To create the new 2024 ZDX, Acura partnered with General Motors and designed the two-row electric midsize luxury SUV around GM's Ultium electric vehicle component set. Parent company Honda's in-house EV platform and architecture are still baking in the product development oven, so that approach gave Acura a fast pass to EV-land.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
In addition, the 2024 Acura ZDX rolls down the same Spring Hill, Tennessee, GM assembly line as the Cadillac Lyriq, a similarly sized electric SUV. Unsurprisingly, the new ZDX uses plenty of GM hardware and software. It even smells like a new Cadillac inside.
However, while it's fair to characterize the ZDX as a Lyriq wearing an Acura costume, it's not a copy of the Caddy. The exterior styling and interior design are exclusive to the Acura, and there are other differences between the two models. Call them cousins rather than siblings.
Acura offers the 2024 ZDX in A-Spec and Type S trim levels, and prices range from $65,850 to $74,850, including the destination charge of $1,350. With the ZDX ready to go on sale, Acura invited me to Santa Barbara, California, to drive the EV. My test vehicle had Type S trim, optional Double Apex Blue paint, and Continental summer performance tires*. Those upgrades brought the price to $76,450, including the destination charge.
Deceptively proportioned, the Acura ZDX looks smaller than it is. In reality, the EV is nearly the same size as the automaker's three-row MDX model, but with the wheels pushed to corners of the body, the ZDX looks long, low, and lean. Acura's signature grille design and lighting elements decorate the front and rear of the SUV, and the ZDX offers a choice between 20-inch (A-Spec) or 22-inch wheels (Type S). Overall, it's an attractive EV.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Inside, five-passenger seating in black, red, or white premium leather awaits. You might spot GM-sourced switchgear inside the ZDX, most noticeably the 11-inch digital instrumentation and 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. You can also feel the GM influence in the hard, slippery plastic surfaces covering the lower parts of the interior, and the new-car smell is definitely Detroit by way of Tennessee.
Nevertheless, aside from some odd control placements, such as the driving mode button down low on the left side of the dashboard and hazard lights on the ceiling next to the SOS emergency calling button, the ZDX is logically laid out. Also, the Google Built-in infotainment system is an improvement over what you'll find in other Acura models.
In A-Spec trim, the ZDX has heated and cooled 12-way power-adjustable front seats and a heated power-adjustable steering wheel. Upgrade to the Type S for 16-way power adjustment and heated rear seats. I found every seating location comfortable, and the Type S gets an exclusive three-zone automatic climate control system.
Storage space is plentiful, but most surfaces lack a liner, so expect some noise and vibration when you store items within them. The cargo area behind the back seat measures up to 29.7 cubic feet, and a large compartment is underneath the load floor. Fold the back seats down to maximize cargo room at up to 63 cu-ft. A power liftgate is standard, with hands-free operation on the ZDX Type S.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Thanks to its Google Built-in platform, the ZDX's infotainment system is easy to use. It comes with a complimentary three-year subscription to Google Maps and Google Assistant, a sometimes-sassy digital voice assistant that is remarkably capable of parsing naturally spoken questions and commands.
In addition to an 11.3-inch touchscreen display, the infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and wireless smartphone charging. I connected my iPhone and streamed music from Pandora and Apple Music without trouble. An 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is standard, offering a satisfying listening experience. AcuraLink connected services are available via GM's platform, OnStar.
The configurable 11-inch digital instrumentation display supplies high-resolution data renderings, including an available full-screen navigation map display. The Type S also has a rear camera mirror, a head-up display, and key card access in place of the key fob.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Type S models also have AcuraWatch 360+, an expansion of the A-Spec's standard AcuraWatch collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). It adds a rear pedestrian alert system, surround-view camera, and additional front and rear parking sensors to support a semi-autonomous automatic parking assistance system.
In addition, AcuraWatch 360+ installs Hands-Free Cruise, a rebranded version of GM's Super Cruise technology. I used it extensively while driving north on California's 101 freeway north of Santa Barbara, and the technology is terrific. Admittedly, traffic was relatively light, and this stretch of highway had only two travel lanes in each direction. However, Hands-Free Cruise is easy to trust in these conditions, and the automatic lane-change feature enhances the experience.
At one point during the drive, when the automatic lane-change system didn't execute one, I signaled to initiate a move from the left lane into the right lane. I released the turn signal stalk after the ZDX crossed the white lane marker, and it immediately canceled the action, returning to the left lane. Undoubtedly, that would aggravate a motorist following behind the Acura.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
With ZDX A-Spec trim, Acura offers a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) or a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) propulsion system. The Type S has a high-output dual-motor AWD system. All ZDXs use a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack that recharges from 20% to 80% in a claimed 42 minutes when using a 190-kilowatt DC fast charging station.
If you want maximum driving range, the A-Spec is your ticket to an estimated 304 miles (AWD) to 313 miles (RWD) of range. The single-motor RWD model provides 358 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque, while the dual-motor AWD gives you 490 hp and 437 lb-ft.
Thanks to its 500 hp and available 544 lb-ft of torque, the Type S is the quickest version of the ZDX, zooming to 60 mph in less than five seconds, according to Acura. However, thanks to the more powerful electric motors and larger 22-inch wheels, the Type S earns a lower range estimate of 278 miles.
Undoubtedly, the ZDX Type S is fast by traditional standards, but among performance-oriented electric SUVs, it won't impress. Still, there is a thrill to pushing the accelerator pedal to the floor, and the power is easily manageable. Regarding efficiency, the ZDX Type S test vehicle averaged 2.3 miles per kWh of electricity (or consumption of 43.5 kWh per 100 miles). That's also unimpressive.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
In addition to larger wheels and tires, the Type S models feature quicker steering, upgraded front brakes with Brembo six-piston calipers, thicker front and rear stabilizer bars, and an adaptive damping air suspension. Most of my driving occurred on smooth, well-maintained pavement. However, on a hilly and twisty road, the ZDX displayed impressive athleticism for a vehicle weighing more than three tons. I liked driving the ZDX Type S more than an MDX Type S.
The ride feels firm on broken, poorly maintained roads, but the ZDX Type S remains composed. Only some excessive impact harshness, particularly at the rear axle, makes the SUV feel too stiff and brittle. I did not take the ZDX off-road; neither its optional performance tires nor its 7 inches of ground clearance would inspire confidence on anything more challenging than a well-traveled dirt or gravel road.
While returning to the Santa Barbara area, I descended a long and winding mountain grade. The regenerative braking system felt good underfoot, and there are several levels of regen accessible using a paddle on the steering wheel. Plan appropriately, and you can bring the ZDX to a stop without using the brake pedal.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
I like the new 2024 Acura ZDX, but it breaks no new ground in a segment where technology is king. And it’s an increasingly crowded field of competitors. In addition to its kissing cousin, the Cadillac Lyriq, the Acura ZDX counts the BMW iX, Genesis Electrified GV70, Jaguar I-Pace, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, and Tesla Model X as rivals. Soon, the Audi Q6 E-tron will join the list.
Fortunately for Acura, the ZDX boasts competitive range ratings, if not DC fast charging times. Get a home charging station, and that won't matter unless you travel far from home.
Instead of breaking new ground, the ZDX is a game changer for Acura, leading the charge into an electrified future and giving the automaker access to superior tech like a Google Built-in infotainment system, Hands-Free Cruise, and robust OnStar-based connected services. Attractively styled, comfortable, practical, and enjoyable to drive, the ZDX is a fitting North Star for Acura to follow.
*Acura fitted the evaluation models with the summer tires but not the Berlina Black wheels that come with them. The wheel/tire combination in the photos is unavailable to consumers.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with 30 years of experience in the field and has held automotive editorial leadership positions at Edmunds, JD Power, and The New York Daily News. Today, Chris owns a content agency called Speedy Daddy Media, and in addition to JDPower.com, his work appears on Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, and Edmunds.
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