Review: Acura ZDX

2024 and 2025 are proving to be watershed years in the market for electric vehicles. With supply chains easing and dealer inventories increasing, EVs are finally becoming more affordable and easier to obtain. More importantly, there’s so much more choice this year than in prior years. While in the past you would have limited choices in each vehicle class if you wanted to go electric, there are multiple new entries in every segment, offering shoppers a wide variety of options to suit their needs. That’s true even of brands like Acura, who until now, had no fully-electric vehicles available at all. Now, with the introduction of the 2024 ZDX, Acura is entering one of the most competitive segments in the market with a fully-electric luxury SUV – and its first full EV.

Brought to market relatively quickly since being announced in 2023, the ZDX is actually built on a shared architecture with General Motors, called the Ultium platform, which has been designed for electric propulsion from the ground up. Like the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, and the Honda Prologue, the ZDX has a cutting-edge electrical architecture, with GM’s latest-generation batteries, fast charging speeds (200 kW on a compatible charger), and powerful electric motors. Since the Ultium platform doesn’t have to accommodate a gasoline engine, it also means that more space can be reserved for passengers and cargo, resulting in a more efficient package overall.

A long “skateboard” chassis pushes the ZDX’s fou wheels out to the corners of its body, giving this electric luxury SUV a unique stance. Despite its long wheelbase and spacious cabin, the ZDX actually has quite a long “hood,” under which the power electronics, HVAC system, and other mechanical items live. There is, unfortunately, no “frunk.”

While early GM vehicles built off the Ultium platform had some well-publicized software issues, my experience with the ZDX was completely seamless. From its sophisticated Google-powered infotainment system to its charging timers, advanced driver assistance systems, and digital dashboard, the Acura EV worked flawlessly. While the software underpinning it all is based on General Motors’ latest, the interface for everything from the instrument cluster to the seat memory and the audio system will be familiar to anyone who has driven a recent Acura. The colors, fonts, and general operating logic are all familiar and intuitive – and also a quick learn for anyone coming from any other vehicle from any other brand.

The ZDX lineup starts with ZDX A-Spec, which has a starting MSRP of $84,990 with dual-motor all-wheel drive and 490 hp and 437 lb.-ft. of torque, with 489 km of range. The high-performance ZDX Type S, the most powerful Acura SUV ever, features a “performance tuned” dual-motor all-wheel drive system and has a starting MSRP of $91,490. The ZDX Type S has 500 horsepower and 544 lb.-ft. of torque as well as fancy Brembo brakes and adaptive air suspension; range is estimated at 447 km.

The ZDX I drove will likely be the best-selling model, an all-wheel drive A-Spec. While it lacks the 22-inch wheels and adaptive air suspension fitted to the Type S, it’s hard to imagine anyone feeling short-changed by the performance on offer. Even with its individual drive mode set up to give more relaxed throttle response, the ZDX offers instantaneous, right-now acceleration that makes it a blast to drive around town and on the open road. At low speeds, it emits a low hum to let pedestrians know it’s there, but (unless you turn on the artificial “sport” noise generator) once you’ve pulled away from a light, the ZDX is incredibly silent and refined, a great place to relax and spend time.

On 20-inch wheels, the ZDX also rides really well, with a true luxury-car feel that smothers all but the biggest bumps without any fuss; I certainly didn’t miss the adjustable air suspension that comes with the Type S, and I suspect the Type S’ ride quality will be compromised by its larger wheels and tires. The flip side of the comfort is that the ZDX, at least in A-Spec trim, lacks the sharpness in corners you might expect if you’re coming out of another Acura. While the steering is light and very accurate, it’s a little bit slow around the straight-ahead, with nice weight but not a lot of feel. While body roll is well-contained, you’re always aware of the 5,900 pounds of SUV you’re tossing around, and the tires start to protest at relatively moderate speeds.

What is very impressive about the ZDX is its overall efficiency, and especially the efficiency of its regeneration. With 102 kWh on tap, the ZDX will always go a long way between charges, but I was constantly surprised and amazed by how well it would perform in real-world driving. The ZDX would regularly go 40 km while losing only 30 km of charge in mixed conditions, while on the freeway, its range estimate was incredibly accurate at speeds above the limit. Regenerative braking is smooth, seamless, and effective; you rarely notice it working. That’s notable because in its default mode, the ZDX behaves much like a gasoline vehicle, with only gentle deceleration, though two “one-pedal” options can be chosen on the central touchscreen; there’s also a steering wheel-mounted paddle you can pull to temporarily increase the regen. It all works so effectively that, combined with the big battery, I never once experienced range anxiety with the ZDX, even over a busy long weekend packed with road tripping between friends, family, and home.

And the ZDX is a really, really nice vehicle to travel in. A long wheelbase gives this EV – which shares its basic dimensions with the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV – a remarkably spacious interior for its size, with stretch-out room in both the front and rear seats, as well as a massive cargo area that will hold all the luggage you’ll ever likely travel with. The heated and cooled seats, upholstered in a combination of synthetic leather and microfiber cloth with contrasting stitching on the A-Spec, are all-day comfortable and supportive. A giant panoramic moonroof brings plenty of light into the cabin, and the standard 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system delivers beautifully clear, crisp sound.

Most of the vehicle’s controls are clustered together on a large touchscreen mounted on the top of the dash. Its interface is clear and easy-to-use, avoiding many of the gimmicks and multi-level menus that you see in some German competitors like the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron. Google technology is built-in, giving you an easy-to-use voice assistant, live Google maps, and access to your music playlists and other preferences. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, and there’s a wireless charging pocket for your smartphone in the center console. What’s nice is that, despite all of the digital connectivity, there are still physical knobs and switches for volume and climate control, making the ZDX really easy to operate on the go.

This isn’t a perfect interior, however. Despite the large glass area, thick pillars and the position of the large side-view mirrors make maneuvering in tight quarters more challenging than it needs to be. While there are lots of physical controls to turn the driver assists on and off, the controls for the headlights and parking lights are inexplicably moved to a small icon on the infotainment screen. And while the quality of the materials and build overall matches what you’ll find in other Acura models, there are a couple of large plastic moldings, including the one at the top of the dash, right in your eyeline, which have rough edges and don’t fit that well (the presence of pin-sharp ambient lighting further accentuates the rough edges).

Some interior foibles aside, though, the ZDX has a lot to recommend it if you are shopping for an electric luxury SUV. Its starting MSRP is a little higher than a similarly-equipped Cadillac Lyriq, and while the Lyriq comes across as more luxurious, the ZDX’s interior is actually more comfortable and its technology is easier to use. German brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with their iX and EQE, have similar range estimates but cost even more. The new Audi Q6 e-tron should be a strong competitor.

If you’re interested in a luxury SUV from an import brand, the ZDX currently occupies a bit of a sweet spot. With good range, really impressive efficiency, great refinement and a spacious cabin – as well as that federal incentive – the Acura ZDX offers a lot of content, style, and luxury at a palatable price.