Rolls-Royce has spent more than a century defending its reputation as the maker of the “Best Car in the World.” The Cullinan brought that image into the luxury SUV age with a V12 engine, an imposing design, and a cabin built around old-world craftsmanship.
Now, a Chinese SUV from Zeekr is making that claim look less untouchable than it once did. In a recent Carwow comparison, the range-topping Zeekr 8X went up against a five-year-old Rolls-Royce Cullinan and delivered some genuinely surprising results.
The Zeekr does not have the same badge power, history, or hand-finished atmosphere as the Rolls. What it does have is outrageous performance, a cabin packed with technology, and a price that makes the Cullinan look almost absurdly expensive.
That contrast is what makes the comparison so fascinating. The Rolls still feels richer and more special, but the Zeekr shows how quickly Chinese luxury EVs and hybrids are closing the gap.
The Zeekr Has Wild Performance
The Cullinan uses a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 producing 571 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Those are respectable numbers, though they suddenly look modest next to the Zeekr’s hybrid setup.
The Zeekr combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with three electric motors for a claimed 1,400 horsepower and 1,040 lb-ft of torque. Despite weighing 6,217 lbs, it demolished the Rolls in Carwow’s drag race with a 10.6-second quarter-mile run versus 13 seconds for the Cullinan.
That kind of acceleration from a large luxury SUV is ridiculous! The Rolls still delivers power with greater smoothness and dignity, but the Zeekr’s sheer speed is impossible to ignore.
Rolls Still Wins On Traditional Luxury
Inside, the Cullinan reminds you why Rolls-Royce occupies such rare territory. The materials, switchgear, metal details, and overall design still feel expensive in a way the Zeekr cannot fully replicate.
The Zeekr fights back with impressive build quality and plenty of luxury equipment. It offers soft-close doors, front and rear massage seats, multiple screens, quiet electric motors for cabin functions, and a surprisingly plush rear-seat experience. Still, the Rolls has the richer atmosphere. Its leather, organ-stop controls, and overall sense of occasion remain difficult to beat.
The Chinese SUV Has The Better Tech
Where the Zeekr really shocks is technology. It features a blind-spot camera feed projected into the head-up display, which even Carwow’s Mat Watson said he had never seen before.
It also includes karaoke, loads of rear-seat space, reclining rear seats, air suspension, active anti-roll bars, and enough screens to make the Cullinan feel old-fashioned. The most outrageous party trick is its “Zeekr Turn” function, which lets the SUV rotate itself through a tight maneuver in a way the Rolls simply cannot match.
That feature may be slightly theatrical, but it makes a point. Chinese automakers are moving incredibly fast when it comes to software-driven luxury features.
The Price Gap Is Brutal
The used Cullinan in the comparison was valued at more than $333,000 while a new Cullinan can easily climb far higher with options. The Zeekr, by comparison, costs just north of $72,000 in China.
That means the Zeekr delivers shocking power and serious luxury tech for a fraction of the money. It does not feel as expensive as the Rolls, but it also does not feel remotely cheap.
That is the part European luxury brands should worry about. The Zeekr may not dethrone Rolls-Royce today, but it proves China’s premium SUVs are no longer playing catch-up from miles behind.