Zeekr 009

First Impressions

Walking up to the Zeekr 009 Standard, you genuinely cannot tell it apart from the top-spec model. Same alloy wheel design, same P Zero tyres in 255/50 R19, same two-tone exterior treatment. Zeekr deserves credit here because most brands visually neuter their entry-level trims. This one? Identical from bumper to bumper.

The sliding doors are still electrically operated with anti-pinch protection. The panoramic glass roof is still there. Every sensor, every camera, every LED light cluster is carried over. If nobody told you this was the Standard, you simply wouldn't know.

Interior and Second Row

The real star of the 009 has always been the second row, and thankfully almost nothing has changed. You still get first-class captain's chairs with Nappa leather, leg rests that extend electrically, massage function, and seat ventilation. The only casualty is the heated seat function for the rear passengers, which honestly matters very little given our climate.

The walk-through cabin layout is intact. This is what Thai families actually want in an MPV — the ability to move between rows without climbing over seats. There's a built-in fridge, wireless phone charging, independent climate zones for the rear, USB-C ports delivering 60 watts each, cup holders, privacy curtains, and a ceiling-mounted entertainment screen. It feels genuinely luxurious back here.

Third row access is easy too. One button press folds the second-row seat forward, and there's enough room to actually sit back there. The 60/40 split folding arrangement for the third row is practical enough for everyday use.

Up Front and Tech

The driver's area is nearly unchanged. You get the same large infotainment display, head-up display, ambient lighting, and full suite of ADAS features including adaptive cruise to standstill, lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, and an impressive auto-parking system. The 540-degree camera system is razor sharp and genuinely useful for a vehicle this size.

The one noticeable downgrade is the steering column — it's manually adjustable in four directions rather than electrically powered. It's a small inconvenience you'll set once and forget about. Everything else, from the electric seats to the regenerative braking modes to the air suspension controls, remains exactly as it was on the top model. Yes, air suspension on what is effectively the entry trim. That's remarkable.

Driving Impressions

I haven't had the chance to properly drive this Standard variant yet, but I have significant seat time in the top-spec 009. That car had plenty of power but suffered from noticeable body roll, even in Sport mode. With the Standard running a single front motor instead of the dual-motor AWD setup, the weight should be lower, which could actually improve the floaty feeling.

The single motor delivers around 340 horsepower and 372 Nm of torque, which should be more than adequate for an MPV of this size. Hill climbs, highway merging, overtaking — none of that should be a problem. The real question is whether the chassis tuning has been recalibrated to account for the different weight distribution without the rear motor. That's something I'm keen to test properly on a longer drive.

How It Stacks Up

The direct competitor here is obvious — it's going head to head with the XPeng X9. Both are electric luxury MPVs with seven seats and premium aspirations. The Zeekr arguably wins on equipment level at this trim, retaining air suspension, Nappa leather, the Yamaha sound system, and massage seats. It's a genuinely loaded specification that makes the top model a harder sell unless you specifically need all-wheel drive or heated rear seats.

Final Verdict

The Zeekr 009 Standard is one of those rare entry-level trims that doesn't feel like a compromise. Zeekr has essentially kept everything that makes the 009 special and only trimmed the things most owners won't miss. If you're shopping for a premium electric family hauler and AWD isn't on your must-have list, this is the one to look at seriously. I just need more time behind the wheel to confirm the driving dynamics match the cabin experience.