Zeekr 7X vs Omoda 9

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!

Does Australia need yet another new car brand?

It’s the question I keep asking myself seemingly every other week as a new brand announces its intention to join the other 70 odd marques already competing for a slice of the Australia new-car market.

Chery made a successful re-entry into the Australian market in 2023, quickly establishing itself as a value-led brand. Earlier this year it launched Jaecoo, its more premium, adventure-focused offering and announced it would be spun-off into separate showrooms alongside the new Omoda brand.

The first Omoda-badged vehicle has now arrived, the Omoda 9 Virtue SHS (Super Hybrid System), which will join the almost-as-new Jaecoo J7 and J8 in the growing number of dealers around Australia.

So, does Australia need Omoda? Does the Omoda 9 Virtue SHS make a compelling case, in the same way the sharply-priced Chery models have? 

Read on for our verdict.