Range Rover Evoque vs Zeekr 7X

What's the difference?

Range Rover has developed a bit of an image problem in the last few years.

To many the brand is still the face of a quintessentially British aspirational luxurious off-roader. But to a growing group, it has become synonymous with the concept of an environmentally reckless fuel-guzzling SUV.

They’re big, heavy, and still feature V8 engines, but Range Rover knows all too well the writing is on the wall for its increasingly infamous range of combustion vehicles.

The trouble is, customers love them, and while the I-Pace from sister brand Jaguar is a big leap into the future, there needs to be a happy medium for easing some of its existing customers away from combustion, while still offering the kinds of excess and aspirational performance the Range Rover brand is associated with.

Enter this car, the Evoque HSE P300e. It’s a plug-in hybrid, notably only available in the top trim level, with top-shelf performance, too.

Is it the right car to represent Range Rover’s entry-level model at a critical time of technological transformation? Let’s take a look.

Recently CarsGuide had a presence at several major electric vehicle shows in Australia and I can tell you, this car was generating a lot of buzz with prospective buyers.

It’s the just-released Zeekr 7X, a pure-electric, five-door, five-seat SUV priced and specified to challenge established EV players in the premium, mid-size SUV segment.

In this test, we’re behind the wheel of the 7X Performance, the dual-motor AWD flagship topping a three-model line-up including single-motor standard- and long-range RWD variants.

So stay with us as we assess everything from price, features, design and practicality to efficiency, driving dynamics, safety and cost of ownership. Let’s go!