Here’s the Acura ZDX, a premium $60,000 electric car with a Google-powered brain and a 325-mile range. It signals the return of the ZDX, which was discontinued more than a decade ago after poor sales.
The ZDX will be Honda/Acura’s second EV, following the 2024 Honda Prologue. Both cars are expected to begin deliveries next year – though it’s unclear which will come first. And like the Prologue, the ZDX will be the product of a three-year partnership with General Motors, with the US Ultium battery serving as the foundation.
The ZDX appears to have many of the same styling and themes that were introduced as part of last year’s Precision concept car. It will also be the first Honda-owned Acura model to be sold exclusively online.
The ZDX appears to have many of the same styling and themes that were introduced as part of last year’s Precision concept car
Acura says the ZDX will come in two versions, with several differences. The base A-Spec model, which starts at $60,000, will come with rear-wheel and all-wheel drive and 340 horsepower. There will also be a 50-50 weight distribution for improved handling. The RWD version will have more range, with an estimated 325 miles per charge, while the AWD version is expected to get 315 miles.
The Type S Sport will come with a performance-tuned twin-engine and a starting price of $70,000. Acura calls the Type S, with its 500-horsepower powertrain, “Acura’s most powerful and best-performing SUV ever.” There’s also height-adjustable air suspension with performance-tuned dampers. Of course, you sacrifice range for performance, with the Model S getting only an estimated 288 miles of range on a single charge.
Both models will have a 102 kWh battery that Acura says can add approximately 81 miles of range after 10 minutes of DC fast charging. And with Google built-in services like navigation, pre-conditioning your battery can reduce overall charging times. Acura says the ZDX will be able to accept up to 190 kW of fast charging.
The Type S Sport will come with a performance-tuned twin-engine and a starting price of $70,000
Speaking of Google, while the ZDX will come with native Google features like Google Maps and music streaming, the EV will still support phone mirroring like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There will be two screens inside: an 11-inch digital gauge cluster and a central 11.3-inch touchscreen. With native Android software, navigation features such as Google Maps can be displayed on either screen.
With a 121-inch wheelbase, the ZDX appears to be similar in size to the Honda Prologue as well as other luxury SUVs such as the Cadillac Lyriq and Audi Q8 E-tron. We’re still missing some specs, like the cargo capacity of the two-row vehicle.
There are several driving modes, including a sport mode for maximum acceleration and response. Front 15.6-inch Brembo brakes with yellow six-piston calipers help bring things to a halt smoothly. These brakes are housed in 22-inch wheels and wider 275/40ZR22 self-locking tires.
Acura will be accepting pre-orders for the ZDX later this year. In addition to being the first Honda/Acura vehicle to be sold online, the company is also developing a market for dropshipping products. The goal is to connect ZDX owners “to a network of local installers who are pre-vetted with the support of dedicated power experts, who will help customers choose the home charging solution that best fits their needs,” says Acura.
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