As Acura’s first totally electrical car, the ZDX Kind S is a vital automobile for the model, but it surely’s not a real Acura or Honda product. The brand new ZDX is constructed on the identical Basic Motors Ultium structure as a number of different automobiles together with Honda’s Prologue, Chevrolet’s Blazer EV, and Cadillac’s Lyriq. I attended the primary drive of the Blazer EV so I had a good suggestion of what to anticipate from Acura’s luxurious crossover, and I hoped the parents at Acura had someway remodeled the boring Blazer into one thing magnificent. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.
The brand new ZDX may not be a ground-up Acura, however it’s a roomy crossover with distinctive seems to be. Being constructed on the Ultium platform means the ZDX has an impossibly lengthy wheelbase that stretches 121-inches– eight inches longer than the wheelbase of Acura’s MDX three-row crossover. Different Ultium platform hallmarks embody a really cavernous inside, no entrance trunk, and a few strong know-how. The ZDX Kind S has all of these traits, and provides good energy to the checklist, however after driving the brand new it round Montecito, it simply nonetheless feels an excessive amount of like its siblings, to the detriment of the Acura.
Full disclosure: Acura invited me to a five-star luxurious resort in Montecito, California, the identical city that Oprah Winfrey lives in, so I may drive and consider the ZDX Kind S, the model’s first EV. I arrived, handed my keys to the valet, and was walked to my lanai by a butler, who helped carry my baggage into my attractive room.
The lineup provides three trims: A-Spec RWD, A-Spec AWD, and Kind S AWD. The ZDX A-Spec RWD begins at $65,850 (together with $1,350 in vacation spot prices), the ZDX A-Spec AWD prices $69,850, and the top-of-the-line ZDX Kind S that drove is priced at $74,850. Single motor rear-drive A-Spec fashions produce 358 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque and are EPA rated at 313 miles of max vary, whereas the dual-motor all-wheel-drive A-Spec fashions have 490 hp and 437 lb-ft of torque with an EPA estimated vary of 304 miles. The Kind S, in the meantime, produces as much as 500 hp and 544 lb-ft of torque in sport mode and comes with a spread of 278 miles on a cost, which from my brief drive appears simply attainable.
Driving the ZDX Kind S is a simple affair, regardless of the drive mode selector being an extended attain for a tiny button on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel, instantly out of sight. There are not any actual surprises when you’re on the transfer. It has nice energy, however not sufficient to scare you. Acura doesn’t quote an actual 0-to-60-mph time, however claims the ZDX Kind S will attain the 60-mph mark in underneath 5 seconds. The steering is devoid of street really feel, but it surely’s properly weighted and is direct sufficient to maintain issues virtually enjoyable. By means of the corners you’re feeling the heft of the platform — the ZDX Kind S weighs greater than 6,000 kilos — and its quick inclination is to push broad when the tires lose grip regardless of sporting efficiency rubber.
On the freeway occupants are handled to a fairly quiet inside and a pleasant journey — till your 22-inch wheels hit a bump and the entire automobile shudders. The six-piston Brembo brakes do a terrific job of slowing down this 6,052 pound beast, and regenerative braking is obtainable in two strengths: low regen mode, which is sort of delicate, and full one-pedal driving, which may be very abrupt and requires fastidiously calculated ankle flexion to succeed in a clean cease.
My largest gripe with the ZDX Kind S is the disappointing inside high quality. Acura talked lots concerning the stitching on the sprint and real aluminum and chrome particulars, however the actuality is a unique story. The whole heart console is manufactured from both the identical scratchy GM plastics that you just discover in a rental Chevy Spark, or a wierd new metal-flake-effect plastic. Every thing beneath the armrests, and sure that features your entire bi-level heart console, feels prefer it belongs in a $30,000 automobile, not a $75,000 automobile.
My drive associate set his digicam within the decrease stage of the console anticipating it to be rubberized, but it surely slid proper off as a result of there isn’t even a rubberized pad, simply onerous plastic. Hoping for felt trim inside the middle armrest or door pockets to maintain your goodies from rattling round in there? Not until you put in it your self.
The tech works effective, which is best than may be mentioned of the Blazer EV — on the launch, no one confronted any of the debilitating software program points that led to the ZDX platform-mate’s stop-sale order. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay labored easily, the native navigation system labored nice, and Tremendous Cruise labored properly, too. Oh wait, it’s referred to as AcuraWatch 360+ within the ZDX. Anyway, the system functioned simply effective, and the surround-view cameras had been a boon for maneuvering.
Acura will promote all ZDX fashions via a brand new on-line purchasing platform that also requires supplier involvement. Prospects can select to purchase from house, or go into an Acura showroom to have a salesman assist them via the acquisition course of. No matter the place you full your buy, it’s essential to choose a supplier to course of the transaction, although. Sellers may have some flexibility in setting costs, so that you may nonetheless have to buy round on-line to search out the perfect deal.
Acura consists of charging incentives at buy, permitting patrons to select from just a few complimentary packages. The primary features a free Stage 2 house charger, $500 for charger set up, and $100 public cost credit score. The second package deal provides a transportable Stage 1 and a couple of charger, $250 set up credit score and $300 public cost credit score, whereas the ultimate package deal provides a straight-up $750 public cost credit score. The ZDX can cost at a fee of as much as 190 kW, which permits most fashions to realize as much as 81 miles of vary in 10 minutes of charging, although the Kind S can solely achieve a most of 72 miles in 10 minutes of charging. These charging speeds are the identical because the Blazer EV, and barely faster than the Honda Prologue’s most charging capability of 150 kW.
All 2024 Acura ZDXs are eligible for the total $7,500 federal EV rebate, which helps to mitigate the excessive costs, however patrons will nonetheless pay some huge cash for what finally is a disappointing expertise. The Tesla Mannequin Y Efficiency is a less expensive automobile that provides a bit extra vary than the ZDX Kind S, goes 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and surprisingly has higher inside supplies. Acura pitches the ZDX Kind S in opposition to rivals just like the BMW iX 50i, Audi SQ8 E-Tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE500, that are all costlier however supply rather more luxurious lodging. The ZDX isn’t a nasty car, to be clear. Opponents simply present extra compelling packages general.
