Zeekr 7X 2026 News

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia. Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly. There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth. Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970). There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year.The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn.The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572). Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month. The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461). Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373). The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15. Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026

Will the current war in Iran mean a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles? My view is no, it won’t directly cause a ban on combustion cars. But the ban is still coming and the Middle East conflict will fastrack it. For starters a date has already been set for ban on petrol and diesel cars in the United Kingdom, where from 2030 sales of new vehicles with combustion engines will cease. The European Union has a 2035 ban but previous to the Iran war this was watered down.China, which in February was our main source of vehicles, is also focused on building and developing electric cars.As for Australia, only the ACT has set a goal of phasing out the sale of new combustion powered cars by 2035.That could all change now and by this I mean be fastracked.Until now the reasons for switching to electric vehicles were mainly ethical and environmental, with emissions and cleaner air being the carrot. The problem is nobody really  wants to eat a carrot, even if it’s good for us. But faced with the prospect of not eating at all because the weekly fuel bill for two cars is now $300 and the price of groceries is going up because of the soaring cost of transport, that really changes things.Interest in electric vehicles has never been this strong. We can see it in real time by the traffic coming to carsguide.com.au and we know our competitors are witnessing the sharpening of this focus on EVs, too.Towards the start of 2025 there had been a slow down in global interest in EVs and a renewed take up of hybrids. The price premiums attached to electric cars, the limited driving range and lengthy charging times were to blame, but all things early adopters, and even slightly later ones, were willing to endure. The rest of the car buyers were too put off by the downsides of EVs and stuck with the convenience and familiarity of petrol or perhaps bought a hybrid. But now the price of convenience appears to be reaching a point where suddenly an EV sounds like a good idea. At the time of writing 95 RON premium unleaded was $2.70 per litre. An increase of about $1 per litre or 60 per cent in the space of a month. The prohibitive cost now of petrol combined with the looming threat of Australia running out of it in less than three weeks, plus reports of servicing stations already running dry now make an electric car suddenly seem like not such a bad idea after all, even to the most hardcore fans of fossil fuels.The problem is bigger than just consumers not being able to afford petrol, it’s the soaring cost of goods, which are distributed through Australia’s enormous freight network that relies on diesel.The Australian government is responsible for setting such low minimum fuel reserves all in the name of a free market. The current situation could see it either mandate that the industry maintain a higher level or reduce the risk entirely of being held hostage like this again and ban petrol and diesel car sales in favour of electric ones, which can be powered by a fuel we can produce ourselves.The second option wouldn’t be the choice of the $6 trillion-a-year global oil and gas industry. And an industry that’s worth that much has enormous sway.But then the collapse of entire economies wouldn’t be the choice of most governments.Decoupling from oil and gas is impossible in less than 50 or even 100 years. Whether we like it or not the industry pervades every part of our lives. Killing the industry would also see the collapse of entire economies.Plenty of car companies are ready for electric vehicles, especially new Chinese brands, but for many vehicle manufacturers EVs are a side hustle.This scenario play into the hands of new electric brands such as Zeekr with the 7X mid-szied SUV, BYD with the Sealion 7 SUV and even the established Koreans such as Kia with the EV3 small SUV.Does it mean the end of diesel SUVs such as the LandCruiser? Possibly, unless Toyota has an electric version up its sleeve ready to be pulled out in the next 10 years.So what you'll probably see is the EU and UK setting new firm deadlines for the discontinuation of sales for new cars with combustion engines at about 2035 or sooner. Australia will likely follow suit.Industry, freight and agriculture will be exempt until hydrogen infrastructure is in place and that will take much longer.What we may see in the short term is a temporary ban on the use of petrol and diesel passenger cars in order to preserve fuel stock for industry, freight and vital services such as emergency vehicles. That’s a real possibility if the war moves into an uncontrolled phase.So while the permanent ban of new petrol and diesel cars won’t be directly caused by the Iran war, it will be a catalyst for the ban. In the meantime, it’s probably wise anyway to purchase an EV anyway and provide a bit of security and future proofing for your own household, not to mention saving thousands in fuel bills each year.

The Zeekr 7X has been given some sharp new design elements as part of a special edition upgrade for the premium electric mid-size SUV in Australia. The ‘Black Special Edition’ 7X starts from $75,900 (before on-road costs), which is a $3000 increase on the most expensive Performance all-wheel drive variant.The car gets some major exterior changes, including a gloss black body paint, differing from the Performance grade's ‘Onyx’ black as well as green, blue, grey and white body colour options. The gloss black finish continues elsewhere on the car, including front and rear lower bumpers, lower door exterior trims finished and roof rails. It rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and gets a 7X black badge on the rear of the car. On the inside, there is Black Nappa leather interior trim, contrasting the white trim usually found on the top-grade model. Zeekr has introduced this car off the back of sustained demand from buyers for a darker and more bold overall design on the 7X.Performance-wise, the car keeps the same figures as the range-topping 7X, which has 475kW and 710Nm, with the 0-100km/h sprint taking 3.8 seconds. The 7X has had a blistering start to its life in Australia with more than 1000 sales in 2026, catapulting it one of the best selling EVs in the country. It also earned the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year Best Medium SUV under $60K, up against regular favourites such as the Toyota RAV4. Despite its solid sales so far, its key rival the Tesla Model Y has sold more than 4000 units in 2026This new range-topping 7X, however, is still cheaper than the comparable Model Y, which starts from $89,400, before on-roads. The Sealion 7 remains the budget pick of the segment, with a price of $63,990, it has amassed 1327 sales so far this year.2026 Zeekr 7X pricing Australia  

The Leapmotor B10 and Zeekr 7X are among several models that have received top marks in their Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety tests. The B10 is an all-electric small SUV, which went on sale in November 2025. The BYD Atto 3, Hyundai Kona and Kia EV3 rival received some stand out results, including 93 per cent for adult protection and 95 per cent for child protection.Those two results equalled the highest score for those areas under ANCAP’s now outgoing 2023-2025 testing criteria.  The Zeekr 7X (the current 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year best medium SUV under $60,000), also received five stars and was awarded 91 per cent for adult protection and 87 per cent child protection. The 7X offers a new alternative to big sellers in the mid-size SUV market, such as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.Another car to receive a five-star rating was the Geely Starray EM-i, the second Geely model to launch in Australia after the EX5 SUV. The recently-introduced Kia EV4 has also been rated, receiving five stars. The all-electric sedan arrived in Australia this month, ahead of the hatch variants joining later this year. The other car to pick up a five-star rating, was the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe, which rated at 93 per cent for adult protection and 86 per cent for child protection. ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said this latest batch of ratings highlights the importance of maintaining car safety as more brands continue to be introduced to the market. “As more new models and emerging brands arrive on our roads, independent safety assessment remains critical,” Hoorweg said. “ANCAP testing provides consumers with clear, comparable information, and ensures vehicles meet the highest standards for protection, regardless of badge or price point.”ANCAP also announced that the MG HS small SUV’s five-star rating now extended to hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants in addition to petrol offerings.There was also an updated five-star rating for the Toyota bZ4X and its sister car the Subaru Solterra.This latest round of rest results will be the final set of cars tested under the previous criteria, with all new cars to be using the four-stage ‘Stages of Safety’ system. This will examine safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash, but a rating out of five stars will still be awarded for each car. 

It comes down to this. Seven category winners, seven exceptional cars. But only one can take the crown of CarsGuide’s 2026 overall Car of the Year.The final shortlist for the overall Car of the Year award is made up of the winners of each of our seven categories.This impressive list includes high-end performance SUVs from Germany, new contenders from China, a game-changing ute, family friendly hybrids and top-notch EVs.As a reminder, here are the category winners that make up this final shortlist.Best Small Car Starting Under $50,000 - Kia EV3The Kia EV3 proves small EVs don’t have to be boring. A striking design combined with an engaging drive experience, visually appealing and surprisingly spacious cabin and high levels of standard equipment make for a winning package.Best Small Car Starting Under $80,000 - BMW X1It might not be the newest model on this list, but punchy petrol powertrains and a well-calibrated electric version elevate the BMW X1 above all of its premium small car rivals.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $60,000 - Zeekr 7XThe newest car on this list, the long-awaited Zeekr 7X is a deeply impressive electric family SUV in all grades and proves Zeekr means business.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $130,000 - Hyundai Ioniq 5Perhaps a surprising win against some impressive premium players, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 deserves this award as it remains one of the most impressive electric medium SUVs money can buy.Best Large SUV Starting Under $100,000 - Hyundai Santa FeA massive step up from the previous model, the new Hyundai Santa Fe has a bold design and a spacious and flexible interior with the choice of two excellent powertrains.Best Large SUV Starting Under $220,000 - Porsche CayenneOutpacing a range of mostly German rivals, the Porsche Cayenne has the performance and prestige to make it the clear standout in the category.Best Ute Under $85,000 - BYD Shark 6A truly game-changing ute, the BYD Shark 6 has brought plug-in hybrid power to the masses in a big way.Such a solid list of winners means the car that took the crown is a special vehicle indeed.Without further ado, the winner of CarsGuide’s overall 2026 Car of the Year award is… the Hyundai Santa Fe!The Santa Fe won over the CarsGuide Car of the Year judges for a variety of reasons.The six- or seven-seat large SUV is hard to fault. It’s a phenomenal family car with acres of occupant space across all three rows and decent cargo space as well. There’s also enough to keep kids occupied in the rear two rows while offering high levels of comfort and refinement up front.Interior design and layout is modern, with a retro twist, and the materials used throughout are second to none. Hyundai has used eye-catching seat materials, while the various touchpoints look and feel like they belong in the premium segment.A Santa Fe highlight is the fact that even the entry grade (simply called ‘Santa Fe’) feels nothing like a base model. In fact, it feels more high-end than top-spec versions of many of its rivals.The availability of two excellent powertrains further boosts the Santa Fe. The 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid is not just the best choice for efficiency and refinement, it’s also a punchy, engaging engine. But the 2.5L four-cylinder turbo-petrol version is also an absolute hoot.Both are available in front and all-wheel drive, and they come with a full-size spare wheel. Not something every hybrid can claim.Value for money was also a one of the Santa Fe’s biggest strengths. Pricing ranges from around $54,000 for the entry petrol grade and it tops out at $77,000 for the fully kitted out Calligraphy hybrid. Even at the entry point, the Sant Fe is packed with comfort and safety features.Finally, while its exterior design is undoubtedly polarising, the judges agree that it’s a standout among a largely vanilla bunch of family SUV rivals.Not only is the Hyundai Santa Fe CarsGuide’s top pick for a family car in 2026, but we reckon it’s the best car money can buy.A well deserved win for a brilliantly executed car.

The mainstream mid-size SUV segment is one of the most tightly contested in Australia, making which option to go for both more exciting and more difficult than ever.Thankfully, our 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year Awards will help shorten your choices down to only the best in an ever-changing market.This year’s top-10 shortlist saw an array of vehicles competing for the crown, but our judging panel liked three the most, Honda’s segment-bending ZR-V, Toyota’s ever-present RAV4, and a newcomer in the form of the Zeekr 7X.Which takes the crown and why? Read on to see our reasoning below.The Honda ZR-V is one of the brand’s most recent nameplates, sitting between the venerable HR-V small SUV and larger CR-V.Our judging panel loved the ZR-V for its just-right sizing, offering family buyers something a little more compact than most cars in this class, whilst also offering a versatile and generous interior space.We were also impressed how this car communicates Honda’s commitment to build quality so well. All agreed it offers an above-par driving experience for the segment, with not only a good all-rounder combustion engine, but also a sweet fuel-sipping hybrid with a bit more punch.It offers compelling ownership terms, but the panel also agreed that it has similar flaws to other Hondas in the limited availability of the hybrid powertrain, and its generally higher-than-rivals starting price.CarsGuide Contributing Journalist Andrew Chesterton who recently tested a ZR-V VTi-LX in hybrid form said it “continues Honda’s winning run of models lately. It looks good, feels solid, is well-appointed and presents as an SUV you can actually enjoy driving, too.”Believe it or not, this award applies to the outgoing RAV4 despite its age, but the good news is many of the metrics on which our panel made its decision likely transfer over to the newly updated model, too.However, we’re calling out the old version which fits inside our judging timeline because of its well-deserved staying power in our market.Our COTY panel agreed everything the RAV4 does, it does well, whether you’re considering its build quality, massively popular and affordable hybrid powertrain, or its spacious no-nonsense interior which has proven to be perfect for families.CarsGuide Contributing Journalist Emily Agar said the outgoing RAV4 “offers families space, convenience and features in a well-priced and handsome package” in her recent review.Australia’s frequently best-selling SUV isn’t without its flaws. Our panel also agreed that the interior design was starting to age, and there were now more innovative hybrid powertrains on the market.Slipping in just under the $60,000 mark, the Zeekr 7X has arrived in Australia with quite some fanfare as one of the most compelling new cars from a Chinese newcomer brand.Opening the door to a new class of affordable premium car, the fully electric 7X won over our panel for having exactly the ingredients we look for in a Car of the Year contender: it’s ambitious, moves the segment forward and represents excellent value.Not only that, but in its surprising sense of quality and even its driving performance, the 7X challenges perceptions of how Chinese cars can look and feel, and does so at a price that should be circuit-breaking for the mid-size SUV segment.Its cutting-edge design and materials are also complemented by a spacious and family-friendly interior with a generous boot, too.Even as an EV it’s impressive, with its 800-volt architecture supporting ultra-fast charging, and its healthy battery capacities supporting long driving ranges for each variant.For downsides? Like some of its Chinese contemporaries, the 7X has overly complicated software functions, and it has weird push-button doors and doesn’t feature a spare tyre.However, as Deputy Editor James Cleary notes in his recent review of the top-spec Performance AWD variant, the 7X offers “so much standard equipment for the money, stunning acceleration, top-shelf safety and a solid ownership package”.“This electric SUV has thrown down a hefty gauntlet in challenging its existing competition,” he said.It’s a recipe that makes the 7X our winner for this year’s mid-size SUV category for the CarsGuide Car of the Year.

The mainstream mid-size SUV segment is one of the most hotly contested in the Australian market, as the prevailing family car of choice for so many.We’re truly spoilt for choice, with options available at many price points, and with the choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric, as well as from both old favourite brands and new challengers.While this has generally been a boon for buyers, it has also made this congested segment more difficult to shop in than ever before, so as part of our ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, we’ve distilled a top-10 shortlist of our highest-rated Medium SUVs starting under $60K.Our top three and winner will be announced on February 6, but you can see the alphabetically ordered shortlist below.The Cupra Terramar serves as the Spanish brand’s take on the Volkswagen Tiguan formula - a true mid-size SUV, although it offers a truly sporty take over the Tiguan’s more wide appeal.Priced from $53,990, it’s a surprising value player considering its sporty look and feel, although if you want the full performance on offer, you’ll have to spend north of the $70K mark to get the spicy VZ version.Still Cupra continues to impress us with its edgy designs and impressive driving dynamics compared to its other Volkswagen Group relations.Perhaps a candidate for the most improved model on sale in Australia, the new GWM Haval H6 moves up in the world from simply a value player to a more impressive mainstream offering.Packed with standard kit and tweaked across the board when it comes to drivability and tuning, this Chinese rival takes more direct aim at the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 than ever before.Available as a 2.0-litre turbo as well as a 1.5-litre hybrid in plugless or plug-in form, it also covers the gamut of powertrain options Aussie buyers are looking for.While the sharply-priced Lux is impressive value, the plugless hybrids are the pick of the range with their trim fuel efficiency and smooth electrified transmission.One of the original nameplates which kicked-off the mid-size SUV segment altogether, the CR-V continues to this day to be a stellar offering in the segment, with Honda as always doing an impressive job of moving with the times.The CR-V is also one of the better value options in Honda’s current range, priced much closer to its rivals than the HR-V or ZR-V which sit below it.Again, the pick of the range is the e:HEV hybrid, although you’ll have to fork out for the pleasure with the hybrid powertrain still only sitting atop the mid-sizer’s range, priced at $59,900 drive-away.While it exudes quality like other Honda models, it also isn’t as efficient as some of its rivals, and doesn’t offer a plug-in or all-wheel drive in its hybrid form.Another impressive car from Honda, the ZR-V is a right-sized SUV to fill the increasingly large gap between the ever-growing CR-V and the still diminutive HR-V below.Again sporting the same Honda characteristics of great build quality, sharp driving dynamics and a practical interior space, with a smaller overall footprint than some of its rivals the ZR-V should be on any buyers shortlist.However, while it is marginally more affordable than its CR-V sibling, the ZR-V suffers from the same problem of only offering the sleek and efficient hybrid system on only its top-spec LX variant, eliminating savings from its fuel sipping powertrain via a much higher starting price ($54,900 before on-roads).Hyundai’s current-generation Tucson now has a few years behind it, but continues to be a strong seller thanks to gradual updates and price tweaks which keeps it high on the consideration list alongside its Kia Sportage sister vehicle and the segment-leading Toyota RAV4.Now strongest-selling as a fuel-sipping hybrid, the Tucson continues to be offered in a range of variants at many different price-points, with both front- and all-wheel drive options.The latest major updates synced the mid-sizer up with the rest of Hyundai’s range in offering a new interior design approach with fresh software, and even an array of buttons and dials for climate and volume controls we always like to see.Nissan has been embattled by rivals in recent years, but its ever-improving X-Trail continues to deserve a look-in as possibly the brand’s most competitive current offering.Spacious, modern, offered with up to seven seats, and with an innovative electric-first e-Power hybrid option, the X-Trail has a lot to offer buyers as a rival specifically to the RAV4 or Honda CR-V.Plus, it gets ergonomic fundamentals right, as well as a good level of refinement and a solid array of well-calibrated safety kit to keep newcomers at bay.Czech brand Skoda, as always, flies under the radar, and the Elroq is certainly worth your consideration thanks to a myriad of factors, not least of which is its surprisingly sharp starting price of (now) $49,990 drive-away. Did we mention it’s fully electric?On top of that, the Elroq is right-sized, with a modest but well-utilised footprint, which is laden with the brand’s clever touches like plenty of storage areas, an umbrella hidden in the door, and plenty of storage organisation options in the boot.The Elroq rides on Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform and is offered with either a long-range 85kWh battery, and now a standard-range 60kWh option. All versions are rear-wheel drive, keeping them efficient, with the longer-range one said to travel up to 529km on the WLTP cycle.The Enyaq is the Elroq’s larger sibling in Skoda’s two-pronged mid-size electric SUV range, offering a sportier look and feel.Recently updated to wear the brand’s latest and more futuristic design language, the Enyaq also inherits a lot of the same brilliant packaging as its smaller sibling. It also offers the same battery variants, which are still relatively long range considering their capacities, with the smaller version travelling 410km on the WLTP cycle, and the larger one travelling up to 548km.Not as affordable as the Elroq, but still good value in the segment, the Enyaq has a lot of the right ingredients to tempt buyers away from other popular offerings in this electric space like the Tesla Model Y or Kia EV5.To be clear here, the RAV4 being considered for our Car of the Year is the current generation, as the next-gen model hadn’t arrived in time for consideration.As dated as this top-seller may be though, it’s remained a top-seller for a reason, namely that it’s well laid out, comfortable, versatile and backed by Toyota’s ever-sturdy reputation.Its quality finish and ever smooth hybrid drive are still some of the best on the market, emulated by many to varying degrees of success.The RAV4 still bests them all in the sales charts though, and some may even argue the styling of this outgoing car is more appealing than the new one, which will also bring with it a long-awaited plug-in hybrid.Zeekr’s long-awaited third model has proven to be its most hyped. The Zeekr 7X is a fully electric premium SUV at the price of a high-end mainstream combustion or hybrid one.Despite its keen price-tag, this is still an impressively specified vehicle, with plenty of high-end features, a big battery with long driving range, and dynamics on par with much more expensive rivals.It also impresses on the design front, with Zeekr’s studio in Sweden next door to those of Polestar and Volvo making the Chinese newcomer feel like much more than a first attempt.

In a milestone market share breakthrough vehicles manufactured in China accounted for one in five new cars sold in Australia in October this year.

Electric cars have come a long way in a short time, and China’s EV market has shown us just how far they’ve come.China is the world’s largest electric vehicle market — and the source of the majority of Australia’s EVs — and the latest data shows a remarkable stat.According to the China Passenger Car Association, the average driving range of an electric car on sale in China is 528km.That’s an increase of about 25 per cent in half a decade, according to the data.Those driving ranges are calculated via the more lenient China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC), rather than the benchmark WLTP used in Europe and Australia.The data still shows that electric car driving range has improved by about a quarter in a short time.In Australia the default range for a new EV is generally around 500km, dispelling the range anxiety myth.New EVs from China and sold in Australia, such as the Zeekr 7X have a driving range from between 480km and 615km, and Tesla has just launched a new Chinese-built Model 3 RWD Long Range with up to 750km of range.Deepal’s new E07 ute-SUV mash-up has a driving range of up to 550km and Kia’s China-sourced EV5 can be driven up to 555km, depending on the variant.There are even more on the way if China is a guide, with the data showing more than 30 EVs on sale there with a driving range of more than 600km and 26 more with a range of more than 500km.500km is the new expectation for buyers in Australia and manufacturers have responded with a wave of new models at or exceeding the range, with Chinese brands or China-sourced vehicles leading the charge.The massive jump in electric driving range isn’t reserved to EVs. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs).EREVs use a petrol engine purely as a generator to charge the battery, with the wheels driven only by electric motors. PHEVs use a combination of a petrol engine and electric motors fed by a battery to drive the wheels.In China a PHEV with 100km of driving range is the new expectation with the majority boasting an EV-only driving limit of more than the century mark.EREVs are even more, with the vast majority claiming an electric-only driving range of more than 150km.This kind of performance hasn’t been fully realised in Australia where PHEVs and to a lesser extent EREVs are starting to gain traction.Several new options from Chinese brands, such as BYD, Chery and MG are pushing the boundaries of the new tech.Chery’s new Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid has a driving range of up to 170km in Australia.What is even more astounding is China is doing it at a lower cost than rival makers, which is helping to boost the technology Down Under.

Newcomer brand Zeekr says it will engage with local engineering firms Walkinshaw and Premcar to investigate local suspension tuning for its vehicles in Australia.