2024 Acura ZDX Review and Test Drive

The electric SUV checks all the boxes but doesn't stand out from rivals.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Oct 28, 2024 | 7 min read

Benjamin Hunting

The 2024 Acura ZDX is the fruit of that collaboration, an artful dodge that gives Honda's luxury brand its first EV in history.

Two versions of the two-row 2024 ZDX are available. The A-Spec is the entry-level model, while the Type S adds equipment and performance. Base prices range from the mid-$60,000s to the mid-$70,000s, including the destination charge to ship the ZDX from the Spring Hill, Tennessee, factory that builds it to your local dealership. The ZDX also qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit that helps to reduce the cost of the EV.

For this review, I drove a ZDX A-Spec with the available dual-motor all-wheel-drive system in southern Quebec. Snowfall Pearl paint and an all-season protection package were the only options, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $71,020, including the $1,350 destination charge but not the tax credit. Acura provided the vehicle for this ZDX review.

Benjamin Hunting

Is the 2024 Acura ZDX a Good Electric Vehicle?

Does it matter to you if the badge on the front of a vehicle seems entirely disconnected from how it drives? There are two ways to see the Acura ZDX. If it doesn't matter, you'll think the ZDX is a comfortable and useful (if somewhat expensive) electric SUV. If it does matter, you'll judge the ZDX a placeholder that sits apart from the rest of Acura's offerings.

The lack of homegrown personality is starkly apparent when comparing the ZDX against luxury EVs such as the BMW iX, Cadillac Lyriq, and Genesis Electrified GV70.

Striking Sheetmetal Balanced by the ZDX's Less Zesty Interior

Viewed head-on, the ZDX is visually striking, offering an imposing take on the brand's signature diamond pentagon grille and chicane running lights. Stretching that same boldness across the rest of an SUV's profile is more difficult to do, although the ZDX gets points for its muscular, wheels-at-each-corner stance and an athletically low roofline.

Benjamin Hunting

The ZDX's cabin is less successful at sparking joy. So much of what's on display borrows from the more affordable corners of the GM parts bin that there's little to suggest that you're driving an Acura. Compounding the issue was the quantity of monochromatic plastic found in my tester. No amount of red piping could wipe away how plain the ZDX's interior felt compared to the luxury of its Ultium platform-mate, the well-appointed Cadillac Lyriq.

That is especially troubling given that Lyriq pricing undercuts the Acura across the board. The ZDX also has difficulty differentiating its insides from the much less expensive Honda Prologue EV (also an Ultium-based model).

Moving past its lackluster presentation, you won't have any trouble figuring out how to use most of the ZDX's controls. Exceptions include the buttons scattered to the left of the steering wheel and those above the rearview mirror.

The ZDX's interior is also quite comfortable, with enough room for front occupants to stretch out and a reasonable amount of space for adults riding in the second row. The SUV is roughly the same size as the Acura MDX, but the absence of that gas-powered model's third row doesn't give you any extra cargo space: The ZDX's 63 cubic-feet of total volume is 33% smaller than its sibling.

Benjamin Hunting

The ZDX A-Spec AWD Doesn't Get Any Special Tech Treatment

My ZDX A-Spec AWD test vehicle suffers from middle-child syndrome. It's priced higher than the base model due to its dual-motor drivetrain, but it was denied the repurposed GM tech allocated to the top-tier Type S trim — specifically, the Hands Free Cruise feature and a self-parking system. This leaves it with no real stand-out features.

Everything you're treated to — from the 11.0-inch digital gauge panel to the Google-powered 11.3-inch infotainment screen on the center stack — are found on the spec sheet of nearly any other same-price EV.

I had no trouble using any of the above features, whether through voice commands or the fairly responsive touchscreen. And the wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity makes life easier. There's just nothing about the overall experience that stands out as unique to the Acura brand.

It's a similar story with the safety gear. You get the usual slate of advanced driver-assistance systems, and I found the adaptive cruise control to be a useful companion on a late-night airport run that ran several construction zone gauntlets. The lane-centering technology that comes with it, however, didn't match the guiding hand of rival implementations from BMW, Cadillac, or Genesis.

Although its 190-kilowatt maximum DC fast-charging speed is respectable, the ZDX lags behind the real-world results of Hyundai Motor Group's EV platform that's several years old. It underpins the Genesis GV60 in addition to less expensive fare wearing Hyundai and Kia badges. Again, Acura is hamstrung by its reliance on a technology partnership tied to General Motors.

Benjamin Hunting

The ZDX Is Quick but Not Sporty — and That's Just Fine

One area where the Acura ZDX A-Spec AWD stands tall is the amount of power available from its electric drivetrain. It makes 490 horsepower and 437 pound-feet of torque, which on the Ultium side of the equation pushes it past the Prologue and places it just 10 horsepower short of the mightiest Lyriq and the performance-oriented ZDX Type S model, each of which offer 500 horsepower.

Benjamin Hunting

The A-Spec SUV is certainly quick, and I was able to spur its nearly 6,000 pounds of curb weight past slower traffic on the rolling two-lane roads surrounding my home with little trouble. Expecting anything past rapid straight-line transit, however, overextends the ZDX's mission. With so much mass to handle and a relatively tall center of gravity, the SUV is more content to comfort and coddle than corner carve.

That's fine with me. I've given up on expecting overladen EV SUV platforms to provide focused fun on the daily drive. There's really nothing wrong with the quiet and composed character of the ZDX — with an interior that had none of the squeaks or rattles I encountered in the Cadillac Lyriq — with the exception that Acura has traditionally projected an image of driver engagement that this borrowed platform simply can't deliver.

With just over 300 miles of range showing each time I charged the Acura ZDX's battery to 100% — a match for the 304 miles estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency — the SUV put usable distance between plug-ins without triggering any anxiety on my part. Overall, I saw 2.4 miles per kWh of energy usage, which translates into 41 kWh every 100 miles. That's a less efficient result than the EPA estimate of 39 kWh per 100 miles.

Benjamin Hunting

The 2024 ZDX is a fine foot in the door for Acura, giving the automaker a much-needed EV to stave off state regulators and intrigue curious buyers who previously had to head elsewhere for a battery-powered option. The tested A-Spec AWD model easily checks the range, power, and practicality boxes.

Unfortunately for Acura, the ZDX lacks character and a clear connection to the company's other vehicles. It also costs more than similarly capable electric luxury SUVs without making the case that it's a better one to get.

Benjamin Hunting

Benjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.