The Zeekr X is an all-electric urban premium SUV, which brings new meaning to the word ‘bold’ 

Photos: Augustine Lai and Weijie Lim

SINGAPORE

So, Zeekr is the new kid in town, and the Zeekr X is the first car the Chinese manufacturer brings to market. For those who haven’t heard of the premium automaker, they are actually one of the many brands of Geely Holdings… the guys who now have ownership of Volvo, Polestar, Smart, Lotus, and even Proton.

First impressions already show promise. The Zeekr X is clearly aimed at a younger audience, with its sleek design. Its clean lines, together with frameless side mirrors and windows, and of-course, why not… obscured solenoid-actuated door handles, set it apart from what is already out there. The semi-hidden headlights and kryptonite-looking daytime-running lights do add to the futuristic character of the car.

The cabin of the Zeekr X complements its premium external appearance, with posh, leather seats and rose gold inserts. You get a high-definition 14.6-inch touchscreen display, powered by a Qualcomm’s 8155 Snapdragon processor, ensuring smooth and responsive digital interaction. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available as standard. The central compartment features a rose gold-trimmed wireless charging “bin”, to help keep your mobile device powered up. The voice assistant is notably quick and intuitive, making it a breeze to manage control functions effortlessly.

In-place of a full-fat instrument display, over here, you get a sleek 8.8-inch cluster above the steering wheel to keep you updated on essential driving information such as speed, range and efficiency. Those who opt for the AWD variant, the car comes equipped with a 24.3-inch panoramic augmented reality head-up display as standard, which would provide detailed wayfinding, if you were to activate the SatNav. A cool feature (no pun intended) is the mini refrigerator in the centre, which is great for storing drinks, and even ice-cream (thank you Zeekr Singapore for the Magnums!). Moreover, the 13-speaker Yamaha surround sound system delivers crisp audio and robust bass, allowing you to adjust the settings to your preference. Similar to the Tesla, the Zeekr X has the entertaining light show feature, and also showcases a vibrant ‘ice-block’ ambient lighting display in the car that synchronises with your music should you want it.

As it is under the Geely umbrella, the Zeekr X is built upon the same Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) as the Volvo EX30 and the Smart #1. The Zeekr X, at 4432mm length, 1836mm width and 1566mm in height, offers more space compared to the Volvo EX30. This is attributed to its longer wheelbase, 2750mm versus the 2650mm, of its Swedish counterpart. Another “value-add” if you may, the 8.8-inch instrument cluster found in the Zeekr X is not available in the Volvo. 

All variants of the Zeekr X are powered by a 66kWh battery. The car here is the single motor standard RWD which makes 264Hp and 343Nm. If you crave for more bells, whistles and wheel drive, the higher performance flagship AWD variant puts out 416Hp and 543Nm. The RWD car clocks 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, while the AWD car does the same in 3.8 seconds. 

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As expected, the drive is seamless, and there is easily more than enough on-tap for sufficient for overtaking. One observation, since I have also sampled the Swede and the German, I do notice that the regenerative braking under the strongest setting in the X, is notably smoother. All that said, my only gripe would be that the safety driving aids are still a little intrusive. Zeekr claims an energy consumption of 5.8km/kWh, while I averaged 5.6km/kWh, which is close to what is written on the box.

With a price tag of S$199,999, it is Hyundai IONIQ 5 money, therefore, it is competitively priced compared to other models in its class, such as its cousins, the – Smart #1, and the Volvo EX30. While some may not be fans of its futuristic looks, I think that it is well-proportioned and pleasing to the eye. Then again, others might not get over the part where Zeekr is a Chinese brand, but if you are looking for a small electric SUV, with a good blend of performance, luxury and technology, the Zeekr X is actually a pretty impressive offering.

2024 Zeekr X RWD 66 kWh

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