7X: An experience like no other

Hangzhou: The weather was perfect for a day out — slightly chilly with a light breeze and the occasional drizzle. We were at a testing facility in Hangzhou to test drive Zeekr’s electric vehicle lineup, with particular focus on the upcoming 7X, which is soon to hit the roads in the UAE.

I had already gotten a first-hand look at the Zeekr 7X the day before at the Shanghai Auto Show, where I was invited as a guest of the company. And I must say, my first impression was nothing short of impressive.

For a company founded just four years ago in 2021, Zeekr has made remarkable strides—especially in design. The 7X looks strikingly attractive and feels like a serious contender in the midsize luxury SUV segment. It’s poised to challenge not only European premium brands but also take on the Tesla Model Y head-to-head.

One of the Zeekr 7X’s standout features is its second-generation 75-kWh Golden Battery, which charges from 10% to 80% in just 13 minutes and delivers a driving range of up to 480 km (WLTP). Even a quick 5-minute charge provides more than 2 hours of driving. The 7X is also available with a larger 100 kWh Qilin Battery, capable of charging from 10% to 80% in just 16 minutes and offering a range of up to 615 km (WLTP).

The Zeekr 7X is built on Geely’s advanced Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), making it an 800-volt EV. It comes in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations, with one permanent magnet synchronous motor powering the rear wheels, and an additional motor for the front in AWD variants.

Interior

The interior feels genuinely premium. It’s spacious and thoughtfully designed, offering a wide array of settings. Standard interior features include power second-row seats, laser-etched ambient lighting displays across the dash and along the front door trims, and a full-length panoramic sunroof with a powered sunshade.

Dominating the dashboard is a 16-inch ultra-slim touchscreen. The physical buttons are minimal with nearly everything running through the screen. But there is a digital driver display, and you can spec a massive 36-inch head-up display.

Rear space is generous, with loads of head- and legroom. The sliding rear seats let you shift the balance between passenger comfort and boot capacity.

The entertainment system is very comprehensive and can be customizable according to your requirements.

Exterior

Zeekr's cars are significantly designed at their main design studio in Gothenburg facility in Sweden and the team has worked hard in making the car look elegant. 7X is right size at 4787mm long and 2900mm wheelbase which means it gives you a more spacious cabin experience than the Tesla Model Y.

The front of the 7X is eye-catching design with Matrix LED headlights and the full-length rear light cluster making it quite attractive.

The car has an option for electric doors. The door can be opened with a press of a button on the B-pillar of the door. And again, to close them we can either close the door with the button on the door or just tap the brake. This car also has one of these proximity keys which unlocks and locks the car when you walk up to it or when you walk away from it.

Safety

The 7X comes packed with the expected array of driver assistance features, such as lane keep assist and autonomous emergency braking. But it also steps things up with more advanced tech like automated lane change assist. This system actively monitors traffic flow, checks blind spots, and evaluates the speed of surrounding vehicles.

On the performance side, a new braking system enables torque vectoring by selectively applying braking force. The result is sharper handling and reduced understeer, particularly through corners.

Entry to UAE

With the 7X soon to be launched in the UAE through AW Rostamani Automotive’s network of official showrooms which comprises both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, starting at approximately Dh200,000, 7X is surely going to give a run for the money for its competitors.