Bruce Newton’s best electric car of 2025: Zeekr 7X
I could be easily accused of recency bias for this choice, but here goes anyway.
The Zeekr 7X gets my nod for best new electric car of the year because it lands in the most important EV class with affordable pricing, a strong equipment list, hugely impressive tech and a well-sorted drive experience.
The only significant proviso is I have only driven the dual-motor all-wheel drive Performance flagship.
READ MORE: Stephen Corby’s best electric car of 2025: Hyundai Inster
READ MORE: Andrew Chesterton’s best electric car of 2025: Hyundai Ioniq 9
READ MORE: Toby Hagon’s best electric car of 2025: Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive
READ MORE: Iain Curry’s best electric car of 2025: Kia EV3
The cheaper rear-wheel drives actually look to be the sweet spot of the range, especially the Long Range.
My significant criticisms of the 7X are few and far between. I loathed the fussy power doors, as did everyone else who had to access and exit the test vehicle.
But so much else made this a welcoming and enjoyable vehicle, not least its stunning recharging speed and long range.
That it didn’t demand you select gears and check speed via the touchscreen screen like the Tesla Model Y helped too.
So what did the 7X beat out in my list. My year kicked off with the XPeng G6 and it’s the 7X’s closest competitor in the segment in my view.
It missed out only because it wasn’t quite as well resolved in its driving and offered no concession to button and dial believers.
In between those two, the Kia EV3 was sampled and enjoyed. It’s a better resolved compact EV than any of the Chinese offerings, but you do pay for it.
I also drove the hugely impressive BMW iX3 in 2025, but that was overseas. In mid-2026 we’ll know more about its local capabilities.
Biggest EV surprise of 2025: The rise of PHEVs
I struggled for a long time to understand plug-in hybrid powertrains. Expensive, fussy and without much pure EV range, they seemed a point not worth making.
But in 2025 I have driven the Geely Starray EM-i, the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH and MG HS Super Hybrid.
What impressed me about all three was the sheer efficiency of their powertrains, delivering real 80-100km EV ranges. That’s ample for the urban day-to-day driving world.
Then, as hybrids, they are frugal in the 5-7L/100km range. Pretty good for substantial five-seat family SUVs.
A special shout-out to the Chery for the Tiggo being a much better experience than I expected. It was coming off a low base because the petrol Tiggo 7 Pro I road tested in early 2024 was a dynamic mess.
For under $40K the Tiggo 7 CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) is an impressive offering.
But the PHEV I spent most time with was the MG. We’ve had one (well two actually – read the reports) at Casa Newton for nearly six months on long term loan and in that time we’ve driven thousands of kilometres and filled the petrol tank twice. Repeat, twice.
For people unwilling to take the jump into the EV deep-end these affordable, efficient PHEVs make sense.
The electric car I’m most looking forward to in 2025: The legacy makers’ new-gen EVs
The decision by Toyota to cut bZ4X pricing by $10,000 is the clearest example yet how badly most of the traditional big auto names have miscalled the EV market.
Once the early adopters made their purchases and the Chinese arrived with their cut price yet still capable EVs, the writing was on the wall for over-priced slightly mundane EVs like the bZ4X.
But there are signs the legacy brands are responding to the existential threat the Chinese brands pose for at least some of them with new-generation machinery.
Toyota has not only cut the price of the bZ4X but improved it. It also starts expanding its EV line-up in 2026, Mazda returns with the 6e, Hyundai will have a true mainstream player with the China-sourced Elexio and Ford has a new affordable EV family in the works (although we’re talking 2027 in this case).
Kia, the legacy brand that has done the best job of EV adaptation, will continue on its way with the EV4 compact sedan and hatch and the potentially segment-busting PV5 commercial range.
Up in the premium space we’ve got both the aforementioned BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology to look forward to.
In other words, roll on 2026!
