2024 Acura ZDX Review

The Acura ZDX (starting at $64,500) may have started as a gas-powered crossover, but the 2024 version is the first electric car from Honda’s luxury brand. It’s essentially a more powerful version of Prologue that runs on GM’s Ultium platform than the concept frameworks Honda announced at CES. We’re fans of its snappy driving experience, competitive battery range, sharp looks and premium amenities, though we wish it had a Franc. Overall, the Tesla Model Y remains our Editors’ Choice for electric crossovers because it offers a similar experience and more cargo space for a much lower starting price of $44,990.

Price and Options: A generous set of standard features

The 2024 Acura ZDX is available in three main trims: A-Spec RWD ($64,500), A-Spec AWD ($68,500), or Type S ($73,500). The base model has a single motor for rear-wheel drive, while the other two have dual motors for all-wheel drive. Those prices put it well above even the most expensive Tesla Model Y, the $51,490 Performance AWD. For comparison the Honda Prologue starts at $47,400. All are eligible for the full federal EV tax credit.

Standard exterior highlights on A-Spec models include 20-inch wheels, heated and power-folding side mirrors with LED turn signals, an illuminated seamless grille, LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights, a piano-black decklid spoiler, a powered tailgate, and a tilt-and-slide panoramic moonroof. Inside the cabin, you’ll find 12-way power front seats with heating and ventilation, brushed-aluminum trim, a dual-zone automatic climate system with humidity control and air filtration, a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, and perforated leather seats.

In terms of technology, you get an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster, an 11.3-inch infotainment touch screen, an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with AM/FM HD Radio and satellite radio, Google built-in apps, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and wireless phone charging. For safety, the car offers the most conventional driver assistance, along with advanced advancements such as front pedestrian and auto-reverse braking.

The Type S gets 22-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control with hands-free highway driving, automatic parking, Brembo front 6-piston brakes, a gloss-black roof, a hands-free power tailgate, rear pedestrian alert and a surround view camera system. . For a starting price of $74,500, you can get the Type S with summer performance tires instead of all-season tires if you choose.

A $600 Tiger Eye Pearl paint option and a $1,395 destination and handling charge brought the final sticker price of my Type S model to $75,495.

Design: A distinctive exterior

The exterior of the Acura ZDX is similar to the Honda Prologue, but there are some obvious differences. Where the Prologue features a faux grille, the ZDX ditches this gas vehicle relic for a lighted, one-piece pentagonal panel. Meanwhile, the Chicane daytime running lights form an attractive check mark over Acura’s distinctive Jewel Eye headlights. Other standout design elements include the gloss-black roof and the chrome strip that angles downward from the C pillar (a bit like the conventional Hersey trim).

Like the Prologue, the ZDX shares somewhat flimsy interior switches with its distant GM EV cousins. But the leather-covered dashboard, smartly sculpted door panels and instrument panel trim still give the interior a premium feel. The dual-panel panoramic moonroof makes the already spacious interior feel extra-spacious. I prefer the modern elegance of the ZDX to the more minimalist slant of the Tesla Model Y.

Like the Prologue, the ZDX has no fenders as the mechanical parts take up space under the hood. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y has a 4.1 cubic-foot trunk and more rear trunk space (34.3 cubic feet compared to 28.7 cubic feet for the Type S).

Performance: Ample power and acceleration

The Acura ZDX is also more powerful than the Honda Prologue: even the base A-Spec model has more horsepower (358 compared to 288) and virtually the same amount of torque (324lb-ft compared to 333) as the top-end Prologue Elite. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y Performance AWD, which has 455hp and 487lb-ft of torque, falls short of the Type S trim. See chart below for full specs:

For testing, I drove the ZDX Type S on crowded freeways and twisty mountain roads around Santa Barbara, CA as part of a media event. The car proved to have enough acceleration to overtake other vehicles and climb steep grades. Like all EVs, it has instant torque for sudden bursts of speed but manages to strike an ideal balance between aggressively sporty and gracefully composed.

An adaptive air suspension gives the 6,000-pound crossover an extremely smooth ride on pockmarked roads, while the cabin remains quiet and isolated from outside noise. The ZDX has Normal, Sport and Snow drive modes, plus an Individual mode that lets you adjust performance characteristics like throttle response and steering feel.

I like that the ZDX offers the best of both worlds when it comes to regenerative braking. Off, Normal and High settings are all available via the center dashboard screen or a steering-wheel paddle for on-the-fly adjustments.

Battery and charging: Top-tier range

All ZDX models use a 102kWh battery, up from the 85kWh cell in all Prologue variants. As a result, the rear-wheel A-Spec model gets slightly more driving range than the front-wheel drive (FWD) EX and Touring Prologue trims (296 miles of range, combined MPGe rating of 99). However, the Tesla Model Y comes out slightly ahead of the ZDX across the board: its Long Range RWD model delivers 330 miles, while the Performance AWD gives you 279 miles. You can find the full battery specs in the chart below.

Acura says the ZDX takes 42 minutes to go from 20% to 80% on a DC fast-charger and estimates the Level 2 AC rate as 29.4 miles per hour. Since I tested the ZDX at a media event, I couldn’t charge the battery. That said, the range and rate of discharge seemed appropriate for the amount of driving I did. The car uses a Combined Charging System (CCS) port but is compatible with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) via an adapter.

Partnerships with EVgo and Electrify America give ZDX owners access to that company’s chargers through the Acura EV smartphone app (available for Android and iOS) that helps you find available chargers and pay for charging. Like the Honda Prologue, you can choose between different charging options after purchase. Check the chart below for all the details:

Infotainment: A GM system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Like the Honda Prologue, the ZDX shares an infotainment system with many GM vehicles, though the Blazer EV hasn’t caused massive problems. Google built-in apps include Google Assistant, Google Play Store and Google Maps. However, where GM left out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the ZDX allows for a wireless connection on both platforms. I had no problems using CarPlay with my iPhone in testing.

To control the interface, you rotate a physical power/volume knob at the top left of the touch screen and tap the small touch icons on the left side of the screen (audio, phone, navigation, and other frequently used features). A customizable set of large menu tiles in the center spans several pages. While I found the preproduction interface on the Honda Prologue model I tested a bit back, the ZDX’s system was quick to respond. Acura forgoes GM’s OnStar for telematics features like automatic emergency crash notification and Wi-Fi hotspot but reskinned it as AcuraLink Connected by OnStar. To remotely lock or unlock the doors and keep tabs on charging, you’ll need to download the Acura EV app.

Safety and excess: Hands-free cruise is the future

An extensive collection of driver aids under the AcuraWatch umbrella is standard on A-Spec trims, as noted, though the Type-S adds extra features like a surround-view camera, automatic parking and what Acura calls hands-free cruise. (The latter is really GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system).

The most recent version automatically moves you into the left lane to allow slower drivers to pass (unless there are other vehicles in the adjacent lane) and then merges you back into the main lane when it’s safe. When I tested the system on a crowded California freeway, I was amazed at how smoothly and efficiently it worked—something I can’t say for all the drivers I’ve encountered while testing the Acura.

Verdict: An expensive contender

While that feels like a bit of a half-step in terms of Honda’s larger electric ambitions, the Acura ZDX crossover delivers plenty of performance, range and panache. Its self-driving highway features are particularly compelling, and we enjoy its advanced interior and exterior design. It seriously challenges the similarly performing Tesla Model Y for our Editors’ Choice award, though the latter maintains its advantages for its significantly lower price and greater amount of cargo space.