There are certainly very many rivals for an electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) like the Zeekr 7X, such is the proliferation of electric vehicles in the market now. However, if you ask me which car the 7X feels closest to, I will say it actually reminds me a lot of the BMW 7 Series.
Of course, the 7 Series is a high-end limo, while the 7X is more akin to a family SUV. However, such is the level of luxury and tech features in the 7X, that it certainly won’t feel out of place standing side by side with some of the plushest cars out there.
The experience starts even before you enter. Want to open the doors? Who needs door handles when you can simply press a button on the pillar? Likewise, closing the doors once you’re seated involves the same, or you can just depress the brake pedal and it closes by itself in one slick motion, no hands required.
This automatic door feature is a S$6,500 option on the 7X, but it feels well worth the money for the convenience it offers. Trust me, after experiencing it, you’ll be forever spoiled, and it’ll take a while for you to get used to closing the door manually once again.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, and the 7X offer loads more to indulge in the lap of luxury. There are the usual ventilated and massage seats, powered shades for the rear windows, controls for the rear occupant to move the front passenger seat, and even a refrigerator/heater compartment, perfect for storing whatever your in the mood is for, be it champagne or
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There’s also the very useful camera on the B-pillar that allows you to see what your kids are up to at the back, without requiring you to turn your head around. Quite neat actually, and it demonstrates how much thought Zeekr has put into making this a family-friendly SUV.
Audiophiles will appreciate the 21-speaker sound system which is pretty impressive, although it doesn’t quite hit the heights of the Yamaha system found on the 7X’s smaller sibling, the Zeekr X crossover.
For those with a cheeky streak, there are even external speakers on the car that can broadcast a variety of sounds and messages to people outside. You can let out a polite “Thanks for giving way”, or emit animal noises. I highly question the usefulness of such a function, but it’s a fun feature nonetheless.
And if passers-by turn to look at your 7X at night, they will see the illuminated front panel which can be customised with various lighting patterns. Zeekr calls it the Stargate, and it’s another S$8,000 option, although it doesn’t have the ability to display worded messages unlike the 7Xs sold in China. That would have been a rather cool bit to have, but sadly it is currently not allowed in Singapore as of yet.
Fancy lighting aside, the 7X does look fairly distinctive for an electric SUV. The sloping roofline does allude to a sense of sportiness, while the slim taillight bar that stretches across the width of the rear evokes hints of Porsche or Aston Martin.
To be fair, it certainly could pass off for either of those, especially in the top spec Performance trim tested here. The dual electric motors power an all-wheel-drive system, and puts out a total output of a hefty 637bhp and 710Nm of torque. The result is car that can rocket from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, despite weighing over 2.5 tons.
However, it delivers that power in a very smooth and linear fashion, building up velocity effectively with little drama. It doesn’t have that explosive sense of boost that many other high-powered EVs offer, but rest assured, you can still reach highly illegal speeds in double quick time.
It is perhaps the biggest indication of the 7X’s standing as a luxury-focused car, with its excellent refinement boosted by the adjustable air suspension system with adaptive damping that smooths out bumps without fuss. This is a car that will take on long highway trips all day without breaking a sweat.
That comfort-oriented setup though means that the 7X is not exactly the most engaging car to drive. The trick suspension manages to keep the car composed and balanced while cornering, but there’s no escaping the car’s sizeable dimensions, and the steering is also somewhat lacking in feel, although it is quick and direct enough to get you round the bend.
The 100kWh battery that powers the dual motors also gives the 7X Performance a claimed range of 540km on a full charge, which is pretty good for the most part, although obviously that figure might drop a tad if you decide to utilise the car’s full power regularly.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of the 7X Performance though is the cost. While its price tag of just under $300,000 with COE is fairly reasonable for a car of its qualities, and especially considering the amount of features you get, the high power output means that this variant in particular attracts nearly $7,000 in annual road tax in Singapore. It’s a staggering figure any way you look at it, and it’s enough to make any potential buyer pause for thought.
You certainly can opt for the lesser-powered variants like the Standard or Long Range, which are both somewhat less powerful and thus more tax-friendly. But you’ll also end up forgoing some of the goodies that the top-spec version offers, so it really becomes a question of striking the right balance.
That said though, few other cars in this segment offer the kind of opulence that the 7X delivers, and it’s hard to imagine that this is fundamentally still a practical family SUV. Make no mistake, the 7X is a car that opens its doors to welcome you into a world of unparalleled luxury, literally.