Zeekr 7X vs Toyota Land Cruiser

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!

The Toyota LandCruiser has joined the ranks of the new wave of hybrid vehicles with a powertrain that combines a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and an electric motor.

The 'i-Force Max' hybrid set-up, borrowed from the USA’s big ol’ Tundra, is aimed at improving the LandCruiser’s performance on- and off-road, rather than achieving greater fuel efficiency.

And with substantial increases in power (up 114kW to 341kW combined peak output) and torque (up 90Nm to 790Nm combined peak output) off-road enthusiasts are justifiably interested in how this unit’s on-paper impressiveness transfers into real-world efficacy.

The Cruiser has always been renowned for its prowess in the dirty stuff so will this hybrid powertrain make the classic off-road tourer a whole lot better?

Read on.