Half brother to Volvo

First published in BilAutofil no. 10-2023

Prices and data were correct when the magazine was printed, but may have changed since then.

In the previous BilAutofil, you could read about the rocket Smart #1, the little paw that in the Brabus version sprints to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds thanks to a whopping 428 hp kicked to the asphalt via four-wheel drive.

But soon the #1 faces stiff competition from two other brands, to which it is also a half-brother: the Volvo EX30 and the Zeekr X.

Not heard of Zeekr? Then just read on. Because in 2024, it may just be the Zeekr X you end up with in your search for an electric compact car with high performance and good comfort.

Like, but not outside

The commonality between the three is not at all in what you can see, in that sense they are completely different both externally and internally, but most of what you cannot see they have in common. So the platform: Sustainable Experience Architecture, abbreviated SEA and developed by Geely and Volvo.

With the European R&D center centrally located in Gothenburg, Zeekr makes no secret of the fact that the X is both designed and developed in Sweden, but is built in China by Geely.

In 2024, it may just be the Zeekr X you end up with in your search for an electric compact car with high performance and good comfort.”

The first thing that strikes me when I meet the Zeekr X is that it feels far more luxurious inside than the other two and especially compared to the Volvo. But the lower edge of the door panels and the center console show that Zeekr also meets the real world with compromises, and this is most clearly visible with the two rubber covers that cover the charging contacts. They stand in stark contrast to product manager Alessandro Massimino’s emphasis on Zeekt as a premium car brand. But let’s face it, Mercedes-Benz also fell into the same trap with the EQS itself.

A little bigger

Just as full: the 4.43-metre-long Zeekr X is easy to feel comfortable in. The front seating position and the seats’ adjustment options are many, and although the seating height in the back seat could benefit from being higher above the floor – and it is in the Smart #1 due to seven centimeters greater external height (164 vs. 157 cm), it helps to be able to stretch out your legs by tucking your feet under the front seats. It helps the sitting position if, as an adult, you spend a lot of time in the back seat, as I did.

And important: The large distance between the B-pillar and the edge of the back seat makes it easy to get in and out of the car.

Front and four-wheel drive

Just like the two half-brothers and several other models on the SEA platform, the Zeekr X is built in OBOS version, Longe Range RWD it’s called, with only rear-wheel drive (272 hp). Next on the price list is called Privilege, pulls on all wheels and, as mentioned earlier, kicks off with 428 hp.

While the Volvo EX30 is offered with two battery sizes, 49 and 64 kWt, the X is delivered with only the largest of them. It gives a range of 445/425 km depending on the powertrain.

A bit like the Tesla Model 3

Precisely because of the relatively extreme performance in the 4×4 version, it is natural to compare the driving experience with the Tesla Model 3. Here, the Zeekr X scores comfort points in that the Model 3 is a notch more sporty set up and even sharper in the steering even when the steering in the X is set in sport mode. IX makes it possible to drive a little more relaxed in the knowledge that when the forces are needed, they are there straight away.

(case continues)

A low noise level draws you in, and the thick boot cover dampens the wheel noise from behind so much that it is no more noisy at the back of the car than at the front. Said cover can be cleverly folded down and pushed in against the seat backs split 40/60 and without a ski hatch. In return, the car can be equipped with a roof bar, and it – like the Smart #1 – tows a trailer weighing up to 1.6 tonnes.

The luggage compartment with a two-level floor holds 362 litres. The charging cables are fine together with a bag of washer fluid in the trunk.

Everything on screen

Due to the relatively extreme performance of the 4×4 version, it is natural to compare the driving experience with the Tesla Model 3

Zeekr focuses heavily on their cars being technology driven, read that Tesla is seen as an important competitor. This means a minimalist interior with a small instrument screen, and a relatively large dashboard display from which all functions are controlled, either directly on the screen, in a combination of the screen and the two buttons on the steering wheel or with voice control. The screen graphics are better than in many Chinese cars I have driven recently and the X also has a head-up display.

Price under NOK 500,000?

There are of course no available figures on what the Zeekr X will cost in Norway, but based on the Swedish prices where Long Range RWD costs SEK 550,000 and Privilege AWD SEK 595,000, it is possible to make a calculation assuming the same sales margins in Norway. The calculation is based on the current tax level with a VAT exemption for electric cars under NOK 500,000 and a weight tax rate of NOK 12.50/kg with a deduction for the first 500 kg.

Long Range RWD: NOK NOK 457,000
Privilege AWD: NOK NOK 494,000

The Zeekr prices are well above Volvo’s pricing for the EX30 in Norway, but the X cars are larger and very well equipped. In this calculation, the Zeekr X AWD will cost approximately the same as the Smart #1 Brabus today.

Then there is the question of whether the aging but recently upgraded Volvo XC40 is not also living dangerously with the Zeekr X in the neighborhood. The two are quite the same size, but with a higher seating position in the Volvo.

The Polestar 2, built on the same platform as the XC40, made life difficult for Volvo at times. In any case, the competition in the class for compact family cars will intensify significantly in 2024.

SUMMARY

Interesting, ugly and lavish news. Could become an important contender in the compact family car class.