What's the difference?
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!
Electric cars. Australia now has quite a few, and to add more confusion to the mix, there are a litany of all-new brands releasing models into this new frontier of the automotive landscape.
Most new electric cars are in Australia’s favourite buying category, the SUV, but there’s also a ute, some odd sedan-y things, and, of course, a handful of hatchbacks.
Hailing from Spain, the Cupra Born sets itself apart from the rest for a few reasons though. Firstly, it promises to be a hot hatch, something we haven’t really seen much of yet, and secondly, it has to bear the burden of launching Volkswagen Group’s all-electric MEB platform to the Australian market, but most importantly for Australians keen to hop into their first electric car, it promises to do this while offering a long range at a reasonable price.
Can it really do it all? We attended the Cupra Born’s Australian launch to find out.
The first thing that comes to mind in summing up the Zeekr 7X Performance is value. So much standard equipment for the money, stunning acceleration, top-shelf safety and a solid ownership package. It’s also practical, comfortable and the design inside and out is sleek. This electric SUV has thrown down a hefty gauntlet in challenging its existing opposition and there’s no doubt if you’re in this part of the market you should take a close look.
The Cupra Born has so much going for it. An appealing price, long range, and super cool design chief among them.
I think the main thing holding it back will be that it doesn’t quite have the same out-and-out performance people have come to expect from a ‘hot hatch’ in the era of cars like the VW Golf R.
Importantly though, it delivers huge dollops of fun and driver engagement, something that's quite rare in the electric era.