Mat Watson’s Zeekr 8X alternatives: five fast, posh and high-tech cars you can buy right now

The Zeekr 8X is a bonkers Chinese hybrid SUV with 1,400hp and loads of clever tech. It’s an impressive bit of kit, but it won’t be available in the UK for a while yet. Here are five alternatives Mat Watson reckons you should consider if you don’t want to wait.

This is the Zeekr 8X, and I was blown away by this car when I tested it back in April. The 1,400hp hybrid system makes it blisteringly quick, the tech is all top-notch and it feels just as posh inside as any European luxury car.

It costs the equivalent of just £54,000 in China, which is insane for the amount of performance and luxury you’re getting, but it’s likely to cost closer to £70,000 when it lands on UK shores in the next year or so.

But what if you don’t want to wait for a year? Here are five of the best luxury SUVs you can buy in the UK right now.

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1. BMW X5
2. Land Rover Defender
3. Porsche Cayenne
4. Mercedes GLE
5. Audi Q7

1. BMW X5

The BMW X5 is my favourite posh SUV on the market. It’s super-comfortable on the motorway, yet feels surprisingly agile on a twisty road for such a big car. The interior also feels lovely, although I do wish there were some more physical buttons for the climate control.

The largest 22-inch wheels do also make the X5 feel a tad firm over bumps, but they also look the best so it’s a case of picking your battles. I’d also go for the V8-powered M60i version, because with 530hp on tap it feels properly quick – even if it’s not as impressive as the Zeekr’s 1,400hp figure.

2. Land Rover Defender

If you stand back and squint, the Zeekr 8X does look a bit Land Rover Defender-ish. It’s got similarly boxy proportions and a rugged appearance, but the Defender doesn’t just look tough. It is tough.

This is an SUV which can handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. Not only is it unstoppable off road, it’s also comfortable on the tarmac and hugely practical. It’s just a shame that Land Rover doesn’t have the best record for reliability.

3. Porsche Cayenne

Porsche makes some of the best sports cars in the world, and that reputation has also rubbed off on the Cayenne SUV. It’ll have you grinning from ear-to-ear on a twisty road, and the Turbo E-Hybrid model is also blisteringly quick – it’ll do 0-60mph in just 3.7 seconds.

It is rather expensive though, with range-topping models costing more than £140,000. If you get too carried away with the options, this can get close to £200,000, but you are getting a car with a beautifully-made interior and lots of the latest tech.

4. Mercedes GLE

The Mercedes GLE is comfortable, spacious for five adults and has a stunning interior. I love the chunky grab handles in the centre console, and the open-pore wood option for the door cards and dashboard looks properly posh as well.

It’s not so great in the third row of seats though, but then again the Zeekr 8X doesn’t even have seating for seven. The GLE’s touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons are also pretty annoying to use.

5. Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 is a sensible choice in the world of posh SUVs. It may not be the flashiest, but it has six ISOFIX anchor points and offers loads of interior space, while also being comfy and spacious inside.

The dual touchscreen interface is pretty annoying to use, and the shiny plastics inside are a magnet for fingerprints as well. The Audi makes up for this with its punchy diesel engine though, or there’s a 4.0-litre V8 petrol in the SQ7 if you fancy something a bit spicy.

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