Zeekr 9X: the flagship SUV drops a row of seats — and the starting price
zeekrglobal.com
Zeekr has added a five-seat version of its 9X flagship SUV, priced below the six-seat model. It offers up to 1,400 hp and 9-minute fast charging.
A minimum of 451,900 yuan is not the permanent price of the new five-seat Zeekr 9X. The regular price starts at 471,900 yuan. The 20,000-yuan discount is part of a launch offer and may be withdrawn once the promotion ends.
The price comparison with the six-seat car also needs some context. Its entry-level Max trim costs 465,900 yuan — meaning the five-seat 9X is technically more expensive at full price. But the new car starts straight away with the Ultra trim: it’s 14,000 yuan cheaper than the comparable six-seat Ultra at 485,900 yuan.
The lineup includes Ultra, Hyper and Obsidian Black trims — full prices are 471,900, 545,900 and 585,900 yuan. After the launch discount, they drop to 451,900, 525,900 and 565,900 yuan.
Dropping the third row turned the rear of the cabin into a dedicated passenger zone. The two outer rear seats get zero-gravity mode, separate footrests, ventilation, heating and massage. Maximum rear legroom reaches 1.4 meters, and the middle section folds into an armrest with physical buttons and two wireless chargers.
Dimensions are unchanged: 5,239 mm long, 2,029 mm wide and 1,819 mm tall, with a 3,169 mm wheelbase. The plug-in hybrid system pairs a 2.0-liter turbo engine rated at 279 hp with an electric motor setup. In the range-topping trim, combined output reaches 1,030 kW — roughly 1,400 metric horsepower. 0–100 km/h takes 3.1 seconds.
Buyers can choose between 55 kWh and 70 kWh battery packs. Electric-only range on the Chinese CLTC cycle is 288 km and 380 km respectively, with a combined range of up to 1,250 km. The 900V architecture and 6C charging allow a 20–80% top-up in about nine minutes — but only at a compatible high-power station and with the battery at the right temperature.
The H9 driver-assistance suite includes two Nvidia Drive Thor chips delivering 1,400 TOPS combined and five lidar units. That doesn’t make the car self-driving: the driver still has to watch the road and stay responsible for control.
The five-seat version arrives as sales of the model have been slowing. In June, Zeekr delivered 6,382 units of the 9X — down 24.39% from May. It was the third straight month of decline after a March result of 10,191 units. The automaker hasn’t said the new layout was introduced specifically because of the sales slowdown.
The five-seat 9X is aimed less at large families and more at owners who value extra second-row space and being chauffeured. For buyers who regularly need six seats, the roughly $2,000 savings on a comparable Ultra trim is unlikely to offset losing a seat.
