Tesla Model Y Performance v Zeekr 7X Performance 2025 comparison

The performance SUV is already a unique proposition. Well, it used to be. Then a flood of high-priced European offerings entered the market with monetary values as eyewatering as their immense levels of power and torque. We’re talking a quarter of a million bucks for something like an Audi RS Q8 Performance.

Whatever your thoughts regarding the politics of the brand aside, there’s no denying Tesla changed the game. Not only in terms of electrification, but for the ridiculous straight-line speed too. Which is how we arrive at the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance, a five-seat ‘family’ SUV that can reach 100km/h in 3.5 seconds.

And rather ironically, the Model Y Performance lands Down Under from the US brand’s new European Gigafactory in Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany – not China like the ‘lesser’ variants in the line-up.

In market context, the sticker price being less than $100k is a win, but in terms of a Tesla, this is more than a bit of coin. Optional Full Self-Driving Supervised (FSDS) notwithstanding, which is an expensive $10,100 extra, the Performance variant is $89,400 (all prices exclude on-road costs).

Don’t need the dual e-motors or all-wheel drive (AWD)? The range starts at $58,900 for the Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) base and progresses to the $68,900 AWD Long Range.

However, the Chinese factor blows the pricing debate right out of the water. This isn’t a new phenomenon, but the fact the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD is $16,500 less than the Tesla is noteworthy. Especially given the quality, which we’ll get to later.

Still, it’s clear parent company Geely is upping the ante with the Zeekr brand. And any marque, legacy or not, is fair game.

Sitting atop the three-grade line-up, the Performance we’re testing is $72,900. For that spend its packing dual e-motors to create all-wheel drive like the Tesla, and it can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.8 seconds. Yes, that’s ‘slower’ than the competition, but as we’ll detail, that’s plenty fast enough.

The remaining variants are single-motor rear-drivers, with the base 7X starting at $57,900 and the fittingly named Long Range – it can cover up to 615km on a single charge.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and beauty isn’t an adjective usually associated with an SUV. This pair isn’t about to break with the status quo, but both don some considered trimmings to hint at their performance potential.

Some aggression has been added to the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance via black 21-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber, new front and rear bumpers with aerodynamic upgrades, a carbon-fibre-coated lip spoiler and black exterior mirror caps also feature.

There’s little to get your head around with the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD’s sleek exterior – apart from working out what it is. More than a few people guess it as a Porsche, a link we’re sure would bring a wry smile Geely executives.

Perhaps it’s a good thing then that unlike the Tesla, it does run with brand-specific badging to spell things out for puzzled passersby.

A sign of the 7X’s intent are the 21-inch forged alloy wheels and a few aero pieces, but there isn’t too much to distinguish it as the rapid one of the range beyond the orange brake callipers... until you go to open the doors – all four open electronically via the push of a button.

To be honest, both cram in too many features to list. Common between them are powered front seats with heating and ventilation, lumbar adjustment and memory settings, with the Zeekr also packing massage functionality. The outboard rear seats are heated in both and offer power recline/fold functionality.

A panoramic glass roof brightens up the interiors.

In terms of warranties, the Tesla is covered for four years/80,000 kilometres for the car (eight years/192,000km for the battery) while the Zeekr ups the game with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre program for the 7X, although the kilometre marker is cut to 160,000km for the battery.

Servicing with Tesla is condition-based, meaning the car will tell you when it needs a visit to the dealership, while the Zeekr requires scheduled dealership visits every 24 months or 40,000km. 12-month/20,000km intervals are an option too.

The 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance runs with a five-star ANCAP safety rating, one in which the range recently received from the local body.

The 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD meantime is yet to be tested for our market, but it did gain a full suite of stars from Euro NCAP – not surprising given Volvo is also part of the Geely Group.

As you’d also expect, this duo come loaded with active safety gear like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection, active cruise control, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, speed sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and all-round parking sensors.

Both offer high-definition 360-degree cameras with myriad viewpoints – more so in the Zeekr. The clarity is also at a high level and they do prove handy.

Both have seven airbags, dual ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchorages.

We’ve covered Tesla’s FSDS before, but otherwise, the calibration of its safety systems is decent. Conversely, the great part about the 7X’s active tech is that Zeekr has listened to feedback and if you turn certain items off, they stay off, which makes the driving experience infinitely better – as does being able to choose between having steering intervention or not with the cruise control.

Clearly, this pair packs a heap of tech in terms of propulsion, but that leading ethos extends into the cabin too.

Dominating the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance’s minimalist Scandi-chich cabin is the oversized 16-inch infotainment display – which is up on acreage compared to the 15.4-inch unit found in the rest of the range.

It runs Tesla’s own propriety operating system (but Linux based) that doesn’t allow for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connections. 

The Model Y also has an 8.0-inch rear-mounted touchscreen with access to the likes of YouTube, Spotify and Netflix (as does the dash-mounted infotainment display). Essentially, all the gear you’ll need to keep kids entertained on a longer trip or occupied while public charging. Speaking of, there’s only one USB-C port up front (but twin wireless charge pads) and two in the back.

Not to be outdone, the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD also uses a 16-inch infotainment screen that’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chipset to keep everything running as swiftly as the acceleration underfoot. It’s paired with a 13-inch digital instrument cluster and, unlike the Tesla which doesn’t have one at all, harnesses a gargantuan 36-inch head-up display.

Zeekr doesn’t make you use its own operating system either, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto very much on offer. The dual 50W wireless charge pads also feature cooling fans so you don’t fry your smartphone.

It’s also nice to see that while you’re forced to use the central screen in both SUVs for most functions, the climate controls remain permanently at the bottom in each for easy access.

Shared spec includes Bluetooth, DAB+ and voice activation. Yet, it’s the 7X that has more acoustic clout with a 21-speaker ‘Zeekr Sound Pro’ audio system compared to the Tesla’s 16-speaker arrangement.

Native sat-nav is standard in both, but of course, the Tesla’s system also affords its party trick – self driving. Another of the company’s pioneering tricks is over-the-air (OTA) updates, which as the name suggests, can be done remotely. Zeekr comes with the same capability.

Remote access is also possible via smartphone-based apps, which is helpful to monitor charge levels, control the climate settings, schedule charging and lock/unlock either vehicle. For the Model Y Juniper, it’s the longstanding Tesla app, while the 7X utilises the Zeekr Companion App.

Dual motors, AWD traction and a mountain of electrified grunt. These two are silent assassins. And whatever you do, hang on, because nothing about the potent acceleration here screams family friendly.

The 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance’s credentials are bolstered by the addition of the Model 3 Performance’s uprated rear e-motor. As with any Tesla, specifics can be hard to come by, but the rear axle is endowed with more stick than the front.

Combined outputs are 461kW/741Nm, with power drawn from a 79kWh lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery pack.

Driving modes are branded Chill, Standard and Insane, with the latter being what it says on the packet. It’s also where you find the launch mode. Engage it and be prepared for school lunches to go flying.

Whether or not you’re using launch control, the acceleration is savage, with all four of the Pirelli PZero tyres finding astounding purchase.

Not to be outdone, the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD wields an even bigger stick in terms of kilowatts. It has a colossal 475kW, but slightly less torque at 710Nm. Yet, that doesn’t account for its 0.3sec 0-100km/h deficit. The fact it weighs 2460kg – 427kg more than the Tesla – is the bigger factor.

Yet, it’s far from humbled and some of the added heft comes from the 100kWh battery pack (using lithium-ion and the same NMC chemistry). Like the Tesla, the 7X creates pseudo-AWD via the twin e-motors and are run through a single-speed reduction gear. The Zeekr is also gripped-up with 265/40 R21 Continental tyres at each corner.

Ultimately, we’re talking almost the same straight-line shove as Porsche’s new EV Macan Turbo, but for roughly half the price. It’s still baffling how we’ve got to the point where SUVs weighing the wrong side of two tonnes can accelerate so fast.

Much like SUVs with a similar philosophy, but are powered by fossil fuels, efficiency seems like a moot point.

Despite employing a smaller battery pack than its rival, the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance comes up with the greater range of 580km – that’s also 66km more than its previous iteration. On-road efficiency also averages out to a claimed 16.2kWh/100km (WLTP).

Those figures best the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD, with its ultimate distance being 543km from a full charge. It’s also ‘thirstier’, with the Chinese brand stating an official average of 19.9kWh/100km (WLTP).

Where the Tesla can’t match the Zeekr is in terms of charging speeds, given the former utilises 400V architecture, while the latter is 800V. The Model Y tops out at 250kW, yet the 7X can ‘supercharge’ at 420kW – but you won’t currently find anything more capable than a 350kW DC rate in Oz, and even those are seemingly as rare as hen’s teeth.

That means you’ll need 29 minutes for a 10-80 per cent charge in the Tesla, but just 16 mins in the 7X if all the right conditions are met. AC charging is limited to 11kW in the Tesla, while the Zeekr can double that figure at an appropriate charger.

Covering the same road loop, which incorporates mostly highway/country and road-testing environments, the Model Y Performance proves vastly more efficient at 17.86kWh/100km.

Still, that’s only slightly more than its claim, whereas the 7X Performance AWD blows out to 23.4kWh/100km.

Each have varying levels of regeneration through braking, with the Tesla gaining Normal and Reduced modes for the first time. And we did see the efficiency figures improve with more city driving. However, the 7X never troubles the Model Y, largely due to its significant weight disadvantage.

Weight is an issue when it comes to the dynamics of hyper electric SUVs. Yet, as we’ve discovered, despite both hitting the scales at more than 2000kg, it doesn’t hamper their respective straight-line figures. Surely, the laws of physics come into play when the road becomes twisty…

The 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance definitely does its best to remain level in the bends, and it’s the ‘lighter’ of the two at 2033kg. It isn’t left out to dry with its bulk though, with the racy version gaining aero addenda, sitting 13mm lower to the ground, gaining adaptive suspension and even a mode to reduce electronic stability control (ESC) intervention.

A point of contention has always been Tesla’s steering, and that continues with the Juniper update. While the system gains new knuckles and a retune to try and filter out some of the overt twitchiness on centre, it still feels video game-esque, with even slight inputs resulting in significant direction change.

It’s hard to judge, with the unusually small steering wheel only seeming to exacerbate the binary sensation.

Yet, it can’t be denied that the Model Y Performance remains an incredibly rapid SUV through corners, with a level of lateral composure and grip that’s hard to comprehend. Thanks to the skateboard-mounted battery pack, the centre of gravity is as low as the SUV body allows, too.

Its stiffer bushings, reinforced rear suspension and adaptive dampers aid roll control, but the ride quality remains on the stiffer side.

The Model Y has two suspension settings; Standard and Sport, but there isn’t a clear tangible difference between them, with both being decidedly firm. Crucially, though, it doesn’t crash or skip too much over bumps, and its rebound suppression is noteworthy.

Grip isn’t ever really in doubt, as the higher-output rear motor fails to overpower the back axle – even with the reduced ESC mode. There is more of a push from the back, rather than pull from the front sensation, which is appreciated. Although, it’s more likely to jink out of line than roll through corners.

Don’t let the red brake calipers fool you – it’s just paint and not upgraded stoppers, and the brake pedal’s wooden feel is disappointing. It requires far more pressure than you expect to gain meaningful retardation, which does necessitate a learning period.

Jump in the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD and, aside from the more conventional operation with a column-mounted gear selector and an instrument cluster ahead, it’s instantly less alien. In the realm of Chinese cars, this is one of the most natural to sit in – and drive.

Expectations are moderated by the 2460kg kerb weight. Yet, surprisingly, the heft doesn’t totally define the 7X Performance experience. It also adds a stronger veneer of comfort with its air suspension and adaptive dampers.

No, the ride quality isn’t perfect, with some pitter patter and bigger bumps felt in the cabin, but by and large, the Zeekr is the one to choose for a long trip.

Depending on the suspension mode and the concessions you’re willing to make for body control, it’ll waft along country roads with ease.

Even the steering response returns greater tactility, with modes to take it from car-park light to hefty enough on the open road. The wheel itself is more orthodoxly sized and shaped, too, with convention overtaking novelty.

The 7X is easier to place into corners and the feedback is more consistent.

And given the speed on tap, it’s refreshing to see the 7X Performance gain upgraded brakes. The premium Akebono package includes monobloc calipers, meaning that the stopping power is never in doubt. They bite early, too, which can be a shock after stepping out of the Model Y. Yet, they provide reassuring power once you get used to them.

Where the weight catches up with the Zeekr is in terms of body control. No matter which driving mode you choose for the suspension (and at the lowest ride height), the 7X can’t completely defy its weight transfer. It pitches and dives more deeply, while it doesn’t change direction as incisively as the Tesla.

Wearing Continental EcoContact 7 tyres, purchase isn’t as stoic either, with the front axle struggling the most. However, be a bit more purposeful with your inputs and manage the weight transfer and you can use that to your advantage, with slightly less grip generating a bit more fun than the tied-down Tesla.

Customisation is also greater in the Zeekr, with the defined driving modes of Eco (rear-drive only for efficiency), Normal (on-demand AWD) and Sport, the latter of which constantly engages both e-motors for maximum performance.

Outside of those, you can tailor your own experience by switching up the settings individually for drive, steering and suspension.

Still, the Zeekr’s lower thresholds render its limits easier to reach and, in a way, builds more confidence. There’s a lack of connection with the Model Y Performance, meaning its breakaway point is harder to discern.

Ultimately, the Tesla is more an exercise in what’s possible rather than being involving. You’re along for the ride it wants to give you, rather than determining your own destiny. And yes, the Zeekr is freakishly heavy, but it somehow feels more malleable and playful, with its lower thresholds placing the driver’s enjoyment more at the forefront rather than merely going fast.

Park the bonkers acceleration to one side for a minute and take in the progress being made inside both go-fast SUVs.

Teslas of old didn’t exactly gain a good rep in terms of quality, predominately when it came to interior fit and finish. Bits and pieces felt unfinished, like it hadn’t been through finishing school. That couldn’t be further from the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance.

Signifying its top-spec status is the addition of some carbon-fibre trim pieces, but otherwise it’s the same upgraded cabin the rest of the range enjoys, which means storage is plentiful, with cavernous cubbies where a transmission tunnel would be for a traditional driveline.

It’s also the quieter of the two, with better insulation coming from the double-glazed windows.

Bugbears? There are a few. Why the Model Y doesn’t have a head-up display makes you ask, ahem, why?

As does the virtual gear selector, which is a slider within the infotainment screen. Plus, the sunroof might turn the cabin into an oven in Australia’s hot summers. Yes, it does have UV coating applied, but it isn’t as good as a blackout blind.

Then there’s the fact you it requires breaking from convention just to operate it. For those new to the brand, the Model Y Juniper isn’t a car you can just get in and drive. Just about everything requires the central touchscreen to operate.

Which is where the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD steps in with normality. Yes, there’s a hint of quirk with the column-mounted gear selector that doubles as a cruise-control stalk, but there’s little that requires detailed tuition just to drive it.

The Zeekr also exudes a European look and feel, with a design that’s as satisfying to view as it is to touch. This is no tin can either as the 7X has a sense of solidity that isn’t found in many vehicles originating from China. The Nappa leather is supple to touch and adds to the luxe ambience, while being able to change the climate control via the multi-function steering wheel is handy.

Like the Tesla, it isn’t fault-free. The powered doors found in the 7X Performance are all for show. In practice they are nothing more than an annoyance given they overcomplicate an action that didn’t need to be made difficult.

Then there’s the hit-or-miss way in which they open due to inconsistencies with the sensors.

A cool feature is the fact that the centre console bin can be swapped out for a fridge accessory – although, the storage area in our tester does feel a little loose. Although, thankfully, its full-length panoramic glass roof does have a shade to protect the cabin from UV rays.

The glass roofs do generate an open and airy space in the back, with both the Tesla and Zeekr providing ample knee, toe and headroom. Reclining backrests feature in both, generating a more relaxed environment for long trips – the 7X even has trays under the rear seats for added storage.

It’s the Model Y that’ll keep the kids entertained longer though, with the infotainment touchscreen allowing access to video and music streaming apps as well as inbuilt games (as does the dash-mounted screen).

Even with the dual-motor arrangement, the Model Y retains a 117-litre ‘frunk’, complete with a drainage port if you want to turn it into a 3.5-second Esky. There’s a traditional 854L boot at the back, which extends to more than 2000L with the powered 40/20/40-split rear seats folded.

A powered tailgate is offered in both, but the Zeekr’s cargo capacity is smaller at 539L with the powered 60/40-split folding rear seats in place, or 1978L with them stowed. And while it also has underfloor storage like the Tesla, the 7X Performance AWD doesn’t gain the 62-litre ‘frunk’ found in the rear-wheel drive variants.

Neither have a spare wheel.

While it might seem frivolous to harp on about the performance of an SUV weighing more than two tonnes, there’s an appetite for SUVs capable of break-neck speed. And in this contest, performance is literally in their names.

Ripping the Band-Aid off… the 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance doesn’t win this battle. It has merit with all the right gear and by being truly handy when the road becomes twisty, but it just doesn’t quite deliver on feedback or enjoyment. It’s an experience filled with an appreciation of computer coding more than involvement.

Unlike the vast majority of Chinese EVs, the 2025 Zeekr 7X Performance AWD is novel, yet familiar. Yes, there’s still a lot to wrap your head around, but it doesn’t feel as alien to exist with as its counterpart. There’s value in being more mainstream, and despite its price point, it feels the more premium experience in terms of its dynamics and cabin ambience.

Zeekr offers a level of polish here that established legacy brands could take notes from. Has China gone from the hunter to the hunted? Maybe not entirely just yet, but if the 7X Performance is anything to go by, things are evolving at a rapid rate.  

The problem is, both ludicrously fast EVs are even better with one thing removed from their nomenclature – Performance.

2025 Tesla Model Y Performance at a glance:
Price: $89,400 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Combined output: 461kW/741Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: circa 79kWh lithium-ion NMC
Range: 580km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 16.2kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2025)

2025 Zeekr 7X Performance at a glance:
Price: $72,990 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 475kW/710Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 100kWh lithium-ion NMC
Range: 543km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 19.9kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

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