2024 Acura ZDX Type S delivers power, authority
All-electric vehicle shares Cadillac beltline but offers a unique flavour
The ZDX nameplate is not new to Acura. When it was launched in 2010, it was at the sharp end of a fledgling market. The idea of blending a crossover with a coupe was first done in 2008 when BMW introduced the X6. The ZDX was a couped MDX. However, its acceptance was limited and so it lasted just four years. Now comes the second use of the nameplate.
WHAT'S NEW FOR THE 2024 ACURA ZDX?
The ZDX is the brand's first all-electric vehicle. It shares everything from the beltline down with the Cadillac Lyriq. However, it gets a healthy dose of Acura flavour and a distinctive, if controversial, design. The mid-size luxury crossover offers up to 489 kilometres of driving range and rides on a long 3,094-millimetre wheelbase, which gives it plenty of passenger and cargo space. It can also tow 1,587 kg.
WHAT POWERS THE 2024 ACURA ZDX?
Beneath the distinctive sheet metal sits the 102 kilowatt hour battery that powers the two electric motors. While the electric motors are the same in both models, the Type S tested gets more zing. The A-Spec's twin motors twist out 490 horsepower and 437 pound-feet of torque; the Type S ups those numbers to 500 hp and 544 lb-ft of torque from Rev One. The battery also delivers decent driving range.
The A-Spec's driving range tops out at 489 km. The Type S comes in at 447 km.
REAL-WORLD DRIVING RANGE
On the test, the drive day started with the battery showing an 80 per cent state-of-charge (SOC) and a driving distance of 406 km. After the 159.8-km drive, the battery had dropped to a 49 per cent SOC and the remaining driving range was 254 km. The numbers say the ZDX lives up to advanced billing. The other impressive part is it achieved these numbers with 40 per cent of the drive being on the highway where the flow of electrons is all one way, and that's out of the battery.
CHARGING TIMES
Acura lists a number of different charge times. When hooked up to a DC fast charger, the battery goes from 20 per cent to 100 per cent in 42 minutes. Compared to those vehicles using an 800-volt architecture that's slow — the Kia EV9 takes 24 minutes to go from 10 to 80 per cent. At home, Acura says a Level 2 home charger adds 47.3 km of driving range per hour. That really does not
say much, so I will defer to National Resources Canada (NRCan) — it lists the Type S's Level 2 charge time at 11 hours even.
REGENERATIVE BRAKING WITH A TWIST
A big part of any electric vehicle's range comes from regenerative braking. In this case, Acura offer a onepedal drive with Normal and High modes. It can also be turned off if desired. When in Normal mode the amount of regen proved to be just a tad too light for me; switching to High made it a little too aggressive. A setting between the two would be perfect. What is clever is the split paddle shifter on the left of the steering wheel. The lower half changes radio stations, however, pull the upper half of the paddle and it bumps the level of regen from the Normal rate to the more aggressive High setting. This allows the driver to call upon maximum regen braking whenever it's needed.
HOW DOES THE 2024 ACURA ZDX TYPE S DRIVE?
Where the A-Spec uses amplitude reactive dampers to deliver a mechanically adaptive ability, the Type S gets a proper air suspension with a lift function and adaptive dampers. The air suspension delivers a wonderful balance between ride comfort when in Normal mode and handling when in Sport mode. For most of the drive, it was in Sport because it delivers the power with more urgency and authority.
There is no question the ZDX is heavy (2,745 kg), but the steering and suspension did a good job of masking the mass when pushed through the twisty sections. The P275/40ZR22 tires deliver tons of grip and the six-piston Brembo front calipers clamp down on 15.6-inch rotors, so there is little fade.
A CABIN BEFITTING AN ACURA, AT LAST!
Many of Acura's models seem to have been designed for those with a button fetish, or that's what the number of buttons on the steering wheel and centre console say. The ZDX arrives with a markedly different approach to design. Only the needed functions, like Hands Free Cruise, are on the steering wheel, there's a dedicated set of knobs and buttons for climate control and a proper radio volume knob for the audio package. It is orderly and ergonomic with one exception. The drive mode switch is located on the lower left dash area ahead of the driver's knee. The problem is it requires taking your eyes off the road to find the switch before toggling through the drive modes.
The reconfigurable instrumentation is clean and uncluttered, and supported by a full-on head-up display. At the top the centre stack sits the 11.3-inch multimedia screen. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a Bang & Olufsen sound system with 18 speakers — it is symphonic in the quality of its sound reproduction. Again, for the driver the heated/cooled, 16-way power adjustable seat make it easy to establish the correct and comfortable driving position. The sight lines are also commendably clean.
HANDS-FREE DRIVING
Acura's Hands Free Cruise is impressive and based on GM's Super Cruise. The system is not only capable of driving at a set speed and distance from the car ahead, it can change lanes on its own. Once active, the only driver intervention needed to start the lane change is touching the turn signal.
It also has the ability to pass a slower vehicle without the driver touching the wheel. It can be turned off, but why would you?
HOW'S THE PRACTICALITY AND CARGO SIDE OF THE ZDX?
There is plenty of rear seat space with generous amounts of headroom (940 mm) and legroom (1,001 mm). There's also 793 litres of cargo space with the seats up and 1,722L with the one-touch split/folding seat backs lowered.
CANADIAN PRICING
The Acura ZDX will be available at a dealer near you starting this month. The entry point is the ZDX A-Spec with a starting of $84,990; the ZDX Type S tested comes in at $91,490.
In both cases, paint colour and the towing package are the only real options.