Zeekr 7X Performance Review: Serious Speed, Serious Intent

In Singapore, where speed limits are strictly enforced, roads are impeccably policed and performance cars spend most of their lives behind PHVs, it takes a special sort of machine to feel genuinely fast. The Zeekr 7X Performance is one such machine - and it does so with the kind of casual menace that should probably come with a warning label.

At first glance, it looks like another premium electric SUV trying to elbow its way into a segment already crowded with Germans, Koreans and the occasional Scandinavian minimalists. But give it a moment - or more accurately, give it a firm prod of the accelerator - and the 7X Performance immediately reveals its true character. This thing is ridiculous; properly, licence-losing ridiculous.

Driving Performance

With 637 bhp and 710 Nm of torque on tap, the Zeekr 7X Performance delivers performance that would have been the preserve of full-fat M cars not too long ago. Think BMW X6M from the previous decade - the kind that looked like it had too much power for its own good, yet somehow made it work. That’s the exact vibe here: A true athlete in a gentleman’s suit, just waiting for an excuse to embarrass something far more expensive.

And embarrass it will. On the expressway, it takes barely a squeeze of throttle to leap from “legal” to “it’s time to lift off”. Do it accidentally - and that’s entirely possible - and you’ll be scanning your mirrors for the TP sooner than expected. The power delivery is instant, relentless and frankly hilarious in a country where most cars need a deep breath before overtaking a lorry.

Here’s the bit that genuinely raised eyebrows: Cruising along at 80 km/h, a hard prod of the accelerator actually causes the nose to lift. No exaggeration. This is an SUV doing what muscle cars used to do; and that tells you everything you need to know about how forceful the shove is. In a separate life, this could quite comfortably lead a supercar convoy up the North–South Highway, while the exotica behind (probably) scrambling to keep up.

Thankfully, Zeekr hasn’t forgotten that speed without control is a quick way to end up on social media for the wrong reasons. The braking system (Akebono calipers with Brembo rotors) on the 7X Performance is superb; from three-figure speeds, it slows with calm, unflustered assurance, scrubbing off velocity in a way that inspires confidence rather than anxiety. You get the sense that the car is always ahead of you - and that’s exactly how it should be.

Ride & Handling

Handling-wise, let’s be sensible. Comparing a large SUV to a hot hatch would be nonsense. But for something this size and weight, the 7X Performance is impressively sorted. Once again, the BMW X6M comparison feels appropriate. You can push harder than expected into corners, and the body remains disciplined, predictable, and communicative. You know where the nose is pointing, and the chassis doesn’t suddenly throw a tantrum when asked to work.

There’s a clear sense that Zeekr has studied how the Germans do high-performance SUVs - particularly in ride and handling balance - and applied those lessons intelligently. Adaptive suspension plays a big role here, softening things up for daily driving over Singapore’s speed humps and concrete joins, then firming up when you’re feeling enthusiastic. If this Performance variant exists to prove Zeekr’s engineering credibility, well, mission accomplished.

Technically, the reasons behind its abilities are easy enough to understand. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivers torque instantly, but more importantly, intelligently. Power is constantly shuffled between the axles to maintain traction, while the low-mounted battery pack keeps the centre of gravity far lower than you’d expect from an SUV. The result? Stability under acceleration, confidence under braking, and composure through bends.

The Inside Story

Inside, the mood shifts entirely. The cabin is luxurious, airy and welcoming - the sort of place you’d happily spend a daily commute in, traffic jams and all. Materials are high quality throughout, with soft-touch surfaces, tasteful trim and seats that are supportive without being overly aggressive. The panoramic roof floods the interior with light, while ambient lighting adds a premium touch after dark.

A large central touchscreen handles infotainment and vehicle functions with clarity and speed, and the overall layout is clean without feeling sterile. Rear passengers are well catered for with generous space, making this a genuinely usable family car — which only adds to the absurdity of its performance.

Practicality, thankfully, hasn’t been sacrificed at the altar of performance. The Zeekr 7X offers a generously sized 616-litre boot, which is already more than enough for weekly grocery runs, airport duties, or a family staycation.

Lift the boot floor and there’s an additional 100-litres of hidden storage - ideal for stashing charging cables, tyre inflators, umbrellas, reusable shopping bags, a foldable crate, or even that slightly sandy pair of hiking shoes you don’t want rolling around. Then, fold the rear seats down and the cargo area expands to an almost absurd 1,978-litres; large enough to swallow flat-pack furniture, bicycles, or the sort of bulk purchases that make warehouse clubs dangerous. In typical Singaporean fashion, this is a car that can do school runs on Friday and IKEA runs on Saturday without breaking a sweat; and perhaps to kill time, there's also the option to do some Lalamove.

One of the more interesting design details is the 7X’s wing mirrors. Slim, aerodynamically shaped and mounted slightly away from the doors, they serve both form and function: Reducing wind turbulence at speed while lending the SUV a cleaner, more purposeful profile. It’s a small detail, but one that hints at the engineering effort behind the car, rather than mere visual flourish.

In A Nutshell

So who is the Zeekr 7X Performance for? It’s for the driver who wants serious pace but doesn’t feel the need to shout about it with a traditional badge. Someone who appreciates engineering, enjoys the occasional surprise traffic-light moment, and wants an SUV that can do school runs, road trips, and the… ahem.. odd bout of expressway mischief with equal competence.

In Singapore’s context, the Zeekr 7X Performance makes a strong, slightly mischievous case for itself. It’s outrageously quick, unexpectedly composed, and convincingly premium. Not perfect, not pretending to be something it isn’t - just very, very capable.

And that, perhaps, is what makes it most potent of all.

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks)

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