Audi Q8 E-Tron vs Zeekr X

What's the difference?

The Audi Q8 e-tron ushers in welcome improvements to an already likeable and capable large luxury SUV.

But it is also feeling dated compared to newer and fresher rivals like the BMW iX, isn’t as good to drive as the best, offers disappointing range for the size of the new battery, and prices are creeping up for what is essentially a half-decade-old EV.

The name change isn’t enough. What the Q8 e-tron really needs is a massive leap in its Vorsprung durch Technik in a rapidly evolving electrified landscape.

 Very good… but far from great.

It's a good thing in a small package, this Zeekr X, and there are a lot of things I like about it. In fact, the only sticking point for me is the price. But that's all about perspective. If you see this as a newcomer Chinese brand, then yes, there are a lot of more affordable options out there. But if you see it as a premium player, it's really a more affordable version of a Volvo.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

The Q8 e-tron looks smaller than it actually is, with the SUV wagon’s length/width/height/wheelbase numbers measuring in at 4915/1937/1633mm/2928mm, respectively.

The Sportback version is slightly lower at 1619mm.

You’ll need a keen eye to spot the difference between the old e-tron and new Q8 e-tron, with almost all of the visual changes reserved for the front end.

For starters, there’s a new, two-dimensional four-ring logo that looks larger and flatter than before, sitting within a sleeker and slimmer grille treatment that now takes in the restyled headlights. Along with the redesigned bumper, the effect serves to broaden the SUV’s stance.

The effect also suggests improved aerodynamics, aided by small air foils near the wheel arches and a fully-clad underbody section.  

Otherwise, aside from the odd inclusion of the make-model name on the B-pillar and minor trim updates out back, the Q8 e-tron keeps the same, contemporary appearance of its predecessor. Which is no bad thing. 

And there are even fewer changes inside.

The visual changes aren’t massive. This AWD version welcomes a couple of new exterior colours, including the 'Matt Khaki Green' of our test car. It also gets the two-tone black roof and there are new 20-inch alloy designs.

Elsewhere, it's the futuristic-style of design we’re used to which differentiates the X from its Volvo EX30 twin under the skin.

Inside, this is a seriously well-equipped and polished-feeling small SUV, and — unlike some of the newcomer brands to Australia — it all feels very high quality and well put together. And that includes the material choices.

I don’t even hate the fact that most of the functions are controlled via this screen, thanks to the little shortcuts glued to the home screen. I do, however, hate the fact that there’s no easy way to change the wing mirrors or shortcuts for toning down some of the safety stuff.

That aside, though, it’s a nice and high-quality feeling space.

More than merely good enough.

Entry and egress are easy thanks to a lofty ride height and wide-opening doors. Once sat, you’ll discover Audi has not changed anything much inside compared to the old e-tron. Frankly, very little needed to.

You’ll still find a strikingly stylish and upmarket cabin offering sufficient space for five people, a commanding driving position, superbly supportive front seats that are a boon when long-distance driving, plenty of storage options, ample ventilation and suitably moody lighting.

While not the most modern dash on the market when contrasted to the vast ‘hyper’ screens of some rivals, the Q8 e-tron’s remains very architectural in appearance and presentation.

Trim and material quality are certainly up to brand expectations. Practicality remains a priority, with lots of storage areas within the dash, console and door cards.

There are no fewer than three screens – a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster Audi calls 'Virtual Cockpit', a 10.1-inch central multimedia display with haptic feedback and an 8.6-inch unit for climate control.

While they may seem daunting at first, a little familiarisation means most users will find them easy to operate.

Kudos, too, to the super-clear markings in the instrumentation, as well as the very satisfying tactile sensations of using the quality switchgear and controls. Typical Audi thoroughness here.

The same applies to the Q8 e-tron’s roomy and pleasantly-presented back seat area, with intelligently designed seating offering a nicely angled backrest as well as supportive cushion.

Three people can fit across without too much pain, though two is better, as the folding centre armrest and other amenities like air vents and climate control systems can be better-accessed and enjoyed.

You can see, smell and feel where your money’s gone inside. This is a quiet, isolated and cocooning experience, whether cruising on the motorway or stuck in heavy urban traffic. As you’d expect from a luxury SUV.

About the only real jarring aspect are the $3500 virtual exterior mirrors, created to improve aero performance. Their door-mounted screens are set low, outside the natural visual eyeline of the driver, creating confusion and adding precious extra seconds of eyes not on the road ahead. They’re irritating to the point of frustration.

Otherwise, the Q8 e-tron gets the job done inside, with cargo capacity at a reasonable 569 litres in the SUV wagon and 528L in the Sportback. And there’s even a 62L tub in the frunk up front to store the cables that also come standard with the EV.

Audi interior and packaging expertise strikes again.

You know you're in a small vehicle when you can't fit two large (not those crazy American-style jumbo cups, just normal coffee-shop takeaway) coffees in the cupholders, but so it is with the Zeekr X.

The small SUV's 4432mm length, 1836mm in width and 1566mm height doesn't leave much room to spread out up front. There's ample room for driver and passenger, of course, but we are talking about a small vehicle here.

Clever storage helps to mitigate that, though, especially the super-deep storage space in the centre console and the very clever fridge that separates the driver and passenger seats.

Weirdly, though, the space doesn’t feel overly tight in the back seat. We had a massive baby seat in there, and that fit without issue. And full size humans can genuinely get pretty comfortable. I'm 175cm, and I had enough knee and headroom.

In the boot, there’s 404 litres of volume with the rear seats upright and 1247 litres with them folded flat. And it’s worth pointing out this isn’t intended to be a family car, but there’s certainly enough space for the shopping... and a pram.

This is a small SUV with a LOT of stuff. There are two trims in the Zeekr X range – the entry-level rear-drive model is $48,900, drive-away, while the all-wheel drive version we've tested is $57,900 on the road.

The obvious comparison is to the Volvo EX30, which shares its platform with the Zeekr X through both brands' Chinese parent company Geely.

As of right now, the cheapest single-motor Volvo is $56,051, drive-away in NSW, or $49,990 plus on-roads, making the Zeekr version much, much cheaper.

Anyway, outside there are 19- or 20-inch alloys, though our test car is fitted with the optional 20-inch black alloys, paired with a black-with-red-highlights interior treatment, which adds $2000 to the price.

Ours is also fitted with the electric front doors which open or close at the push of a button, and back doors that unlatch, but don’t fully open, the same way, which adds another $2000.

Both trims also get heated and cooled front seats, and heating in the rear window seats, but this AWD version also adds a massage function for front seat riders. 

There’s also wireless charging, a 13-speaker Yamaha sound system and — very cool, literally — is the little drinks fridge between the front seats in the AWD variant.

Tech is handled by a 14.6-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and there’s a head-up display for the driver.

Tech-overload alert. As per its predecessor, the Q8 e-tron 55 continues with two electric motors – one on each axle – for ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive.

Upgraded internals are said to improve efficiency substantially. Both are induction/asynchronous motors, mated to a single-gear two-stage ratio planetary transmission.

In the 55 model, the dual-motor set-up delivers a combined 300kW of power and 664Nm of torque, for a healthy 0-100km/h sprint-time of 5.6 seconds, on the way to a 200km/h top speed.

That’s impressive, given the lightest Q8 e-tron 55 tips the scales from 2595kg. That said, the Audi’s power-to-weight ratio is an equally strong 116kg/tonne.

Other updates include more direct steering, stiffer front suspension and retuned chassis controls.

Suspension is a five-link arrangement all-around, with adaptive air suspension featuring an electronically controlled with continuously variable adaptive damping system.

The big news here is a more powerful rear motor – meaning you get more grunt whether you opt for the rear-wheel drive or this all-wheel drive.

In rear-drive form, that boosts your outputs from 200kW to 250kW, dropping the sprint to 100km/h to 5.6 seconds. In AWD guise, your new outputs are 365kW (up from 315kW) and 573Nm, and your sprint to 100km/h falls to 3.7 seconds.

The good news is that the lithium-ion battery pack size rises from 95kWh to 114kWh, and is accompanied by faster DC charging capability, due to a jump from 150kW to 170kW.

While far from the class best, this cuts down charging times by a considerable margin.

The claimed driving range is 454km, while average consumption is a disappointing 25.6kWh/100km. The Q8 e-tron’s trip computer during our run in it recorded a mid-to-high 20s readout, by the way.

This is where it starts to get weird. The rear-drive Zeekr X is fitted with a 61kWh LFP battery, which can accept up to 230kW DC fast charging, taking you from 10 to 80 per cent charged in just 18 minutes. Total claimed range is 405km.

The flagship AWD, though, charges at a slower rate. It gets a 66kWh NMN battery and can only be charged at 150kW, meaning the same charge takes 30 minutes. Zeekr is promising a 415km driving range between charges.

For decades, Audi used the advertising tagline ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ – which means Progress through Technology in its native German – to highlight how advanced its vehicles are.

So, how has the Q8 e-tron advanced over its predecessor?

Right from the get-go, there’s so much to dig about the electric Audi SUV, especially if you’re new to luxury EVs.

To start with, it’s as quiet as you’d expect, even by luxury brand standards. As the Audi accelerates, the sense of momentum is somewhat masked by how refined and civilised your progress is.

Watch that, though. You could get a speeding fine more easily than you expect!

Anyway, with 664Nm of torque coming on instantly, there’s certainly no shortage of it, backed up by enough muscle for effortless and instantaneous overtaking. This sort of motoring can become highly addictive.

Similarly, a low centre of gravity, combined with a beautifully modulated electric power steering and the quattro AWD set-up, provides pleasing agility combined with reassuring roadholding. Even when you’re pressing on, the Q8 e-tron corners and grip with confidence and control.

So far, so good. Especially considering the air suspension is further cushioning your sense of speed, with excellent bump absorption for an isolated ride.

That’s on the standard 20-inch alloys spec. Riding on the larger wheels, there is a bit more firmness, as well as some road-noise intrusion.

Plus, it doesn’t take long to realise the Q8 e-tron is a very heavy vehicle. Though undeniably quick and athletic, changing directions in a hurry means that the SUV can feel a bit unwieldy.

Throttle response at higher velocities can seem a little muted and, over certain crests and humps when travelling fast, there is a sense that the driver really needs to have their wits about them.

Best to take it a bit easier, then, and enjoy the serenity the Audi EV SUV delivers in more typical and restrained travelling scenarios.

There is so much that the Q8 e-tron brings, and driving it normally really does reveal a sophisticated, comfortable, dependable and high-quality grand-touring experience.

Push a bit harder, though, and some cracks show up.

Short answer? Pretty good, with some caveats.

I'm partial to a firmer ride. I find some Chinese car companies can feel like they get their suspension bits from Captain Snooze, such is the soft, pillowy ride served up. And to be honest, it makes me a little seasick at times.

The Zeekr is not like that. It has firmness dialled into the ride equation and can feel harsh at times, but also improves the drive experience, delivering connection and engagement at the cost of some sharpness on the wrong road. 

It's also faster than the model it replaces, but it's also one of those cars in which the real-life feeling doesn't quite match the on-paper promise.

This thing serves up supercar speed, but it doesn't feel like it from behind the wheel. Instead, the acceleration - especially from a rolling start - feels potent, but not biblical.

From a standing start it pauses for a moment, almost like an internal-combustion vehicle might, before delivering a quick (but not stratospheric) flow of power. None of that is a bad thing, by the way. Who wants their small SUV to accelerate like a supercar?

It's otherwise an entirely pleasant drive. The cabin is serene and quiet and it's a small car that doesn't feel like one. There's nothing light or tinny about the drive experience, instead there's a heft and quality.

The Zeekr X wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, earned in 2024, which means the long list of required active safety stuff is present and accounted for, all wrapped up in what Zeekr calls its 'Intelligent Driving Assist System'.

There are five cameras, five radars and 12 sensors, which is a crazy number for a car this small.

And this is also not a car in which I was desperately trying to figure out how to deactivate any of the active safety systems – save the overzealous over-speed warning – which is a win these days, too. 

There are also seven airbags, including a centre front airbag.

The Zeekr X is fitted with ISOFIX anchors on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.

Audi provides a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as six-years’ worth of free roadside assistance, which is nothing unusual these days, while the battery warranty is eight years or 160,000km.

The first six years of scheduled servicing is free, too. Intervals are every two years/30,000km (whichever comes first).

Plus, owners also receive six years of complimentary access to Chargefox’s network.

Zeekr's coverage is an underwhelming five-year, unlimited-kilometres, while the drive battery is covered for eight-years or 160,000km. There’s five years' of roadside assistance thrown in, too.

Service intervals are 20,000km or 12 months, with five years' of ownership setting you back a hefty $3072; an average of $614 per workshop visit.

There are currently 16 Zeekr dealers in Australia - two of which are 'pop-up' sites rather than full retail centres.

Multiple locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with the ACT, Adelaide and Perth also covered. Others include Geelong and the Sunshine Coast but so far you're out of luck in Tassie or the NT.