Zeekr 7X Performance AWD 2026 review

Alternatives to the hugely popular Tesla Model Y medium electric SUV are arriving in Australia at a rapid pace, meaning it takes a particularly impressive contender to stand out from the crowd … which is the hallmark of the Zeekr 7X.

This elegantly styled, frameless-doored SUV makes such a strong first impression with the way it looks that you’re left quietly hoping it can back up its styling promise with genuine substance. A cursory glance at its high-tech specification and standard equipment builds on that desire, and as we shall discover, the 7X proves to be more than just a pretty face.

Headline highlights include 800-volt architecture with true, ultra-fast charging capability, as well as double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension with adaptive air springing on this Performance AWD version, plus fully automatic operation for its frameless doors.

There are three variants available, starting with the $57,900 rear-drive 7X, so the $16K premium for the sole AWD – the 7X Performance tested here – seems far from price-gouging. That positions the top-spec 7X just above the current mid-spec Model Y, and well below MG’s disappointing attempt at a premium electric SUV, the comparatively ugly IM6.

Those in the know might be aware that Zeekr in China revealed a facelifted 7X in October ’25, featuring revised front and rear styling, upgraded 900-volt architecture (with 10-80 percent charging in a claimed 10mins), a larger 103kWh CATL battery, and 585kW in the top-spec AWD for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 3.0sec.

Given that Zeekr Australia is already flat-out trying to satisfy the growing order bank for its existing 7X, the brand has promised that this 2026 model remains some time away.

“For prospective customers, we guarantee no model-year changes for at least the next 12-18 months – meaning you can purchase with complete confidence knowing you’re getting the latest specification,” read Zeekr’s statement to Chasing Cars in early December.

Based on current intel, this MY26 version will remain relevant until at least the back half of 2026, and even then, the changes aren’t worth waiting for … unless the wait times for the current 7X run to six months.

So what do we think of the range-topping Zeekr 7X Performance AWD?

What are the 7X Performance’s features and options for the price?

Zeekr offers three 7X variants in Australia – the base RWD ($57,900 before on-road costs), the Long Range RWD ($63,900) and the Performance AWD ($72,900), which we’re testing here. The two rear-drive models look visually identical on their handsome 19-inch alloys, though the Long Range’s $6000 premium brings more than just 135km of additional WLTP range.

It also includes leather upholstery (instead of perforated vinyl), front seat ventilation and massage, rear privacy glass (supposedly), electric steering-column adjustment, a 14-way electric front passenger seat (instead of 10-way), a 36.2-inch head-up display and a 21-speaker stereo.

At $72,900, the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD is a direct rival to the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD ($68,900), BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD ($63,990), and Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 4Motion wagon ($69,990).

Additional equipment on the 7X Performance includes:

• All-wheel driveDual electric motors
• 475kW/710Nm outputs (instead of 310kW/440Nm)
• 21-inch alloy wheels
• Adaptive damping control
• Single-chamber air suspension
• Intelligent automatic doors
• Nappa leather seat facings
• Rear door electric sunshades

Shared equipment with other 7X variants includes:

• LED headlamps, daytime running lights and tail-lights
• Sequential front indicators
• E-latch doors
• Electric tailgate
• Panoramic glass roof with electric sunshade
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated leather steering-wheel
• 14-way driver’s electric seat adjustment
• Heated rear seat with electric backrest recline
• Ambient lighting
• Rear seat monitoring system
• 13.0-inch instrument cluster
• 16.0-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Dual 50W wireless charging
• Tri-zone climate control

The Zeekr 7X is offered in four colours: Onyx Black, Tech Grey, Crystal White, Forest Green.

Both the Long Range and Performance are also available in Brook Blue with a Silver roof and an optional two-tone black/grey interior colour scheme, while the Performance AWD specifically has its own unique purple/white interior colour option.

How does the 7X Performance AWD drive?

The kryptonite of most current EVs is the abruptness of their ride, despite having weight on their side to help steamroll a surface. But, refreshingly, the Zeekr 7X Performance is the exception to this disappointing reality.

Even without adaptive air suspension and wearing 19-inch wheels, the rear-wheel-drive Zeekr 7X variants already ride surprisingly well, with a rare plushness in an EV without adaptive dampers.

But the 7X Performance elevates that ability thanks to single-chamber, air-sprung suspension with adaptive damping, even though it wears larger forged-hub 21-inch alloys with 265/40R21 Continental Eco Contact tyres.

Given the dual-motor Performance’s considerable 2460kg heft, we weren’t expecting a particularly dynamic drive – especially when you hear those eco tyres squealing in tighter corners. But this is an agile and sophisticated electric SUV to drive – especially once you get your head around how much steering lock you need to really tuck the 7X Performance into a corner.

It doesn’t have aggressive steering response either side of straight ahead like many Chinese EVs, being geared for 2.7 turns lock-to-lock for its 11.6m turning circle. But then it doesn’t have their inability to cope with aggressive changes of direction either. Instead, the Zeekr feels measured and well-balanced, effortlessly complementing its absorbent ride quality.

There are multiple setting available for all these aspects – Comfort, Standard and Sport for steering, damping and acceleration, as well as Standard or Strong for the regenerative braking, multiple height settings for the air suspension, and an ESC Sport setting for the stability electronics.

But unless the road is really twisty and relatively smooth, you’re best off leaving the Zeekr in Standard for everything except the regen’ braking, where it proves suavely accomplished, if perhaps a little noisier for road-surface rumble than its quietest rivals.

Indeed, it’s the Zeekr’s waft-ability that shines through strongest, backed by its smoothly urgent acceleration (0-100km/h in a claimed 3.8sec) thanks to considerable 475kW and 710Nm powertrain outputs.

The top-spec 7X has a refined cohesion to the way everything blends that makes it feel fast, yet luxurious – in stark contrast to the light-switch calibration flaws and gluggy/sticky steering weighting that blights so many Chinese vehicles.

Even the Zeekr’s regenerative braking system works well, offering a not-too-aggressive ‘one pedal’ mode that cements the 7X Performance AWD as a luxurious urban wafter that happens to also be capable of covering ground and eating up twisty roads voraciously.

In the vast majority of cases, the more you ask of the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD, the more it delivers.

What is the 7X Performance’s interior and tech like?

Where the Zeekr 7X Performance doesn’t quite support its dynamic capabilities is in its seating.

On straight roads, they’re plush and cushy, if perhaps in need of a little more firmness for longer-distance comfort. But in corners, they don’t quite have the lateral adhesion to sufficiently support the flagship 7X’s stature as a ‘Performance’ model.

Given this is more of a comfort-focused luxury vehicle, the name ‘Performance’ is a bit of a misnomer anyway, and rather incidental given the powertrain’s considerable outputs.

Because they’re lacking in lateral support, the front buckets aren’t capable of preventing the driver’s left leg from pressing into the centre console. And they don’t have enough under-thigh tilt either, even though there are electric seat-cushion extenders among the 14-way electric adjustment. But the driving position is good, vision is excellent and there’s plenty of room.

All that gets amped in the rear seat, which makes the most of the 7X’s vast 2900mm wheelbase to deliver excellent leg, toe and foot room, as well as decent headroom and a fully flat floor. And the rear bench is cushy like the front seats, with a fairly deep cushion and electric backrest rake, though more side bolstering would again be good.

Meanwhile, having the rear-seat heating controls in the front touchscreen seems idiotic.

Overall interior quality is really impressive. Everywhere you look, all the cabin structures are upholstered in a smooth, stitched material, right to the bottoms of the doors and the seat backrests – unlike the hard, cheap plastics blighting the lower interior of MG’s flawed IM products.

The Performance’s Nappa leather facings are reasonably soft and feature pleasant perforation patterns, and there’s a tactile, suede-like material covering the cooled dual wireless charging trays. While the all-black interior of our test car seemed dull and unadventurous (and hot), the two-tone black/grey option is much fresher and classier.

There’s even a purple and white option – unique to the Performance – which blends an off-white lower section with a sort of dark-violet upper for a real visual point of difference.

The 16.0-inch centre touchscreen is impressively clear and intuitive, even for beginners, and becomes a reliable companion over time, rather than a perpetual pain. The vertically grouped subject tabs down the left-hand side make intelligent sense, and visual cognition of each screen layout is impressively logical.

Pity the 21-speaker ‘Zeekr Sound’ stereo doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the Bang & Olufsen knock-off speaker grilles – meaning it’s more about the number of speakers (including in the front headrests!) than their actual quality. Less speakers and more bass would been preferable, but the sound quality should satisfy most people.

Zeekr says there are 36 interior storage compartments, including a rubberised lower centre console tray and a deep central bin with a left-or-right opening lid and the future option of being refrigerated. Rear-seat passengers get flimsy under-seat drawers and there are lidded cubbies underneath the padded front armrests for house keys, etcetera.

But what the Zeekr doesn’t have is adequate drinks storage. The front door bins have angled nodules for some kind of beverage, however they won’t take one-litre bottles or larger, unless they’re lying down. And the centre cupholders aren’t designed for Western coffees. They’ll take a traditional large coffee (which is a Maccas/chain-store medium) quite comfortably but not two – only maybe an additional piccolo.

More seriously, the Zeekr’s climate-control battles to keep the interior cool on hot days. Even set to 17 degrees with the fan on high, it audibly attempts to provide sufficient air flow, and fails – even when the outside temperature is less than 30 degrees.

On a 40-degree day with our test car’s all-black interior, plus blindingly inadequate window tinting (sunroof glass included), the 7X’s interior would be challenging to spend time in, and its insipid three-setting front seat cooling is barely enough to take the edge off. A proper, UV-protected window-tint package would make an enormous difference!

As for the Zeekr’s boot, it’s a decent 539 litres below the top of the rear seatback (there was no luggage cover on our test car and we couldn’t really see where one would go), or 1978L with the 60/40 rear backrests folded.

There’s also two good cubbies below the rear floor – the one closest to the electric tailgate allowing its lid to be propped vertically as a luggage separator – and rear suspension-height switches to (noisily and slowly) raise or lower the rear end for easier cargo loading. There’s also a small 42-litre frunk, which is barely sufficient for a charging cable.

Is the 7X Performance AWD a safe car?

The Zeekr 7X is yet to be given a rating by ANCAP, but in Europe the 7X has been awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP for its crash-test performance and electronic active-safety features.

It received 91 percent for adult occupant protection, 90 percent for child occupant protection, 78 percent for vulnerable road user protection and 83 percent for safety-assist systems.

Standard safety features on the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD includes:

• Seven airbags
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-keep assistance
• Lane centring control
• Front AEB with forward collision warning
• Lane-departure warning
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Auto lane-change assist
• Front and rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention monitoring
• Speed-limit assist
• Speed-control assist
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 360-degree camera

For the most part, the 7X’s active-safety systems work well. They’re relatively unobtrusive, relatively simple to switch off, and they retain your selection once the car is turned off.

Only the semi-autonomous lane-centring system needs attention, seeing it failed to engage reliably (ie. it didn’t work most of the time). When it did engage, it was in clearly marked 110km/h freeway conditions on a wide, well-surfaced road.

What are 7X Performance’s ownership costs?

Zeekr claims energy consumption of 17.3kWh/100km with a claimed WLTP range is 543km (against 615km for the Long Range RWD).

On test, based on its 94kWh usable battery, the flagship achieved 19.7kWh/100km for urban and 18.1kWh/100km for highway testing – equating to 477km of urban and 519km of highway range.

Using a DC ultra-fast charger, Zeekr says the 10-to-80-percent charging time is a class-leading 16 minutes, with a maximum DC charging rate of 420kW. Its AC charging rate of 22kW allows a claimed five-hour recharge.

This comfortably eclipses BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD (456km WLTP, 150kW DC, 10-80% in 34mins), Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (600km WLTP, 250kW DC, 10-80% in 27mins) and Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 4Motion (511km WLTP, 175kW DC, 10-80% in 28mins).

Recommended service intervals are every 24 months or 40,000km, with a free service at 12-month/20,000km, and optional servicing at three years/60,000km and five years/100,000km. Opt for the yearly schedule and the 7X’s five-year capped-price servicing will set you back $2385.

Zeekr’s new-vehicle warranty in Australia is five years/unlimited kilometres, including five years’ roadside assistance and five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranties covering corrosion and paintwork. The battery warranty is an industry-standard eight years/160,000km.

The honest verdict on the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD

For the most part, the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD does a fabulous job of delivering tangible luxury, terrific build quality and cutting-edge technology for a surprisingly sharp price.

Indeed, at $72,900 before on-road costs, the top-spec 7X makes Zeekr’s older, Volvo EX30-based X AWD ($62,900) seem distinctly overpriced in comparison, and worth significantly less than the 7.5/10 we awarded it in mid-2024. The EV game is evolving rapidly, and the 7X seems sufficiently future-proofed for now.

We love its minimalist style, its ultra-fast charging capability, its cushy ride quality, effortless performance, finessed electronics calibration and generous interior space. And despite weighing close to 2.5 tonnes, we also love its handling proficiency and involvement. It’s a genuinely good car.

Not everything is as rosy as it could be, however, which is why we’ve stopped short of awarding it 8.5 stars out of 10. There’s a little more road noise than its best rivals, its doors sound tinny if you slam them closed, and the electric door opening isn’t foolproof and gets flummoxed by some of Sydney’s steep hills.

We’d prefer it if Zeekr made these trick doors an option, or even a delete option, because the ‘e-latch’ doors of the lower-spec 7Xs are excellent. We’d also love more lateral support for the seats and potentially a sporting rear diff set-up on this Performance AWD version, however these are wish-list items, not non-negotiables.

The main issue with the 7X is its hard-working climate-control system, though if Zeekr upgraded to a darker window tint for the side glass and the sunroof, that would help hugely.

Yet as someone who seems to permanently run hot, I could live with the 7X’s climate control – just. I’d do it so I could enjoy this car’s many other great attributes. As Zeekr’s first medium-SUV attempt, it’s deeply impressive, if not quite as excellent as it could be.

Perhaps the 7X facelift, due in around 12 months’ time (and already revealed in China), can address some of these issues. But for now, the Zeekr 7X is the most convincing reason for not buying a Tesla Model Y there is.