When Acura asked me to try the upwardly mobile sibling to the Honda Prologue, I jumped at the opportunity. After all, Acura has always meant sporty and luxurious. Although there are some sporty Honda vehicles like the Civic Si, Acura has geared more of its fleet toward performance and luxury, especially when you consider vehicles such as the Integra and NSX. It also has the monopoly in the Honda brand for sporty SUVs, such as the MDX Type S or RDX A-Spec. And now for the fastest SUV Acura has created with the help of electric propulsion: the ZDX Type S. Although I did not get a chance to jump into the single-motor A-Spec, I was able to try out the highest-performance ZDX Type S.
Acura and Zero Emissions
Just like Acura’s parent company Honda, the luxury brand is looking to transition to an emission-free future. According to Emile Korkor, Assistant Vice President of Acura National Sales, “The arrival of the new ZDX is an exciting moment for the Acura brand. It signals our transition to a zero-emissions future and demonstrates our commitment to Precision Crafted Performance in the electrified era.” Right off the bat, you can tell the experience is more premium compared to the Honda Prologue. The contrasting colors from the trim work to the special Double Apex Blue Pearl paint on my tester made the exterior seem special. Premium leather-like surfaces are abundant in the interior, and the rear console offers heated seats for rear passengers. When you open the doors at dusk, LEDs shine the Acura logo brightly onto the floor. Dave Marek, Acura’s Creative Director, notes, “As Acura moves into an exhilarating, electrified future, we will continue to push the forward-thinking design and proportions of our products as we take full advantage of the increased styling and packaging freedom EVs offer. Embracing that creative liberation, our team was energized designing ZDX, Acura’s new modern expression of performance.”
WHOA Nellie!
Electric vehicles are naturally going to be heavier than their internal combustion counterparts. But with all that go, they need good braking systems, especially during emergency situations or performance driving when you need more stopping ability than the regeneration system can provide. The Acura ZDX delivers with massive 15.6-inch Brembo brakes with yellow-coated calipers. These help stop the beautiful 22-inch machine-finished wheels. Drivers can customize the driving experience with multiple drive modes, including a Sport mode for maximum acceleration and response. Also onboard the ZDX is an adjustable air suspension. Electric vehicles can be eerily quiet. One time while I was driving, I heard an odd motor noise coming from the trunk; I remembered it was the air compressor filling up the tank for the suspension. To demo the suspension, Acura used the ZDX Type S as the pace car at the 102nd Running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 23. Driving the ZDX Type S pace car up the challenging 12.42-mile hill climb was pro BMX athlete, car tuner, and amateur drifter Coco Zurita. Not bad: a vehicle you can buy at an Acura dealership and it is ready to race up a mountain! The large 22-inch wheels really set off the exterior. Although probably not the best choice for off-roading, the 40-series rubber still has enough sidewall to avoid getting taken out by shallow potholes.
Sounding Great
The Acura infotainment system is easy to use. I loved that the native navigation system is Google Maps. Finding a fast-charging station is just a finger touch away on the center console. The audio system has a control knob next to the large infotainment screen that makes adjustments easy. There is also a volume control hidden on the back of the steering wheel, which helps you tweak the right volume for the Bang & Olufsen audio system. The ZDX features Bang & Olufsen’s latest 3D Sound Control and Acoustic Lens Technology. Bang & Olufsen’s intuitive Beosonic one-touch sound control interface allows you to create an in-car audio experience with four distinct audio moods: Bright, Energetic, Warm, and Relaxed. It is odd and fun to tweak the system using these adjective adjustments. I particularly liked the Relaxed setting, as it equalized the bass frequencies to be richer. Bang & Olufsen’s proprietary Acoustic Lens Technology uniformly disperses high frequencies horizontally 180 degrees while limiting vertical reflections, improving the overall sense of space and realism for all passengers. Brushed aluminum speaker grilles laser-etched with the Bang & Olufsen logo further enhance the ZDX’s premium interior design. Overall, the system sounds great with good imaging and sound staging.
Super Cruisin?
Because the ZDX shares its architecture with the Cadillac Lyriq, it also uses a system similar to GM’s Super Cruise that places a large green neon indicator on the steering wheel. When the indicator is illuminated green, the driver can remove their hands from the steering wheel and just keep an eye on the road. If you take your eyes off the road, the wheel gently nudges the car back and forth within its lane to keep you paying attention. This can be a potential lifesaver if you are drifting off. If you fully take your eyes off the road for a long period, the system will turn on the hazard lights and decelerate the car slowly (in case the driver falls asleep). Overall, the system works great but has some differences from GM’s Super Cruise. I found that the system lost “sight” of the road more than Super Cruise, and when that happens, the steering wheel turns red, and the alert is very loud. Of course, if doom is impending, alert me! But if the lane markings are getting faded, ask me to pay more attention a step before full panic mode.
The ZDX is a great first foray for Acura into the electric vehicle space. It feels like a premium product because it is one. The only drawback is the price compared to its Honda little brother, coming in at $64K for the base model but only $74K for an all-in Type S. If you take into consideration the tax credits, the ZDX could be the bargain luxury fast electric SUV you are looking for.
