Electric Large MPV
ZEEKR 009 Electric
Blocky opulence on wheels, the Zeekr 009 is rolling proof that the Chinese know luxury. The premium it has over other MPVs feels well justified; note how softly-padded all the surfaces are, how intricate the ambient lighting is, how the cushy captain's chairs blend physical and digital controls perfectly, and just how commodious the car is. Zeekr's UI/UX is arguably one of the market's finest too, while the 009's sheer power gives it disarming ease on the move.
Special Features
Verdict
The Zeekr 009 isn't just a large electric MPV. It's more accurately a luxurious electric MPV. And a very luxurious one at that – slightly unnerving in the way its robotic eyes and slatted front grille glare down at you, and daunting in the way all 5.2 metres of it will jut out of a normally-sized parking lot. If you thought the Zeekr X was already a convincing enough exposition of Zeekr's premium ambitions, this the full buffet spread.

Looking for sublime ride comfort? The 009 comes with adaptive dual-chamber air suspension, an electromagnetic vibration reduction system, and front and rear lateral stabiliser bars to enhance the serenity with which it wafts about silently. Need entertainment on the go? There's a standard 17-inch drop-down OLED screen in the second row.

Want the best tech in the biz now? As standard, the 009 comes with a crisp 15.05-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, and a nearly 36-inch augmented reality head-up display. There's even a hyper-attentive voice assistant ensuring you won't have to lift a finger from your steering wheel to see to functions including your air-conditioning, phone calls, and navigation.

Of course, you're probably asking how the 009 performs in terms of cabin luxury. Zeekr states that it's used top-grain Nappa leather all over - we're talking not just the seats and the dash, but even on the multi-function steering wheel and its gear shifter. Its second-row seats are also up there among the best we've seen from luxury MPVs, featuring heating, ventilation, massage functions, and all manner of adjustments you can make either from the door-mounted touchscreens or from your own dedicated physical controls. This is proper first-class travel.

One question you probably won't think to ask is if there's the option of your 009 packing more than 600bhp. Zeekr has even that covered, though; the answer is 'Yes', and it comes in the form of either the dual-motor Premium or Flagship variant, whose twin motors send 603bhp and 693Nm of torque to all four wheels. Quite frankly, who needs their electric MPV to glide from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds? (Though it's worth highlighting that a more sensible Deluxe variant arrived mid-year, retaining only the front electric motor, and cutting power output by nearly half.)

But then such is the image of opulent excess the 009 presents. The luxury world, after all, sometimes revolves around satisfying wants you didn't know you had. In over-delivering with the 009, it seems Zeekr has given luxury-MPV hunters exactly what they want.