Acura ZDX (2024): This electric SUV uses GM technology

Acura ZDX already appeared at the Monterey Car Week a year ago – but it was called something else then. The first electric SUV from the luxury brand Honda debuted in 2022 with the name Precision EV. But this model name wouldn’t quite fit into Acura’s nomenclature, which for most models consists of only three letters. So since the production version also debuted in California at the 2023 edition of the Monterey Car Week, the model is called the Acura ZDX. And it holds some surprises.

Acura ZDX design

Not necessarily for a design developed at the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, which is not far from that of the Precision EV research, but it puts more extreme design techniques into perspective. Front model: In the area of ​​the closed radiator grille, which has a relief and a light edge, it is not provided as in the concept car. The lights are also slightly increased, with the Acura ZDX presenting a large black area and clear lines instead of light effects on the front apron.

From a side view, similarities and subtle differences are also visible. The first category includes a black roof (on the top model Type S) and a part of the sill, which is also in a different color because it is painted gray. Differences can be seen in the power strip and in the chrome trim around the side windows, which on the ZDX extends almost entirely from front to back. The same applies to the door handles (strong brackets on the ZDX, not seen on the Precision EV) and the large exterior mirrors mounted on the car’s side rails, which replace the rear cameras. The electric SUV starts with a new color “Double Apex Blue Pearl”, which can also be seen on the show car. There are also other finish colors, including the S-Type’s characteristic yellow called “Tiger Eye Pearl”.

Measurements

Back then, the metamorphosis from the Precision EV to the Acura ZDX was done in a similar way: While the light spots on the apron have disappeared, the taillights now have slightly larger dimensions. The rear window is a little steep. The roof spoiler is now slightly larger and has a break light in the default setting; In the study, it still grew well outside the roof. Acura ZDX dimensions are 5.02 meters long, 1.96 meters wide and 1.64 meters tall with a wheelbase of 3.09 meters.

Acura ZDX interior

On the interior, however, nothing from the Precision EV research remains – which is not surprising given the crazy and futuristic design. The Acura ZDX has two screens on the dashboard: one sits behind the flat-bottom steering wheel as an eleven-inch driver information display. Another is the 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that is horizontally aligned in the center position, slightly tilted towards the driver’s seat. The lower half of the center console is the center air vents and climate control buttons.

Connection

Google technology is primarily responsible for connectivity: Google Assistant, Google Maps and Play are standard equipment in the Acura ZDX. In addition, smartphones can be connected wirelessly via Apple Carplay and Android Auto and mirrored on the center screen. Also on board for free: a surround sound system from Bang & Olufsen with 18 speakers (four of them on the roof wall), a 14-channel amplifier and a subwoofer.

GM electrical engineering

In terms of platform and powertrain, the Acura ZDX features a technology partnership agreed between parent company Honda and General Motors in the summer of 2022. The model uses GM’s Ultium platform, making it a sister model to the Cadillac Lyriq and Many other electric SUVs from the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands.

Acura ZDX A-Spec

Acura offers the ZDX in two model versions. The standard model is called A-Spec and in the basic trim it offers a 344 hp engine on the rear axle. An optional second electric motor on the front axle turns the SUV into all-wheel drive and increases performance to an as-yet-unknown value, but also reduces range. While the 102-kilowatt-hour battery power in the single-engine Acura ZDX is said to last 523 kilometers, the range in the twin-engine A-Spec is only 507 kilometers. The maximum charging power is 190 kW, which means that around 130 additional kilometers can be added in ten minutes.

Acura ZDX S model

Despite similar charging power and battery capacity, the range-topping S-type can only travel 463 km. Perhaps this is due to the high power output of the two electric motors, which together produce 507 hp; The twin-engine ZDX A-Spec should maintain respectable mileage here. When it comes to the chassis, the Type S is better than the A-Spec: its multi-link setup works with height-adjustable air instead of fixed coil suspension and with adapters instead of reactive springs. The top sport model has several driving modes, including a customizable individual program and a standard sport setting.

Rims and tires are two large sizes (Type S: 9.5×22 inches with 275/40 R22 tires, and sports compound on request; A-Spec: 9×20 inches with 265/50 R20 tires). For the braking system, he relies on Brembo components, with the discs on the front axle being larger than the base model (396 instead of 320 mm; at the back there are 343 mm discs on the Type S and A-Special). The front six-piston S-Types are always yellow.

Driving assistance

While the ZDX A-Spec has a standard assistance package called AcuraWatch, which now includes brake assist for rear traffic and spot monitoring for intervention, Acura is equipping the S Type with its 360+ variant. Here, the driver can not only park the car independently, but also take their hands on the steering wheel – and theoretically on the road network in North America that reaches up to 644,000 kilometers. This is where partner General Motors and its Super Cruise technology come into play, which Honda has adapted for the Acura ZDX.

Price and market launch

The Acura ZDX will roll off the production line at GM’s Springhill plant in Tennessee alongside the Cadillac Lyriq. The market launch is planned for the beginning of 2024, with the model sold exclusively through a digital sales process. Prices for the rear-wheel drive ZDX A-Spec start at $64,500, which currently equates to less than 59,100 euros. The all-wheel drive version is available from 68,500 dollars (around 62,900 euros). List price for the Type S variant starts at $73,500 (around 67,500 euros).