Zeekr 009 review: If Bentley did an MPV, it might look like this
[SINGAPORE] In 30 years reviewing cars, the Zeekr 009 is the first one to turn up for me with a chauffeur. As Sean, my affable driver for six hours, slid open the door to usher me into its vast interior, I chose to believe that Premium Automobiles really wanted me to experience what it's like to ride around in the back of the plush electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), instead of suspecting that they'd heard rumours about my driving.
Anyway, who would mind being in the business end of a car thoughtfully crafted to deliver a uniquely Chinese take on luxury? For a start, this was the six-seat Flagship version, not the seven-seat Premium one, so the door opened up to a pair of airline-style thrones that reclined into what Zeekr describes as an Eames chair mode.
Climb aboard and it's immediately clear that the 009 is a rolling lounge kitted out with every modern convenience known to man except plumbing (although I'd bet a stack of yuan that the Chinese are working on putting a lavatory in, complete with bidet). Meanwhile, you get a huge flip-down screen, a fridge, fold-out tray tables and a Yamaha sound system with 30 speakers.
In terms of electric-vehicle hardware, it comes with a 116 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery good for 582 km of range, and if you plug in a 150 kilowatt DC charger, it'll go from 10 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.
Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
The cabin itself is an 80 square-foot masterclass in plushness. It's swathed in soft-touch materials, upholstered in top-grade Nappa leather and dressed in a high-end colour palette that mixes elegant tones with brushed metal accents. Even the crystalline seat switches glint like something from a jewellery counter.
In short, the 009 is Zeekr's upscale riposte to the Toyota Alphard market, but done with such refinement that if Bentley ever did an MPV, it might end up like this. The electric drivetrain helps, of course, but it's the combination of whisper-quiet motors and standard air suspension that gives the 009 its uncannily smooth, gliding ride. Riding in the back feels like floating on a cloud, only one with seats that cool you, warm you and massage you, all at once if you want.
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As reluctant as I was to leave my massage session, duty made me climb into the third-row seats. I found them surprisingly habitable, even for adults, the big windows keep things feeling light and airy back there. I was more impressed with the suspension. Unlike the Denza D9, which can get bouncy, the 009 keeps things level and composed.
I quizzed Sean about his thoughts on the Zeekr, because I figured I would be the kind of benevolent tycoon who wanted to hear from the hired help from time to time. 'I had a preconception about electric cars. You know, people say they have no soul,' he said. 'Then I drove this and I was like, 'Okay, this is actually really good!''
Sean continued his review by enthusing about the 'bucket loads' of power from the 009's two motors and its smooth braking, but wasn't too hot on the touchscreen controls ('There's just too much going on,' he said), and wished for more physical switches. A man after my own heart.
Sean, the writer's affable chauffeur for six hours, ushers the writer into the Zeekr 009's vast interior. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Just in case he was after my job, too, I eventually took the tiller. I'd say the 009 feels vaguely like a land yacht slicing through calm waters, all majestic and smooth. But steer it into a tight car park, and you're suddenly aware that there are several metres of expensive metal behind you. It's a huge car, with all the attendant challenges of driving one, but thankfully the 360-degree camera system is top-notch. Elsewhere, there are sensors galore to keep you from straying out of lane or generally crashing into things, so its size is more daunting than disastrous.
As a family MPV, the 009 is less convincing, since the boot isn't particularly big for a car this size, but it's clear that practicality isn't the point here. Zeekr's priorities didn't lie in building you a car for the grocery run, but to arrive like someone who's used to being met at the door.
It's a car for someone who prefers to be driven, and who doesn't flinch at a road tax bill of S$6,526 a year. If that's you, the Zeekr 009 definitely has a place in your fleet. Unlike me, however, you'll have to supply your own chauffeur.
Zeekr 009 Flagship
Motor Power/Torque: 534 hp/ 686 Nm
Battery Type/Net Capacity: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt/116 kWh
Charging Time/Type: 30 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (150 kW DC), 13.5 hours (11 kW AC)
Range: 582 km
0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds
Top Speed: 210 km/h
Efficiency: 22.3 kWh/100 km
Agent: Premium Automobiles BEV
Price: S$419,999 with COE
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