Up until now, the idea of China as a source of genuine alternatives to the luxury status quo has remained rather abstract, the subject matter of breathless influencer videos and elaborate motor show launches – all of which have been largely confined to the PRC. Now with the official arrival of the new Zeekr 9X, the Geely sub-brand has its sights firmly set on the European luxury market.
Zeekr 9X interior in Charcoal Black Nappa Leather
The brand, headquartered in Gothenburg, is already well established in markets like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, with German operations recently starting and other key European nations spooling up. There’s no word on a UK launch just yet, but it is said to be on the cards.
Interior design details, showing the cut crystal control dial
The 9X will be Zeekr’s largest car to date and its first to have a straightforward luxury positioning. As the company’s VP of Design Stefan Sielaff told Wallpaper* back in May, ‘[the 9X] is a Range Rover-sized SUV. It has three rows of seats and you can turn the second row around 180-degrees for a conference-style layout. This is pretty rare in Europe – I think customers here will appreciate this.’
Zeekr 9X exterior sketch
Designed in the company’s Gothenburg studio, the 9X doubles down on equipment levels and material quality. No surprises for guessing which particular premium SUV brand is being targeted – JLR take note – but such is the level of elevated detail that even Bentley might have to start looking over its shoulder (coincidentally, or not, Sielaff spent six years as Bentley’s Design Director).
Stefan Sielaff and a sketch of the 9X
Whatever the target, the combination of quality and price will surely bring some kind of shake-up to the big SUV market. Buyers here are especially attuned to the nuances of branding and history, and Zeekr – founded in 2021 – is a minnow in the heritage stakes. However, only a fool would bet against the lure of the new Chinese manufacturers, as sales charts across Europe attest.
Interior sketch of the Zeekr 9X
Fit and finish are the first things to get right. Zeekr is promising an interior with Nappa leather, hand-polished Nordic wood trim, hand-cut crystal on the control surfaces, no less than 32 Naim speakers, a 17” rear screen, automatic blinds all round and heated, cooling and massaging seats across the first two rows. The 9X is available initially as a six-seater, with a Super Hybrid powertrain that puts out nearly 900hp and has an onboard 2.0-litre turbo engine to serve as a generator for the electrical architecture.
Schematic of the Zeekr 9X's Super Hybrid powertrain
According to Zeekr Europe’s CEO, Lothar Schupet, the 9X ‘is our response to the next generation of luxury consumers. More than ever, luxury customers want more from their car, and the Zeekr 9X is a direct answer to this demand, designed in Europe for European roads… The Zeekr 9X is not luxury borrowed from another era. Instead, this is a new era of luxury, beyond convention.’
Interior sketch of the Zeekr 9X
So will private jet-style interior trimmings, high technology and exceptional space be enough to tempt traditionalists out of their heritage brands and get behind a brand-new badge? The Zeekr 9X certainly has the presence that scale inevitably brings, as well as a specification and level of tech that’s the equal of any premium European manufacturer. Regardless of its positive attributes, the 9X will still have to conquer a customer mindset that’s been set in stone for decades.
The new 9X will be launched in selected European markets from the end of July 2026, Zeekr.eu, @ZeekrEurope, @ZeekrDesign