Lexus UX300E vs Zeekr 009

What's the difference?

The Lexus UX300e Sports Luxury nails the luxury and standard features list! It certainly feels like a premium SUV inside and the updated technology and driving range were sorely needed to keep this competitive, but once you start looking at its rivals, which all offer similar specs and better driving ranges, the price point starts to feel a smidge high. However, the ongoing costs and the complimentary bonuses that Lexus throws in, are great.

The Zeekr 009 is difficult to fault. It's a luxurious, practical vehicle that's easy and enjoyable to drive. There's no SUV on the planet that can compete with its practicality, whether it's room for people and their cargo, or just getting in and out of the vehicle. The only thing I would change about the 009 in terms of family use are the captain's chairs in the second row; a bench seat here for three people would be more practical for a family. If, however, you are using the 009 as a chauffeur car then the captain's chairs would provide the comfort and luxury jet-setting executives would welcome.

The design hasn’t seen much change and Lexus seems to be encouraging an understated EV design as it looks just like its fuel-based siblings.

I don’t mind that it’s not as futuristic as some of its competitors and that, at first glance, there isn’t anything to set it apart.

The front sports a classic Lexus 'spindle' grille and the external lights are large but the rear side lights jut out rather severely, reminding me too much of its Toyota counterparts.

The rear features a cool LED strip light for the brakes, which elevates its night-time presence.

The sporty-looking 18-inch alloy wheels are a nice touch but the plastic mouldings around the base of the car detract from the premium-level this model sits in. It’s not as slick-looking as it could be.

Having said that, the interior earns back points courtesy of its premium feel with leather-accented trims and Japanese Washi paper influenced accent panels. But there is a lot happening with the dashboard.

It’s a little overwhelming at first because it protrudes well into the cabin and features multiple cutaways, but you get used to it after a while.

There are also little knobs on either side of the instrument panel that look out of place to me and resemble horns.

You might think that there's only so much you can do to make a people mover good looking but Zeekr’s futuristic and alien-like take is inspired.

I love to sheer bluntness of the face. I love the chiseled looking bonnet, the LED running lights and the little show they put on every time you walk to or from the car. Even the side profile of the car sitting low and planted on its air suspension looks sleek and stylish. And I love the roulette-wheel-style alloys wheels.

I was impressed by the interior of the Lexus LM500h but the interior of the 009 exceeds even that with modern and youthful styling wrapped in beautiful soft leather upholstery. The second-row seats are just absolutely sumptuous and every single touch point throughout the cabin feels luxurious.

The 009 doesn't match the size of the gigantic entertainment screen in the second row of the LM500h but I found the drop down 17-inch 3K entertainment to have an even more modern look and feel.

As soon as you slide in, you’re reminded that the UX is a small SUV. Even with the driver's seat at its lowest position I still knock my knees on the steering wheel when getting in and out of the car.

The higher door sills also accentuate the penned in feeling despite there being plenty of head- and legroom in the front row! 

Then comes the back seat, which is super tight on space. I’m 168cm (5'6") and my headroom is fine but the legroom sucks. My knees press into the back of the driver’s seat (set for my driving position).

There’s also not a lot of space underneath the seat for toes, so I wouldn’t recommend the UX to anyone who regularly transports tall passengers. 

Having said that the seats in both rows are very comfortable and the leather trims feel lovely to touch. Both front seats are electric with heat and ventilation functions but only the driver’s side enjoys adjustable lumbar support. 

Storage is good throughout the car, which is not usually the case for the small SUV class. Up front you get a glove box, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a middle console that opens from both sides, which is handy and cool.

In the rear you get two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and map pockets but no storage bins in either door unfortunately.

Other amenities in the back are very good for this class with the heated outboard seats, directional air vents, reading lights and two USB-C ports.  

On that note, the upgraded multimedia system is now easier to use while on the go, is responsive to touch and looks great.

Some of the information on the system can be annoying to find but the customisations available on the 7.0-inch digital instrument panel more than make up for it.

There is a coloured head-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto and satellite navigation.

All are easy to use and won’t confuse you too much!

The charging options are great with each row getting two USB-C ports but the front also gets a USB-A port, 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad. You’re seriously spoilt for choice.  

The boot space sits at a small 314L, which is 100L less than the previous model but that’s because Lexus has made a little storage nook underneath the floor for the tyre repair kit and cable pouches.

It's a great boot because it sits high and is easy to access, and I have plenty of room for all of the gear needed for a week’s errands. The hands-free powered tailgate is great, too.

When it comes to practicality, no SUV on the planet can beat a people mover for space, storage and utility. The Zeekr 009 is beautifully luxurious with outstanding practicality.

Air suspension can lower the vehicle to an entry height that is just a small step into a cabin through the power sliding doors and while space in the second row is outstanding, entry to the third row is easy with the second-row seats folding forward at the touch of the button.

This third row by the way is the most spacious I have encountered with excellent leg and headroom.

Gigantic door pockets, a folding table between second-row seats, great storage under the floating centre console and in the centre console bin, cupholders in all three rows along with wireless charging pads and USB ports everywhere make this a practical and versatile cabin for families or executives.

Boot capacity with all seven seats in place is 574 litres and with the third row folded flat there's 2979 litres of volume.

A front boot can be found under the bonnet but will probably just fit the charging cable.

The list price of the Zeekr 009 seven-seater is $135,900 before on-roads. There is also a six-seat version for $139,900 which swaps out the third-row bench seating for two separate, more luxurious seats.

We’ve tested the seven-seater version here but the standard features on both are almost identical.

Coming standard on the seven-seat 009 are LED headlights and LED tail-lights, power sliding side doors, a power tailgate and 20-inch alloy wheels clad in Michelin Pilots for EV tyres.

Inside, seven seats come standard with two captain’s chairs in the second row with heating, ventilation and massaging functions, and of course these are also fully power adjustable.

Standard, too, is a 30-speaker 3000W Yamaha sound system with speakers in the head rests. While I’m no audiophile, I have experienced the best sound systems offered by carmakers and this is up there with the most exceptional - Mark Levinsons included.

Folding out of the ceiling is a 17-inch 3K OLED screen for second and third-row passenger entertainment.

There’s four-zone climate control, sun shades for all side windows, a glass roof, and an 8.6-litre fridge large enough for six cans of drink.

Up front the seats are power adjustable, heated and ventilated too, there’s a 15.05-inch media screen, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a 35.95-inch augmented reality head-up display, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

If you're wondering how all this adds up to $136,000 you can't forget that the Zeekr 009 has one of the largest batteries available in a production car. The 116kWh battery is only matched by Mercedes-Benz's EQS and BMW's i7 and these cars cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Batteries account for a large portion of the cost of an electric car and so at under $140K, and with all of the features it has as well, the Zeekr 009 is a relative bargain.

The UX300e has a fully electric powertrain with a 72.8kWh lithium-ion battery that’s located on the front axle.

The power and torque remain unchanged at 150kW and 300Nm but that’s enough to produce a 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.5-seconds. Plenty of oomph for city-slickers and open-roaders to boot.

The update sees the battery increase in capacity by 34 per cent which means the driving range has jumped from 305km to 440km.

That's still a bit lower than some of the UX's competitors but it certainly helps ease range anxiety! And unlike some of its rivals, the UX300e only sports a front-wheel drive drivetrain.

The Zeekr 009 has two electric motors - one at the front and one at the rear - with a combined output of 450kW and 693Nm. That's Lamborghini Huracan stuff! Almost identical power, but this has more torque.

Not only does this provide all-wheel drive and fantastically controlled traction, but the way the power and torque is delivered is simply superb. This is a seven-seater rocket that will never leave the ground - hopefully.

The nature of electric motors - especially these ones - are the perfect fit for this vehicle, providing a serenely quiet, luxurious and effortlessly powerful experience.

My energy consumption sat at an average of 19.5kWh, which is decent considering all of the open-road driving I did.

There are four levels of regenerative braking to help conserve battery percentage but even on the firmest setting, it’s not super noticeable.

When you’re at full charge, multiple notifications and sound alerts pop up on the instrument panel stating ‘Regenerative Braking Limited Press Brake to Decelerate’. It’s quite an intrusive feature but disappears after 20 to 30km.

Despite the bigger battery size, the UX300e can only accept up to 6.6kW on AC charging, whereas, all of its rivals can accept 11kW. On a 240-volt AC charger, expect to see a charge time of nine and a half hours to get to 80 per cent.

Curiously, the UX features two charging ports, on the right-hand-side, there is a Type 2 port and, on the left, a CHAdeMo port, which allows for faster charging.

You'd think it would be easier to simply add the CCS enhancement on the Type 2 port but still, expect to get from 10-80 per cent in 80-minutes on a 50kW fast charger.

The Zeekr 009 has a 116kWh battery which is enormous - almost the biggest you can get in Australia currently. This lithium-ion battery has a range of 582km (WLTP). There are petrol cars that can’t go that far on a tank.

The battery has an AC charging capacity of 11kW and DC charging capacity of 205kW, allowing you to charge from 10-80 per cent in 39 minutes.

Energy consumption is officially 19.5kWh/100km and we’ve been getting an average of 23.5kWh/100km.

That’s because this thing is so heavy at 2.9 tonnes.

The UX300e comes into its own when you’re zipping around tight city streets. The power is responsive and the steering crisp with excellent cornering capabilities.

It feels well-placed on the road most of the time but can move around when it gets hit by high winds.

While the power is steady, the tyres can lose a little traction if you’re too quick to accelerate from a full stop.

The ride comfort is also very good with the new acoustic glass and extra insulation around the bonnet and wheel wells providing a whisper quiet cabin space.

The suspension is well-cushioned but not floaty and you won’t wince when you hit a bump, but occasionally you get a thump-thump shudder through the frame on certain rough road surfaces.

It’s not a massive size and you’ll be thankful for that when it comes time to park because it is seriously easy to slide into a spot!

The 360-degree view camera system is top-notch providing clear graphics and a cool feature where the car becomes invisible in the video feed, which makes it even easier to see all around you. Coupled with the front and rear parking sensors, you’re set.

The Zeekr 009 is one of the largest vehicles on the Australian market at almost three tonnes and 5.2 meters long but it's also one of the most comfortable, and one of the easiest and most enjoyable cars I've driven.

This is for three main reasons. The first is the air suspension which provides a beautifully comfortable and composed ride.

The next is those electric motors which provide so much grunt but in a very predictable way that's smooth, silent and instant, allowing you to move through traffic or drive confidently on a motorway.

Finally the visibility, steering and pedal feel all combined to provide an effortless piloting experience through narrow laneways, carparks or while parking.

Adding to the enjoyment of driving this people mover is a comfortable, plush interior that's so well insulated that you'll coast serenely through traffic.

As for handling, I have also driven the 009 on a race track at Sydney Motorsport Park. I pushed it through a couple of corners where even some sports have cars struggled to maintain their composure and this massive people move performed surprisingly well, staying planted through the corners.

I've also taken the 009 onto a skid pan and intentionally tried to slide the vehicle and even under these controlled conditions it showed no sign of roll or loss of control.

Having taken the 009 through probably the widest range of testing I've ever put a car through I'd say that it feels safe and secure in pretty much any real-world condition you will experience.

The Zeekr 009 hasn’t been tested by ANCAP yet, but it comes with auto emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assistance, auto parking, and blind spot warning. You’ve got airbags covering all three rows and a centre airbag up front.

For child seats there are four ISOFIX points in the second and third rows and four top tether points.

The UX comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty but the battery is covered by a 10-year or up to 160,000km warranty, which is better than most in this class.

This also comes with a five-year capped-priced servicing plan where services cost a flat $295, which is good but the servicing intervals are more in line with a fuel-based car at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. It’s typical to see intervals stretched out at every two years for an EV.

Lexus also throws in a few sweeteners for owners with three-year complimentary subscriptions to both ChargeFox and Lexus Connected Services, as well as, installation of an at-home wall charger. It’s not often you see the word ‘complimentary’ coupled with a luxury brand, so that’s a nice touch.

The 009 is covered by Zeekr’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.

Servicing is recommended every 40,000km or every two years, whichever comes first. There’s also five years/unlimited kilometres of roadside assistance and five years of connected services as standard.