Latest news with #VolvoEX30
Auto Blog
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Volvo Responds to Tariffs with Mass Layoffs & EX30 Price Bump
Expected to start at $35,000, the Volvo EX30 will cost more as tariffs loom large over the industry. Another victim of tariffs As tariffs continue to cause uncertainty in the automotive industry, Volvo is cutting jobs and raising prices. Though tariffs have yet to be implemented by the United States government, Volvo is being proactive. Like many automakers, the automaker is taking steps to navigate an uncertain future, both in the short and long term. 2025 Ford Maverick: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to think twice Watch More Volvo plans to cut approximately 3,000 jobs as part of its 'cost and cash action plan,' which, in part, aims to eliminate redundancies across the company. The automaker says it will eliminate approximately 1,000 consultants across its organization, 1,200 roles at offices in Sweden, and roughly 800 positions in its remaining global markets. The cuts represent about 15 percent of Volvo's total global workforce. 2025 Volvo EX30 AWD — Source: Zac Palmer The EX30 now costs more – a lot more When Volvo announced the EX30, it boldly claimed that the small SUV would arrive for $34,950—an incredible price point for any electric vehicle. Since that announcement, the U.S. government has imposed tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) made in China, prompting Volvo to avoid importing EX30s built in China to the United States. To avoid tariff charges, Volvo ramped up production in Belgium. Now, a looming 50 percent tariff on European autos has caused Volvo to raise a white flag. Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said on Friday that selling the automaker's Belgium-made EX30 stateside for the original $34,950 price tag would be 'almost impossible' at this point. Thanks to tariffs, Volvo has raised the starting price of the EX30 to $46,195, as first reported by Reuters. The $46,195 price point seems curious because it's not a round number, but it appears to be grounded in logic. That new price represents a roughly 32 percent increase. Initially, the Trump administration proposed a 25 percent tariff on European goods, which has since been bandied as 50 percent. A 32 percent price increase appears to be Volvo hedging a bet that a 25 percent tariff is more likely than a 50 percent tariff, and that it will protect its profit margin if the tariffs are implemented. Most Volvo cars sold in the United States are imported from Europe. Samuelson, hopeful the EU and the U.S. can find common ground on trade, said, 'I believe there will be a deal soon. It could not be in the interest of Europe or the U.S. to shut down trade between them.' 2025 Volvo EX30 AWD — Source: Zac Palmer Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Tariffs scare more than Volvo Tariffs are rattling several European automakers, not just Volvo. BMW recently halted its EV efforts in the United States, VW put a freeze on pricing to ease consumer fears, Nissan is drastically cutting back on production, Hyundai is cautioning dealerships about potential price increases, and Jaguar Land Rover has halted shipments of vehicles into the United States. Even the threat of tariffs has automakers on high alert. The industry is built on the back of a global supply chain, and creating a fully U.S.-based manufacturing and supply chain to avoid tariffs is likely impractical and impossible. 2025 Volvo EX30 — Source: Zac Palmer Final thoughts Automakers are worried, but consumers are the ones paying the price—literally. Volvo has a large factory in Charleston, South Carolina, and says it'll ramp up production there. However, the plant doesn't currently manufacture fully electric vehicles, so we can expect to see more hybrids available on Volvo lots soon. Tariffs also interrupt the push toward full electrification.
Car and Driver
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Tested: 2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Bends Reality
About two years ago, Volvo announced the EX30, a compact electric crossover that headlined with an audacious base price around $35,000. A single-motor version would anchor the low end of the lineup and entice younger buyers into the Volvo fold, while a performance-oriented dual-motor version would pad profit margins with a much higher sticker price. That was the plan back in 2023, but as you may have heard, there's been a bit of turmoil in the car market since then—particularly for imports, EVs, and cars at the lower end of the price spectrum. The EX30, belonging to all three of those cohorts, is in a particularly fraught position, so Volvo did the logical thing and trimmed the lineup. Go ahead and take a wild guess which EX30 variant is on sale now. If you think it's the bare-bones affordable one, we have a bridge in Jönköping to sell you. HIGHS: Bonkers acceleration, admirable efficiency, tidy dimensions. The EX30 Twin Motor Performance starts at $46,195 for the Plus trim, while our Ultra-trim test car goes for $47,895. There's not much difference in pricing between the two because there's barely any difference in the trims, with the Ultra including extra driver-assist features—automatic rear braking, Volvo's Pilot Assist lane-keeping and adaptive cruise, and a 360-degree camera system. The challenge for the uplevel EX30 is that it's based on a car that was aimed at a much lower price point, and evidence of that fiscal discipline abounds. View Exterior Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver Connoisseurs of the modern Volvo interior experience will find no crystal shifters or gray ash veneer here. Also: no dedicated rear window switches up front, no key fob, no gauges in front of the driver, and no knobs or buttons whatsoever besides the stalks on either side of the steering wheel and the multipurpose buttons on the wheel itself. The tinted glass roof doesn't open, nor does it have an interior shade. There's no start/stop button. Your primary interface with the car is a touchscreen that, at 12.3 inches, is smaller than some current iPads. View Interior Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver All of this is framed as stark Scandinavian minimalism, and Volvo at least has the cred to pitch it that way. But in practice you might wish for a few more non-virtual buttons and physical controls. Sometimes, you put the EX30 in Park and step out and the car remains awake, your music blaring—there's no button to push on the featureless black rectangle known as the key tag. You can use your phone as a key (a.k.a. digital key plus) as long as you have an iPhone 11 or newer, and there's an EX30 app that can spoof some of the functions of a physical fob, like unlocking the doors. But mostly you just trust the car to power up when you climb in and put itself to bed when you leave, even if that occasionally means that passersby catch the final refrains of "Dr. Feelgood" as you open the door. At least the buttons on the right side of the steering wheel can control the stereo volume—if they're not being deployed to adjust the exterior mirrors. Yes, Volvo clearly spent plenty of time with a Tesla or two. LOWS: Bare-bones interior aesthetic, indifferent handling, limited range. If the EX30's spartan interior recalls a race car more than it does a traditional Volvo, so does its performance. Volvo predicted that the dual-motor EX30 would become its quickest car yet, and it was right. The EX30 is small—nearly seven inches shorter than a Jeep Compass—and narrow enough that you have to take the drivers out of a golf bag to fit clubs in the cargo area. It's also light for an EV, with our test car weighing a relatively feathery 4189 pounds. But it packs 422 horsepower, and that's a formula for righteous acceleration. Our example torched 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, which is awfully close to the starting-line jolt you'd get in a PDK-equipped Porsche 911. Reaching triple-digit speeds requires just 8.6 seconds. If the EX30's quarter-mile sprint—11.8 seconds at 112 mph—doesn't seem quite as keen as its off-the-line energy, that's partly because the wee Volvo is approaching its 114-mph speed limiter by the end of the quarter. We can attest that it's great fun to smoke V-8 Mustangs at stoplights with a small Volvo, particularly when it's painted a shade of yellow that's "inspired by the lichen on Swedish granite." View Interior Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver Fortunately, the EX30's brakes are up to the task of erasing all this speed, hauling it down to a stop from 70 mph in 166 feet and from 100 mph in 331 feet. Of course, you needn't touch the brake pedal much at all in daily driving if you engage one-pedal drive from the touchscreen. We preferred the more natural coasting setting, preferably when paired with the Performance AWD mode. The EX30's 253-mile EPA-rated range—stout for a car with a modest 64-kWh battery—is goosed by the Volvo's eco-minded standard drive mode, in which the front motor is dormant until called upon. Locking the wee SUV in AWD helps quell any wheelspin, but it might also cost you some range. Which is important given our car went only 160 miles on our 75-mph range test. Volvo says the EX30 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in less than 27 minutes on a DC fast-charger, and an 11.0-kW onboard AC charger will make for reasonably timely fill-ups at home. In our testing, however, its battery took 39 minutes to go from 10 to 90 percent on a DC hookup, with an average draw of only 83 kilowatts. Its peak rate never approached its 153-kW max. The EX30's handling is best described as benign, with limits more in line with your small-crossover expectations—0.85 g on the skidpad, with the Michelin Primacy All Season tires gently proclaiming their preference for minimal noise and low rolling resistance over outright stick. Indeed, 69 decibels inside at 70 mph makes for a fairly quiet environment. There are three choices for steering effort, with the firmest one feeling like it would be our default setting. Speaking of default settings, the EX30's invasive lane-keeping tech defaults to active. On the highway you don't notice it as much, but it's constantly tugging at the wheel on two-lane roads. Perhaps Volvo's over-the-air-update department could see fit to rectify that. View Interior Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver As for whether Volvo will ever get around to building the single-motor EX30 and attempting to realize its original thrifty-EV vision, that's a hard maybe. They're looking into it, but there's no timeline. What is imminent is the EX30 Cross Country, an all-terrain offshoot that will send the price further upward. In the meantime, the EX30 Twin Motor Performance offers a glimpse of what might've been and what might still be. But if this is the only EX30 we ever get, at least we get the quickest Volvo ever built. View Exterior Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver VERDICT: Of course the quickest production Volvo ever built is a sleeper. Specifications Specifications 2025 Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base/As Tested: $47,895/$48,395 Options: Climate package (heated steering wheel and front seats), $500 POWERTRAIN Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 154 hp, 148 lb-ft Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 268 hp, 253 lb-ft Combined Power: 422 hp Combined Torque: 400 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 64 kWh Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 153 kW Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 12.7-in vented disc/12.6-in vented disc Tires: Michelin Primacy All Season 245/45R-19 M+S POL DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 104.3 in Length: 166.7 in Width: 72.3 in Height: 61.2 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 56/37 ft3 Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 32/14 ft3 Curb Weight: 4189 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 3.3 sec 100 mph: 8.6 sec 1/4-Mile: 11.8sec @ 112 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.5 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.5 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.0 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 114 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 166 ft Braking, 100–0 mph: 331 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING Observed: 83 MPGe 75-mph Highway Range: 160 mi Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 83 kW DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 39 min EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 109/116/100 MPGe Range: 253 mi C/D TESTING EXPLAINED Reviewed by Ezra Dyer Senior Editor Ezra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He's now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive.
7NEWS
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
2025 Zeekr X AWD review
Jeepers, what's a Zeekr? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30, which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? How much does the Zeekr X cost? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool What is the Zeekr X like on the inside? You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no limo. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool What's under the bonnet? The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool How does the Zeekr X drive? Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool What do you get? The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: 19-inch alloy wheels 235/50 R19 Continental EcoContact 6 tyres Two-tone exterior paint – black roof, mirrors) Frameless side mirrors: Panoramic sunroof Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) functionality Semi-autonomous park assist Rain-sensing wipers Black/grey 'leather-free' interior upholstery 6-way power driver seat 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless phone charger 7-speaker sound system Auto-dimming frameless rear-view mirror Dual-zone climate control Rear air vents (B-pillar mounted) 5G-WiFi hotspot Connected services – 5yr subscription Vehicle over-the-air upgrade capability Zeekr App functionality Zeekr X AWD adds: 20-inch forged alloy wheels 245/45 R20 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres 24.3-inch augmented reality head-up display 6-way power-adjustable passenger seat Driver's seat memory 4-way power lumbar support Heated, ventilated front seats Heated steering wheel 13-speaker Yamaha sound system 'Ice Block' LED ambient lighting To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Options The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) 6-way power passenger seat Memory function – driver seat 4-way power lumbar support – front seats Heating and ventilation – front seats Heated steering wheel 13-speaker Yamaha sound system 'Ice Block' LED ambient lighting Standalone options include: Midnight Blue/Polar White interior: $500 Mulberry/Rose interior: $500 To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Is the Zeekr X safe? The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: 7 airbags incl. front-centre Autonomous emergency braking Adaptive cruise control Automatic lane change capability Blind-spot monitoring Digital video recorder Driver attention monitoring Driver fatigue monitoring Evasive Manoeuvre Assist Front, rear cross-traffic alert Lane centring assist Lane-keep assist Pedestrian warning sound Surround-view cameras Tyre pressure monitoring To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool How much does the Zeekr X cost to run? Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool CarExpert's Take on the Zeekr X There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here Pros Sharp looks, plush cabin Massive performance Loaded with kit Cons Frustrating tech quirks Ride can get wobbly Expensive servicing
The Advertiser
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
2025 Zeekr X AWD review
Zeekr X Pros Zeekr X Cons Jeepers, what's a Zeekr? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30, which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: Zeekr X AWD adds: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) Standalone options include: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Zeekr X Content originally sourced from: X Pros Zeekr X Cons Jeepers, what's a Zeekr? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30, which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: Zeekr X AWD adds: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) Standalone options include: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Zeekr X Content originally sourced from: X Pros Zeekr X Cons Jeepers, what's a Zeekr? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30, which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: Zeekr X AWD adds: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) Standalone options include: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Zeekr X Content originally sourced from: X Pros Zeekr X Cons Jeepers, what's a Zeekr? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30, which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: Zeekr X AWD adds: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) Standalone options include: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Zeekr X Content originally sourced from:
West Australian
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
2025 Zeekr X AWD review
Jeepers, what's a Zeekr ? This relatively new electrified Chinese brand is looking to move into the more premium space, backed by its Geely parent which also owns the likes of Volvo and Polestar. Kicking off proceedings is the 2025 Zeekr X AWD you see here, the flagship in its city-size small EV range that boasts the sort of power and performance claims you'd expect from high-performance luxury cars. Zeekr also touts its European design influence, as well as its high level of standard specification and technology. Don't forget, the Zeekr X is also very closely related to the Volvo EX30 , which is a capable little EV in its own right. In April the entire Zeekr X range received price adjustments, with savings of between $2000 and $7000 depending on variant – the flagship on test was subject to a $2000 reduction. WATCH: Paul's video review of the Zeekr X RWD So while the vehicle itself hasn't changed much since its launch late last year, the value proposition certainly has especially when you consider how quickly the EV market is moving. Is this newcomer worth a punt? Zeekr recently announced significant price adjustments for its X range, with the AWD variant on test here dropping by $2000. The base RWD had its sticker slashed by a massive $7000. *As of April 2025 For reference, the Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range starts from $59,990 before on-road costs, with the equivalent Twin Motor Performance variant priced at $71,290 plus on-roads – almost $10,000 more than the Zeekr. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool You definitely can't accuse Zeekr of cost-cutting, because the cabin of the X presents very well from the get-go. Soft and padded surfaces, contrast stitching, and subtle flashes of rose gold give the Zeekr X one of the nicer in-car ambiences at this end of the market, and it certainly feels 'special' rather than just 'different'. Particularly in our test vehicle's optional Midnight Blue and Polar White ($500) colourway, the little Zeekr makes a great first impression. The fact you can also get this interior in the base RWD for some $13,000 less is pretty cool. And despite its relatively compact dimensions, the Zeekr X feels quite airy and spacious, particularly compared to the Volvo EX30 with which it shares its underpinnings. Key touchpoints and general tactility is of a high standard for the class, and the bright and crisp display technology only adds to the ambience. This certainly has a lot of showroom appeal. Comfort and adjustability is pretty good too, with wide range of electric adjustment for the front seats, and there's manual adjustment for the steering column. You should be able to find a comfortable perch irrespective of your dimensions. Storage up front is a bit of a mix bag, with an odd modular row of cupholders lower down in the cabin, augmented by average door bins and a slot for your phone in the centre armrest with in-built wireless phone charger. There's also a cubby underneath the aforementioned central armrest. The fold-out plastic pocket under the infotainment display is interesting, though I'm not quite sure what best fits in it. Above it is a quirky pop-out hanger for a small bag or keys, but it's not really a great spot to store much else. Further quibbles start to surface once you start digging into the display tech and general useability of the switchgear, too. Like a lot of new vehicle designs, Zeekr has gone for an almost buttonless approach for the X's cabin. The only physical switches or toggles are the stalks behind the steering wheel, and the joystick-style controls on said steering wheel, which are accompanied by push buttons for voice control and cycling through the driver cluster widgets. This more extreme level of minimalism impresses on the showroom floor but can be fiddly in the real world. You're required to control most functions via the touchscreen or voice inputs, which requires a bit of a learning curve and some vehicle settings are buried in sub-menus which are impractical to toggle on the move. Further, to activate the semi-autonomous driving system rather than standard adaptive cruise control requires a long press of the drive selector stalk beyond its detent, which I incorrectly attempted for days because the two downward arrow markings had me assuming it was two pulls not one hard one – get your mind out of the gutter. There's also limited breadth of displays in the 8.8-inch driver cluster, which despite looking like a similar unit to the one seen in Volvo and Polestar products, lacks the refinement and adjustability of its Swedish stablemates. While there are some ergonomic and useability quirks I'm not particularly fond of, I am a fan of the Yamaha sound system. Standard in the AWD and boasting 13 speakers, it's pretty punchy – I particularly like the 'Concert Hall' setting which is reminiscent of the Gothenburg Concert Hall profile in Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins systems. The 'Ice Block'-effect LED ambient lighting is pretty swish, and the multi-colour accent illumination extends to the door trims as well, with a perforated effect to emulate the Ningbo skyline – Zeekr HQ's home city in the Chinese province of Zhejiang. You can summon the Zeekr X's AI-powered intelligent voice assistance to perform various functions too, like audio, navigation and climate control. The little character representation of the assistant also pops up in a B-pillar-mounted display when you unlock the vehicle, giving a cheeky smile before displaying 'Hi'. Cute. The big 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers over-the-air updates, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers has graphics and really snappy load times, in addition to online connectivity, but the interface and menus have a few too many layers and can be convoluted when toggling vehicle settings. Further, I had a persistent issue where Apple CarPlay would intermittently not play sound from my phone – whether it was music or call audio – through the vehicle's sound system. It was impossible to fix on the fly, without stopping and deleting my phone's profile from the infotainment and then reconnecting anew. In the rear, the Zeekr X offers a more useable area to seat a pair of adults compared to its Volvo-badged cousin. There's more head, leg and knee room, though this is still a relatively compact vehicle – it's no limo. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD gets a potent dual-motor electric drivetrain that's shared with the Volvo EX30 Performance. As noted earlier, there's a more affordable single-motor Zeekr X which makes a still-respectable 200kW and 343Nm, for a claimed 5.6-second 0-100km/h dash. With the same 66kWh nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion battery, the Zeekr X RWD quotes 540km of range on the ADR cycle – based on more lenient NEDC testing – compared to the AWD's 470km. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Having had a pretty positive experience in the Volvo EX30, I had high hopes for this little Zeekr. There's no denying this is a quick little thing. A firm stab of the accelerator sees the nose lift slightly and you'll shoot towards the horizon – it certainly feels as eager as its sub-4.0-second claimed 0-100km/h time suggests. But as I've found with a number of Chinese-branded electric vehicles with monstrous power and torque outputs, the chassis setup is a bit too soft for that level of performance. Understandably for what is billed as a premium vehicle, it's tuned to be on the softer side, but that puts it in a grey area that makes it feel a touch confused as to what it's meant to be. I encountered a wide range of conditions while living with the Zeekr X AWD, including driving in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and various freeways and highways in various weather, and I often found it to be a touch wobbly over the sort of pimpled and undulating blacktop that is quite common in Victoria. The big 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in 245/45 Continental EcoContact 6 Q tyres returned a firm initial impact, and then the body would be a little unsettled, often taking a movement or two more than I'd like to settle. Having dual-motor AWD should ensure good grip, and in a straight line it definitely hooks up and hustles. However, try to accelerate too soon out of a corner and the Zeekr X can feel like it's got too much power for its own good. It also leaned a bit more than I'd expect a performance-oriented vehicle to do during quicker cornering, so I guess if you adjust your lens to see this more as a luxury muscle car that can dart from the lights and do a quick overtake when needed, that's probably more appropriate. Keep in mind this small electric SUV weighs a smidgen under two tonnes, and doesn't do a great job of hiding it. A heavy feel in a small car isn't necessarily a bad thing if it feels lighter on its feet than its kerb weight suggests – but the X doesn't really do that. Further, the car's general all-round refinement when it comes to sound insulation and fluid steering feel gives you this kind of vibe. Drive with a more sedate approach and it's a pretty comfortable and easy thing to live with day-to-day. I generally drove one- or two-up in this car, so didn't get much of an idea of comfort levels in the rear on the move. However, videographer Sean Lander complained that during filming at the Lang Lang proving ground, the rear suspension was much firmer than at the front – which he found quite jarring over some of the private test roads. The relaxed and premium ambience is also often interrupted by intrusive and annoying alerts from the suite of driver assistance systems on hand, which appear to be in need of another layer of polish. The driver attention monitor is both overbearing and intrusive, constantly chiming at you to look ahead even if you've quickly averted your gaze to the side mirror, or over your shoulder to do a head check. Glance at the touchscreen for too long – which is home to just about every function – and you'll get similarly annoying alerts. As Matt Campbell found in his initial drive review in January, the speed sign recognition system often gets things wrong too, and the lane-keep assist can tug the wheel a little too hard, and at times can be inaccurate. Things get better when you activate the highway cruise assist function, which centres the vehicle in its lane when using adaptive cruise control. All told, the Zeekr X is fine on the road in good conditions, but many elements can feel disjointed when you unleash the drivetrain's full performance, and when the active safety tech is all-in. At least I managed to beat the quoted efficiency claim! To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X AWD on test here gets a higher level of equipment than the entry-level RWD variant. 2025 Zeekr X RWD equipment highlights: Zeekr X AWD adds: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The only options on the AWD are different interior colours, while the RWD can be optioned with a package that brings its specification in line with the AWD. Convenience Package: $4000 (RWD) Standalone options include: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Zeekr X was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on 2024 testing by sister firm Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment includes: To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Zeekr Australia is backing its models with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but commercial and fleet customers will only get a three-year, 120,000km warranty. For reference, the Volvo EX30 gets five years of free scheduled servicing thrown in. To see how the Zeekr X stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool There are a lot of good ingredients here, but they don't come together as well as they could in the Zeekr X AWD. It looks really cool, has a swish and practical cabin, and offers supercar levels of straight-line performance. But in the real world, the at-times unsettled ride and overzealous safety systems don't reflect its $63,000 price tag. For me, there's just a bit too much going on and a lack of general useability. When compared to Volvo-badged vehicles with similar componentry and technology on board, it appears the Swedes have paid a little more attention to detail. The RWD with the Convenience Package makes a lot more sense, at nearly $10,000 less for virtually the same spec minus the dual-motor drivetrain – which still gives you strong performance, plus more range. But the Zeekr X is a strong first attempt from a new brand which, unlike a lot of other Chinese marques isn't trying to mimic anything else on the market from a design standpoint. If Zeekr leveraged the experience of software and chassis engineers from its friends at Volvo, this little EV would be a real cracker. Interested in buying a Zeekr X? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Zeekr X
