Zeekr 7X Reviews

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.

Sales of new Chinese-made cars in Australia have been on the rise for a number of years now, but 2025 saw it reach new heights.According to VFACTS sales data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, a total of 221,699 new vehicles imported from China were sold in Australia, which is up 25.9 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this figure doesn’t include Tesla and Polestar sales. Every Polestar and almost every Tesla (excluding the updated Model Y Performance) sold in Australia are made in China.Combining this Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) sales data, it’s understood more than 252,000 Chinese-made cars were sold in Australia during 2025. An exact figure can’t be determined as Tesla doesn’t provide any data indicating how many of its Australian-delivered cars were made in China and Germany.Even despite this, China has now overtaken Thailand as the second largest new vehicle import market in Australia. A total of 249,958 Thai-made new vehicles were sold in Australia during 2025, which is down 8.2 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that this is still behind Japan, which has been the largest new vehicle import market in Australia for decades now. A total of 358,981 Japanese-made new vehicles were sold in Australia last year, which is down 5.3 per cent year-on-year.The large jump in Chinese-made new vehicles in Australia is likely attributable to the wealth of new Chinese brands that launched last year. Examples include Deepal, Geely, JAC, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, Omoda, XPeng and Zeekr.These brands are able to scale quickly in Australia as they view it as a test market for further expansion. Plus, there are no import tariffs to hinder potential sales.There was also astronomical growth in a number of existing Chinese brands in Australia. Sales of Chery vehicles were up 176.8 per cent year-on-year and BYD vehicles were up 156.2 per cent year-on-year.Chinese brands GWM, BYD and MG have all cemented their place in the top 10 best sellers and continue to grow.Although Chinese-made car sales rose a considerable amount last year, the top 10 best-selling models were largely imported from Japan or Thailand. The best-selling Chinese-made car last year was the 10th placed Tesla Model Y with a total of 22,239 examples sold.A number of non-Chinese carmakers have been taking note of how Chinese-made cars have been performing in Australia and are quickly pivoting to producing models in that country.As examples, the Cupra Tavascan, Kia EV5, Lotus Eletre and Emeya, as well as the forthcoming Hyundai Elexio, Mazda 6e and Mazda CX-6e are all made in China.For now we'll have to wait and see, but China could soon topple Japan and become the biggest new vehicle import market in Australia if it continues its trajectory.

The European Union is proposing an alternative to its tariffs targeting Chinese-made electric-powered vehicles, in the form of a minimum price model, according to Bloomberg.Under the model, Chinese exporters can submit price offers, which must be “adequate to eliminate the injurious effects of the subsidies and provide equivalent effect to duties”.Details such as the minimum import price, sales channels, cross compensation and future investments in the EU must be included.Alternatively, brands who do not use this new model will continue to be subject to the tariffs.A 2024 investigation found China’s car exporters gained unfair advantage from Chinese government subsidies, which found they were able to sell cars significantly under the price of Europe-built alternatives.To combat this, Chinese brands were hit with tariffs of up to 35 per cent on imports in addition to a 10 per cent foreign cars tariff.These tariffs are designed to counteract the impact of these subsidies to protect jobs and entice buyers toward European cars.They also are intended to encourage Chinese brands to build cars in Europe.Chinese auto makers have already begun building cars in Europe.For example, Xpeng is using local assembly in Austria, while Leapmotor manufactures cars in Poland.This latest change demonstrates a cooperative approach between the EU and Chinese car makers, described as a “soft landing” in China.Despite tough economic conditions for Chinese car makers in Europe, brands are gaining an increasingly strong hold.Chinese car brands outsold Renault and Audi in Europe during August in 2025. The following month they sold more vehicles than South Korean brands in Western Europe for the first time ever.These defiant sales figures are largely due to Chinese brands shifting focus from EVs to the import of hybrid and internal combustion vehicles.The news comes after reports that the EU is planning to remove its total ban on petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035.

You can't fit 10kg of dirt into a 5kg bag. That feels like an appropriate metaphor for the Australian car industry, where seemingly every few weeks a new car brand arrives to stake its claim on a piece of the market.

Details on Zeekr’s next model for Australia, dubbed 8X, have come to light thanks to the car’s filing with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.The 8X was recently teased by the brand, but the new filing reveals much deeper details.It revealed a five-or-six seater plug-in hybrid luxury car measuring more than five-meters long.The styling is more in-line with the brand’s flagship 9X and 009 people mover, featuring a slotted chrome grille rather than the more sleek grille-free styling of the 7X mid-sizer, X small SUV and 7GT wagon.It also scores impressive specifications for its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain, as the brand moves further away from its original EV-only mission.Chinese information confirms a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (205kW) paired to electric motors for an as-yet-to-be-determined total power output. The larger 9X uses a similar set-up with three electric motors and has a combined power output of over 1000kW.It also features enormous battery capacities, ranging from 55.1kWh to 70kWh for pure electric driving ranges of 256km or 328km, according to the more lenient Chinese measuring protocol.Even accounting for the usual differences between this and the more widely-accepted WLTP measurements, it would still make the 8X one of the longest range PHEV on the market.The filling confirms the 8X will be more than five meters long, with a wheelbase of more than three meters, which puts it firmly in the extra large SUV category and even eclipses the Range Rover Sport in terms of footprint.The Zeekr 8X is due to hit the Chinese market in the first half of 2026, so watch this space for full details on the model.Zeekr Australia has confirmed to CarsGuide multiple new models are on its radar for 2026, including the 8X, 9X and the 7GT station wagon it recently showcased at the International EV show in Sydney.The Chinese premium marque, which serves as the premium arm of its Geely parent company and a sister brand to both Polestar and Volvo, had a slow start in Australia last year.Its X small SUV and 009 luxury people mover proved to be niche sellers, but the brand nearly doubled its volume for the year instantly with the arrival of the highly anticipated 7X fully electric mid-size SUV.As the brand builds out its line-up, it could also be bolstered further down the track by the introduction of re-badged models from its Euro-focused Lynk & Co sister brand, which has always specialised in plug-in hybrids.Stay tuned for more on Zeekr’s expansion plans later in 2026.

China’s Zeekr has confirmed it has a new high-performance flagship SUV in the works and it’s reportedly set to launch in its domestic market during the first half of 2026.The Zeekr 8X is set to slot between the 7X electric mid-size SUV and the 9X plug-in hybrid large SUV.The Chinese carmaker has shared a few photos of the 8X with camouflage giving us an indication of what the exterior design looks like.While the 9X is clearly inspired by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan in terms of exterior design, the forthcoming 8X shrinks the form factor and brings a sportier, almost Range Rover Sport-esque look.There are C-shaped daytime running lights with a split-level headlight setup, C-shaped tail-lights with a lightbar connecting them, a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor, plus traditional pull-style door handles.As reported by Car News China, it’s expected the Zeekr 8X will be based on a version of the same SEA-S hybrid platform, which underpins the 9X. It’ll likely only offer five seats, however three-row versions might still be on the cards.Technical details haven’t been revealed yet, though the powertrains are expected to mirror what’s already offered in the 9X.This likely means there will be two or three electric motors, depending on the configuration, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine acting as a range extender. Total system outputs could go all the way up to 1030kW and 1410Nm.The Zeekr 9X is already claimed to go from 0-100km/h in 3.1 seconds and it’s expected the 8X could be a little faster again given it’s a tad smaller.It’s expected the 9X’s 900V high-voltage battery packs will also carry over to the 8X. There are 55kWh and 70kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery packs offered with the latter offering up to 380km of electric range in the 9X, according to the lenient CLTC cycle.If this is the case, expect a little more range for the 8X given it’s smaller than the 9X.It’s claimed you can charge the battery pack from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as nine minutes.At this stage it’s unclear whether the Zeekr 8X will be coming to Australia.Zeekr has been selling vehicles in the Australian market for over 12 months now, launching initially with the X electric small SUV and the 009 electric people mover.The Chinese carmaker recently launched the 7X electric mid-size SUV in Australia, also confirming it won’t receive any updates for the next 12-18 months.

The only constant is change – a smart person once said that.

China is about to ban a popular feature on new cars.Retractable door handles on cars will be banned in China from January 2027, according to a public notice from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).Under the draft rules, cars will be required to have mechanical emergency releases for exterior and interior door handles. Exterior door handles must be positioned within accessible areas on the door or door frame. For interior side doors, they must have at least one mechanical interior handle, and a minimum of one interior handle must be visible to occupants.Many manufacturers had been adopting retractable door handles on their vehicles, with it quickly becoming the latest premium gimmick.There are also some other more practical benefits such as aiding aerodynamics by reducing drag when the car is moving. Despite the points in favour, there have been several safety concerns raised, including a fatal fire-related incident in China recently. In situations where electric vehicles become submerged or catch alight, the electrics can malfunction and halt the operation of any electric door handles, leaving occupants trapped. This latest ban will require manufacturers to rethink their approach to door handle design if they want to continue selling their cars in China.This will likely have knock-on effects for Australia given it's an important export market for many Chinese carmakers.Among the many carmakers utilising electric door handles are Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, as well as plenty of Chinese competitors. Similar concerns around electric door handle safety have also been raised in Australia.The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has adapted its safety testing protocols from 2026, placing emphasis on electric door handles. “Increasingly popular electrically-operated door handles – which sit flush with bodywork when not in use – should remain operable after any crash,” a press release read. ANCAP’s official 2026 changes brochure expands on this. “We’re asking that cars with electric door handles – those powered by the cars’ 12 volt auxiliary battery – provide the ability for all side door handles to be in the extended/ready-to-open position immediately after a crash,” it reads. “They’ll also need to remain operable from the inside, or provide a manual override, so that occupants can exit, or first-responders can gain access inside the vehicle after a crash.”

New car reviews are the backbone of CarsGuide’s offering to its readers and viewers. The aim is to provide in-market buyers with the independent information they need to make an informed purchase decision and interested browsers with enough detail to satisfy their curiosity.

Feel like there’s suddenly a whole lot of new car brands with logos you don’t even recognise.