Here Are 10 Notable Quirks & Features With The Zeekr X Premium

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The Zeekr X has enough interesting things going on within to match its quirky exterior appearance.

So a little while ago, this writer had managed to secure some time with the new Zeekr X. And while it was unfortunately not enough time for the usual thorough Automacha review, here are nevertheless a few of the more quirks and features that he discovered during his time with this rather interesting EV.

5 Noteworthy Features

1. In-Car Refrigerator

For those who wish to enjoy a cool drink anytime when with their Zeekr X, there is actually the option to replace the regular centre console compartment with an in-car refrigerator.

And this really ain’t just to be a chilled compartment that thinks it is a refrigerator too, but it is instead a proper chiller that can see its temperature as low as -15°C. It can also apparently double as a food warmer, with its maximum temperature setting being 50°C.

Unfortunately, there is no mention by Zeekr Malaysia yet when this fridge option will be made available locally. Even in its home market too, this fridge is currently the only option to replace the centre console with thus far, but who knows what else may be available in the future?

2. External Audio Play

The Zeekr X has a feature called External Audio Play, which enables various sounds through the external speaker.

Among the selectable options on-demand includes various standard voice messages like ‘thanks for giving way’, ‘you’re welcome to go first’ and ‘please give me a chance to pass’, in addition to other noises such as cat, horse, sports car, bicycle and tractor.

Where it gets interesting however is the Multimedia Loudspeaking feature, which grants the ability to play what music track is currently playing in the car to be blasted to the outside world for all to hear. And this is not even the best/worst part, as right above that is a microphone button, where for 60 seconds at a time allows what is being said in the car to be blared through the external speakers as well.

It is worth highlighting though that External Audio Play is only available when the Zeekr X is in Park, which limits the ability to use this feature to express disappointment and dissatisfaction at other idiotic motorists while on the move. There is nevertheless a quick way to access it while in park though, by pressing the two buttons on the back of the steering wheel where paddles usually are found.

3. Camera Recording & Sentry Mode

The Zeekr X has a dedicated camera app that utilises its frontal camera to shoot not just photos and videos (with 1x and 2x zoom), but is also even capable of taking time lapses. Perfect then for anyone who wishes to film their touge runs, but does not have a Go Pro.

Slightly more useful meanwhile with its camera is for this EV to feature a Sentry Mode (alá Tesla) as well, which automatically records videos, triggers audio warnings and send push notifications to the owners phone when it detects theft or vandalism performed on the vehicle.

4. Rest Mode

The Rest Mode feature in the Zeekr X reclines the front seats and plays on a loop soothing piano music accompanied by sounds of the forest. Now originally this writer was just going to put this in the odds and ends section down below, but this feature goes here (over mention of the Light Show gimmick) because he inadvertently fell asleep to it while testing this feature out…

The maximum time for rest mode is 120 minutes. There is unfortunately only one Forest Bathing track available to lull one to sleep at present.

5. External Charging Progress Indicator

Exclusively on the higher-end Flagship AWD variant of Zeekr X, there is a display on the driver’s side B-pillar that lets the world see the EV’s charge progress when it is plugged in. This is a rather handy feature for those might be in a public queue to charge, and are curious of how long more do they have to wait (or more likely to determine whether the owner is hogging the charger).

Both variants of Zeekr X come also with a neat little touch of having an indicator that notifies the driver on the driver’s display whether their charge port is left open.

5 Smaller Livability Quirks

1. Unlike most Chinese cars, the Zeekr X can actually be driven without the driver being buckled up with their seatbelt. (Most Chinese cars won’t allow motion until the driver is belted). What more is that while the Android Auto Google Maps on most cars are limited to only search by voice when the vehicle is moving, the Zeekr still allows input via keyboard.

But balancing out this refreshingly relaxed approach to safety is for the Zeekr to come with a scarily alert driver detection system, which is on the ball in binging and bonging at the driver when it thinks the person behind the wheel is distracted or tired. What more is that for those who turned off the lane departure warning and lane keep assist, any yawning from the person behind the wheel may see the car automatically reactivate these safety nannies.

2. The Zeekr X does not come with a conventional glovebox, and the front seatback pockets are triangular, which makes them pretty useless for storing anything in them really.

There is however a little airline seat-style pocket up front right below the central screen. There is also a golden pop-out bag hook right above it too, but this practical touch is pretty useless, given that nothing can be hung on it from where it is located in the car…

3. The Zeekr X has two unlabeled buttons on the steering wheel. The one on the right can be toggled between climate control (fan speed and driver’s side temperature) and music control (volume and track). The left button meanwhile controls the adaptive cruise control: up/down is increase/decrease speed, while left/right is controlling adaptive cruise follow distance.

Do note that actually activating cruise control in the Zeekr X however is through the gear selector stalk. A single tug down on the gear lever activates adaptive cruise control, while a double tug adds auto steer.

4. While most (higher-end) cars have side mirrors that automatically dip when reversing, the Zeekr goes one better by tilting outwards as well, to offer a better view of the surroundings while parking.

5. The Zeekr X features a 50 W wireless charging pocket on the centre console that a phone slides halfway into, in addition to a 27 W fast charging USB-C port and a 60 W high-powered USB port (capable of charging a MacBook) up front. There is also one more USB-C port right below the middle seat in the rear.

5 More Odds and Ends

1. The window switches in the Zeekr X are like the Proton e.MAS 7 (another Geely product incidentally), where it is a nub with only forwards and backwards motions. Pushing the nub forwards lowers the window, while pulling it back raises it.

2. The interior overhead light up front in the Zeekr X can be had in either warm yellow or bright white light, and its brightness is adjustable too on the haptic slider. It is however only the light up front that has the brightness and colour option.

3. The external boot release in the Zeekr X is a discreet little button right below the Zeekr script on tailgate. Opening the powered boot meanwhile will reveal some of the largest gas struts seen in a car.

It is possible to adjust maximum boot opening angle from the centre screen, between 50-100%. The Zeekr X also handily has a frunk, but it is really just a shallow tray that even forgoes the typical flip-up cover.

4. The front climate vents in the Zeekr X follow the annoying BYD style of being only adjustable through the screen, which of course is wholly unintuitive in actually making air blow where one wants it to blow. The central forward vent is also a weedy slit beneath the central Yamaha speaker on the dashboard, though getting cool in this EV is helped along by standard ventilated seats for the front, while rear passengers further get some reprieve via vents on the B-pillar.

One more thing to highlight regarding climate control in the Zeekr X is for it to feature a Ventilation function that drops the windows a tad to allow air to circulate into the cabin. It is to be mentioned here simply because of its prominence as an icon on the car on the main screen, alongside side mirror folding and boot opening icons.

5. Opening the doors of the Zeekr X from the outside happens by sticking one’s hand into the hole where the door handle (which is actually a cover plate) has retracted into, and the door should pop open electrically after touching the inner edge. Opening the door from the inside meanwhile is similarly unconventional, as it is performed by pressing the rose gold rectangular button.

5.5. One more thing here, the Zeekr X’s key fob shows that there is remote vehicle control that can potentially manoeuvre this EV in and out of parking spaces without actually being in the driver’s seat. This writer however can’t seem to get it to work, and there’s no mention of its existence in any official material locally too…