Zeekr, Geely Automobile Group’s premium electric vehicle (EV) brand from China, is making a bold move to shed its budget Chinese car image by focusing on luxury. The mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) 7X, its first model launched in South Korea, is leading this charge.
The 7X turns heads with its upscale design and wealth of convenient features. It clearly positions itself as a luxury family SUV, boasting a spacious interior and various functionalities tailored for family passengers.
The driving performance also prioritizes comfort. Acceleration and braking are notably smooth, delivering a stable ride. However, the accelerator pedal’s responsiveness and some driver assistance features could use some fine-tuning.
I test-drove the Zeekr 7X Max trim on Tuesday. The drive took place between a hotel in Seoul’s Gwangjin district and a resort in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The Max trim, the middle option among the 7X’s three trims, features rear-wheel drive and an NCM battery.
The 7X’s exterior is sleek and uncluttered. Its smooth, curved body is reminiscent of Volvo and Polestar, which are part of the same automotive group.
However, the Stargate Light spanning the front showcases Zeekr’s unique design identity, distinguishing it from Volvo and Polestar. This daytime running light (DRL) measures 93 inches and incorporates 1,831 light-emitting diodes (LEDs), allowing for various welcome light patterns through the vehicle interface.
The vehicle measures 189 inches in length, 75.6 inches in width, and 65 inches in height. Compared to the Genesis GV70, another mid-size SUV, the 7X is 3.3 inches longer, 0.4 inches wider, and 0.8 inches taller. While it’s on the larger side for its class, its curvy exterior makes it appear less imposing in person.
The interior mirrors the exterior’s simplicity. A large central display minimizes physical buttons, and the gear selector is mounted in a column format on the steering wheel. This design approach aims to convey luxury through simplicity rather than flashy ornamentation.
The interior feels more spacious than expected. Thanks to its 114.2-inch wheelbase, rear legroom is generous, and headroom is ample. This is particularly impressive considering many EVs compromise headroom to lower body height for improved aerodynamics.
The panoramic sunroof, covering most of the roof, enhances the sense of openness. Combined with the generous headroom, it makes the interior feel more spacious than the vehicle’s actual dimensions would suggest.
The 7X also boasts an array of convenience features. Reclining rear seats, sunshades, a refrigerated/heated compartment in the center console, and power-operated automatic doors all enhance passenger comfort. There’s even a second-row camera allowing the driver to check on rear passengers without turning around.
The interior includes 32 storage spaces, including a drawer-type compartment under the second-row seats. The trunk offers 19 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 69.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. These spacious and family-friendly features underscore its premium family SUV positioning.
Driving Experience Impresses With its Smoothness, Though Acceleration Could Use Some Improvement.
The driving dynamics are tuned for family-friendly comfort. The Max trim I tested features a single rear-mounted motor producing 421 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. It can sprint from 0 to 60 mph (about 0 to 100 km/h) in 6 seconds.
The standout aspect of the driving experience was the smoothness of acceleration and braking. Even when pressing the accelerator firmly, speed built steadily rather than abruptly. The brakes responded naturally without sudden deceleration.
However, the acceleration felt less punchy than the high power output would suggest. At times, the accelerator pedal felt somewhat unresponsive. Switching from Comfort to Sport mode didn’t yield a significant difference in feel.
The test vehicle had its motion sickness mitigation feature activated. A Zeekr Korea representative explained that this feature, which prevents sudden acceleration and braking at launch, could affect accelerator pedal responsiveness.
The regenerative braking was quite noticeable throughout the drive. Even with one-pedal driving disabled and regen set to its lowest level, lifting off the accelerator still produced the characteristic feel of regenerative braking. This might feel unnatural to drivers who prefer a smoother, momentum-based driving style.
Ride quality was generally good but varied with road conditions. The vehicle effectively filtered out minor bumps and vibrations. Combined with refined acceleration and braking responses and excellent noise insulation, it delivered a comfortable and stable ride.
However, speed bumps and rough surfaces transmitted more noticeable impacts. While the top-tier Ultra trim features air suspension and continuously variable damping (CCD), these aren’t available on the Max trim.
The advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) performed well overall. The adaptive cruise control smoothly adjusted speed while maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The automatic parking feature also worked adequately. However, the automatic lane change assist left room for improvement. Even with ample space in the adjacent lane, the system sometimes failed to initiate a lane change when signaled.
The 7X is offered in three trims: Pro, Max, and Ultra. The Max and Ultra trims use a 100 kWh NCM battery from China’s CATL, offering ranges of 300 and 273 miles (about 483 and 439 km) respectively. The entry-level Pro trim, equipped with a 75 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, has a 233-mile (about 375 km) range.
Fast charging can boost the battery from 10% to 80% in just 13 to 16 minutes. Pricing is set at 52.99 million KRW (about 40,000 USD) for the Pro, 59.99 million KRW (about 45,000 USD) for the Max, and 69.99 million KRW (about 52,400 USD) for the Ultra trim.