Zeekr 8X and 9X preview: Luxury SUVs driven on ice ahead of Australian launch

The Zeekr model lineup is about to get a lot more interesting and powerful in Australia.

The Chinese premium brand has given us an early opportunity to drive its upcoming 8X and 9X large SUVs on ice and snow in Queenstown, well before either model reaches local showrooms.

Both are confirmed for Australia, although Zeekr has yet to lock in their local specifications, battery configurations, pricing or exact launch timing. The cars driven in Queenstown were also left-hand-drive, Chinese-market examples, as right-hand-drive production has not yet begun.

That means what follows is a first look at what could arrive here, rather than a definitive Australian specification. Yet if the Chinese-market hardware is anything to go by, these two SUVs could shake up the premium end of the Australian market as two of the most technically outrageous SUVs on sale.

The 8X and 9X sit above the 7X in Zeekr's range, joining the brand's current full electric lineup – including the X, 7X and 009 – currently on sale in Australia.

Both new SUVs will feature the company's latest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain though, despite being large PHEV SUVs, they aren't conventional PHEVs in the mould of a Toyota RAV4 GR Sport or Mitsubishi Outlander.

Instead, both use a large battery and electric motors as the primary means of propulsion, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine providing additional energy for longer journeys.

Zeekr NZ says the new models will be capable of up to 300km of electric-only driving, meaning most daily driving could theoretically be done without the petrol engine starting at all.

The 8X is the sportier of the two, although at around 5.1m long it's quite a large SUV.

The 9X stretches to approximately 5.24m, with a 3.17m wheelbase, and is positioned as Zeekr's flagship luxury SUV.

That puts the 9X firmly into Range Rover, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS territory, while the 8X is more closely aligned with large performance SUVs such as the BMW X5, Audi Q7, and Range Rover Sport.

Zeekr 8X

While both models look set to prioritise luxury over sportiness, between the two, the 8X will almost certainly pack the most punch.

The 8X measures approximately 5100mm long, 1998mm wide and 1780mm high, riding on a 3069mm wheelbase.

It can be configured with five or six seats in China, although exactly which Australia will receive remains unknown.

Underneath is a 900-volt electrical architecture, with Chinese-market versions using either a 55kWh or 70kWh battery. These are huge batteries for PHEVs, and are central to Zeekr's claim that the 8X can be driven like an EV most of the time.

The largest battery gives the 8X a claimed electric range of roughly 300km, depending on the particular specification and test cycle.

The petrol engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing around 205kW and 410Nm, but the headline numbers come from the electric motors.

Dual-motor versions produce around 660kW, while the range-topping tri-motor version develops a frankly ridiculous 1030kW and 1410Nm.

That is enough for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 2.96 seconds in the highest-output version.

For context, this is a five-metre-plus family SUV with a four-cylinder petrol engine that can theoretically accelerate to 100km/h faster than a Lamborghini Urus.

The 8X also has air suspension, adaptive damping and, on higher grades, active anti-roll technology.

Charging is another major part of the package, with the 70kWh battery using Zeekr's high-voltage architecture and supporting extremely rapid DC charging. Chinese-market claims put a 20-80 per cent charge at around nine minutes under suitable conditions.

Zeekr 9X

If the 8X is impressive, the 9X takes the same concept up another size.

At 5239mm long, 2029mm wide and 1819mm high, it's a genuinely huge SUV, and rides a 3169mm wheelbase.

The Chinese-market 9X is a six-seater, with a 2+2+2 layout and individual second- and third-row seats.

It's designed to feel less like a traditional family SUV and more like a luxury lounge on wheels.

The cabin can be fitted with Nappa leather, powered and massaging seats, rear entertainment screens, powered sun blinds and a premium Naim audio system with up to 32 speakers. A large rear display and augmented-reality head-up display further reinforce its technology-first approach.

Again, however, none of that equipment should yet be considered confirmed for Australia.

Under the skin, the 9X uses the same basic formula as the 8X.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is paired with either two or three electric motors, with outputs of around 660kW for the dual-motor version and an extraordinary 1030kW/1410Nm for the flagship.

The latter is claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in around 3.1 seconds.

There are 55kWh and 70kWh battery options, with the largest battery offering a claimed electric range approaching 300km under the relevant test cycle, depending on configuration.

For longer trips, the combination of the petrol engine and battery gives the 9X a claimed overall range of more than 1000km. And that's really the point of these cars, as you get an SUV that can behave like an EV for the overwhelming majority of daily driving, while retaining petrol-powered range for long-distance trips.

First drive, on ice

Our first taste of each model was brief but revealing.

Hosted atop mountains at the Southern Alps Proving Ground near Queenstown, Zeekr let us put both SUVs through snow and ice driving exercises, including vehicle-dynamics training, slalom runs, controlled power slides, and a gymkhana course.

Driving anything on ice is a smile-inducing experience, and while ripping power slides as long as the course allows isn't necessarily the most relevant test of two near-three-tonne SUVs, the activity does reveal more about the model's hardware and calibration than you might expect.

Both Zeekr models use sophisticated electric all-wheel drive systems, allowing their motors to respond almost instantly to changes in grip. On ice, with all the electronic safety systems switched off, that translated into impressive control.

Fitted with studded snow tyres, both SUVs immediately showed signs Zeekr could be preparing something genuinely impressive for the Australian market.

From a standstill and while sideways at 40-60km/h, the all-wheel drive systems delivered a consistent and natural progression of power. I’m lucky enough to have driven all-wheel-drive models from the German big three on ice, and on first impressions, Zeekr’s system most closely resembles BMW’s xDrive. It’s rear-wheel drive-biased and has no trouble controlling a drift with the throttle or correcting it with the steering.

The steering itself lacks much in the way of feedback – no surprise given this is a luxury SUV with electronic power steering – but it’s calibrated well enough to be accurate on slippery surfaces, responding well to both smooth and aggressive inputs.

Higher-specification versions like the models I drove also feature air suspension and active anti-roll technology, giving Zeekr plenty of hardware with which to manage the considerable weight and performance of these SUVs.

I managed a quick gymkhana run in both models and was genuinely surprised by how easily each changed direction. It was difficult to tell whether the suspension or studded tyres were working harder, although the relatively smooth ride was noticeable as the SUVs bottomed in and out of tyre tracks on the surface.

Even over bumpy sections, the suspension seemed capable of soaking up a lot of punishment in quick succession.

Zeekr staff from China told me the brief for the day was to demonstrate these aren’t simply oversized luxury SUVs with a giant battery bolted underneath. They were quick to stress they've been engineered as high-performance vehicles first and foremost... as much as a three-tonne luxury SUV can be.

After a brief first experience, I believe them – and I can’t wait to find out how they perform on Australia's equally bumpy roads.

So when are they coming?

The 9X is expected to arrive first – alongside the 7GT station wagon – with Zeekr Australia indicating a late-2026 or early-2027 timeframe for both. The 8X will follow, with its arrival expected 'during 2027'.

There's no confirmed pricing, final battery capacity, electric range, power output, towing rating, equipment list or variant structure for the two new SUVs.

And because the Queenstown cars were left-hand drive, Chinese-market vehicles, the specification we drove should not be assumed to be identical to what Kiwi buyers will eventually receive.

What is clear, however, is where Zeekr is going.

After the brand's arrival in Australia in 2024, the 8X and 9X represent a significant expansion of that strategy: large, ultra-powerful electrified SUVs designed to take on established luxury brands.

And with more than 1000kW potentially on tap, they could also be two of the wildest family SUVs to hit Australian roads.

For now, the big question isn't whether the 8X and 9X are coming. It's how much of this extraordinary Chinese-market specification Zeekr Australia can — and will — bring with them.

MORE: Explore the Zeekr 8X showroom
MORE: Explore the Zeekr 9X showroom