‘Hangzhou Bay Cullinan’: 2026 Zeekr 9X under close consideration for Australia to rival Audi Q7, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS

The flagship Zeekr 9X tall luxurious SUV will crown the head class Chinese manufacturer’s lineup in China—and the hybrid-powered BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS rival is firming for an Australian unencumber in 2026.

The Zeekr worth, which is the Chinese “fresh luxurious” worth of Volvo-owning conglomerate Geely Car, launched with two fully electric models in Australia earlier this Twelve months.

Zeekr has already launched two models in Australia—the X tiny luxurious SUV (from $49,900 plus on-road prices) and the avantgarde 009 minivan (from $135,900 + ORC). A third model, the 7X midsize SUV, has been confirmed for Australian unencumber by the smash of 2025.

Now, attention turns to the 9X as the worth’s flagship SUV, situation to be the halo model of the fluctuate—and it is below end consideration to be the fourth Zeekr model launched in Australia. The exchange contender is an as-but unannounced, upper-midsize SUV model.

“The 009 (minivan) is the tall brother within the family,” Mars Chen, head of Zeekr World, suggested Chasing Vehicles. “Seemingly the 9X may perhaps be the tall sister.” However Australian customers will no longer obtain each the 9X and the upper-midsize SUV. “No longer each—I believe to be functional,” said Chen.

READ: Zeekr X AWD 2025 review

Within the beginning, the Zeekr worth concentrated heavily on paunchy EVs, nonetheless reflecting the resurgence in person query for hybrid autos, it has tailored the SEA platform that it shares with Volvo and Polestar for hybrid powertrains.

Whereas a actually electric version may perhaps perchance well well attain later, the 9X luxurious SUV will open with a hybrid powertrain situation to be unveiled at this week’s Auto Shanghai 2025 tournament in China. We’ll add vitality, torque, riding fluctuate and other facts when they’re known.

Dubbed the “Huge Electric Hybrid”, the powertrain is known to be an adaptation of the Geely Leishen EM-I trudge-in hybrid engine that mixes a petroleum engine, just a few electric motors, a silicon carbide vitality module, integrated vehicle, transmission and vitality distribution adjust devices.

READ: Zeekr 009 2025 review

Geely’s version of the system is primarily based fully round a 1.5-litre petrol engine which can generate vitality to charge batteries sized between 19-30kWh.

Zeekr claims the 9X will rush from 0-100km/h in between three and 4 seconds, implying that Zeekr’s adaptation of the Geely system will design severely extra than the latter’s 160kW of vitality.

The 9X will utilise a brand fresh Nvidia Thor autonomous riding chipset knowledgeable by five lidar devices (one long fluctuate, and 4 rapid fluctuate), with Zeekr claiming the SUV has four layers of 360-level notion.

Stylistically, the 5290mm-long Zeekr 9X is an spectacular SUV that blends aspects of Zeekr’s 009 luxurious minivan (supplied in Australia) with extra than a splash of Rolls-Royce Cullinan—with Chinese car followers nicknaming the 9X the Hangzhou Bay Cullinan in reference to Zeekr’s state of birth.

The Chinese worth is so confident within the looks of the 9X that head of Zeekr invent Stefan Sielaff suggested Chasing Vehicles and other media that “the 9X is the larger Cullinan.”

“Don’t obtain me wrong—I am no longer arrogant. I believe to be humble. The 9X is most efficient the first member of a brand fresh family of luxurious autos we are going to demonstrate in future. I believe it’s extremely, very lawful.”

Befitting its flagship field, it is anticipated that the Zeekr 9X would be mighty extra pricey than the 009 minivan if an Australian open is confirmed—with a seemingly starting ticket above $150,000 plus on-road prices.

That can perchance well well silent be a tiny more reasonably priced than a BMW X7 (from $171,300 + ORC), although severely increased than the marginally smaller Audi Q7 (from $108,815 + ORC).