drive?
Having had a fairly constructive expertise within the Volvo EX30, I had excessive hopes for this little Zeekr.
There’s no denying it is a fast little factor. A agency stab of the accelerator sees the nostril elevate barely and also you’ll shoot in direction of the horizon – it actually feels as keen as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests.
However as I’ve discovered with a variety of Chinese language-branded electrical automobiles with monstrous energy and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too tender for that degree of efficiency. Understandably for what’s billed as a premium car, it’s tuned to be on the softer facet, however that places it in a gray space that makes it really feel a contact confused as to what it’s meant to be.
I encountered a variety of circumstances whereas residing with the Zeekr X AWD, together with driving in Melbourne’s jap suburbs and numerous freeways and highways in numerous climate, and I typically discovered it to be a contact wobbly over the type of pimpled and undulating blacktop that’s fairly widespread in Victoria.
The massive 20-inch cast alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a agency preliminary impression, after which the physique could be a bit unsettled, typically taking a motion or two greater than I’d prefer to settle.
Having dual-motor AWD ought to guarantee good grip, and in a straight line it positively hooks up and hustles. Nevertheless, attempt to speed up too quickly out of a nook and the Zeekr X can really feel prefer it’s obtained an excessive amount of energy for its personal good.
It additionally leaned a bit greater than I’d anticipate a performance-oriented car to do throughout faster cornering, so I assume if you happen to modify your lens to see this extra as a luxurious muscle automobile that may dart from the lights and do a fast overtake when wanted, that’s in all probability extra acceptable.
Have in mind this small electrical SUV weighs a smidgen underneath two tonnes, and doesn’t do an amazing job of hiding it. A heavy really feel in a small automobile isn’t essentially a dangerous factor if it feels lighter on its ft than its kerb weight suggests – however the X doesn’t actually do this.
Additional, the automobile’s normal all-round refinement in terms of sound insulation and fluid steering really feel provides you this type of vibe. Drive with a extra sedate method and it’s a fairly comfy and straightforward factor to stay with day-to-day.
I typically drove one- or two-up on this automobile, so didn’t get a lot of an thought of consolation ranges within the rear on the transfer. Nevertheless, videographer Sean Lander complained that in filming on the Lang Lang proving floor, the rear suspension was a lot firmer than on the entrance – which he discovered fairly jarring over a few of the non-public check roads.
The relaxed and premium atmosphere can also be typically interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver help programs readily available, which look like in want of one other layer of polish.
The motive force consideration monitor is each overbearing and intrusive, continuously chiming at you to look forward even if you happen to’ve shortly averted your gaze to the facet mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head verify. Look on the touchscreen for too lengthy – which is dwelling to only about each operate – and also you’ll get equally annoying alerts.
As Matt Campbell present in his preliminary drive evaluate in January, the velocity signal recognition system typically will get issues mistaken too, and the lane-keep help can tug the wheel a bit too exhausting, and at instances may be inaccurate. Issues get higher while you activate the freeway cruise help operate, which centres the car in its lane when utilizing adaptive cruise management.
All instructed, the Zeekr X is tremendous on the street in good circumstances, however many parts can really feel disjointed while you unleash the drivetrain’s full efficiency, and when the energetic security tech is all-in. No less than I managed to beat the quoted effectivity declare!
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
What do you get?
The Zeekr X AWD on check right here will get the next degree of apparatus than the entry-level RWD variant.
2025 Zeekr X RWD gear highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- 235/50 R19 Continental EcoContact 6 tyres
- Two-tone exterior paint – black roof, mirrors)
- Frameless facet mirrors:
- Heated
- Auto-dimming
- Energy-folding
- Reminiscence operate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Automobile-To-Load (V2L) performance
- Semi-autonomous park help
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Black/gray “leather-free” inside upholstery
- 6-way energy driver seat
- 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster
- 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay – wired, wi-fi
- Android Auto – wired, wi-fi
- Wi-fi telephone charger
- 7-speaker sound system
- Auto-dimming frameless rear-view mirror
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Rear air vents (B-pillar mounted)
- 5G-WiFi hotspot
- Related companies – 5yr subscription
- Automobile over-the-air improve functionality
- Zeekr App performance
- Sentry mode
- Pet mode
- Relaxation mode
Zeekr X AWD provides:
- 20-inch cast alloy wheels
- 245/45 R20 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres
- 24.3-inch augmented actuality head-up show
- 6-way power-adjustable passenger seat
- Driver’s seat reminiscence
- 4-way energy lumbar assist
- Heated, ventilated entrance seats
- Heated steering wheel
- 13-speaker Yamaha sound system
- ‘Ice Block’ LED ambient lighting
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
Choices
The one choices on the AWD are completely different inside colors, whereas the RWD may be optioned with a package deal that brings its specification according to the AWD.
Comfort Package deal: $4000 (RWD)
- 6-way energy passenger seat
- Reminiscence operate – driver seat
- 4-way energy lumbar assist – entrance seats
- Heating and air flow – entrance seats
- Heated steering wheel
- 13-speaker Yamaha sound system
- ‘Ice Block’ LED ambient lighting
Standalone choices embody:
- Midnight Blue/Polar White inside: $500
- Mulberry/Rose inside: $500
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
Is the Zeekr X secure?
The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP security ranking, based mostly on 2024 testing by sister agency Euro NCAP.
| Class | Zeekr X |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 91 per cent |
| Baby occupant safety | 89 per cent |
| Weak street consumer safety | 84 per cent |
| Security help | 84 per cent |
Customary security gear contains:
- 7 airbags incl. front-centre
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian, bicycle owner detection
- Adaptive cruise management
- Automated lane change functionality
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Digital video recorder
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Driver fatigue monitoring
- Evasive Manoeuvre Help
- Entrance, rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane centring help
- Lane-keep help
- Pedestrian warning sound
- Encompass-view digital cameras
- Tyre stress monitoring
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
How a lot does the Zeekr X value to run?
Zeekr Australia is backing its fashions with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee for personal patrons, however industrial and fleet clients will solely get a three-year, 120,000km guarantee.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Zeekr X AWD |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless kilometres – car 8 years or 160,000 kilometres – EV battery |
| Roadside help | 5 years |
| Service intervals | 24 months or 40,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | As much as 8 years or 160,000 kilometres |
| Whole capped-price service value | $4220 – 8 years |
For reference, the Volvo EX30 will get 5 years of free scheduled servicing thrown in.
To see how the Zeekr X stacks up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability software
CarExpert’s Tackle the Zeekr X
There are a variety of good components right here, however they don’t come collectively in addition to they might within the Zeekr X AWD.
It seems to be actually cool, has a graceful and sensible cabin, and provides supercar ranges of straight-line efficiency. However in the true world, the at-times unsettled experience and overzealous security programs don’t mirror its $63,000 price ticket.
For me, there’s only a bit an excessive amount of occurring and an absence of normal useability. When in comparison with Volvo-badged automobiles with related componentry and know-how on board, it seems the Swedes have paid a bit extra consideration to element.
The RWD with the Comfort Package deal makes much more sense, at almost $10,000 much less for just about the identical spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which nonetheless provides you robust efficiency, plus extra vary.
However the Zeekr X is a robust first try from a brand new model which, not like a variety of different Chinese language marques isn’t making an attempt to imitate the rest in the marketplace from a design standpoint.
If Zeekr leveraged the expertise of software program and chassis engineers from its mates at Volvo, this little EV could be an actual cracker.
Focused on shopping for a Zeekr X? Get in contact with one in all CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here
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