2024 Acura ZDX Type S review, specs, price and performance

Is badge important? Acura is doing everything it can to position the 2024 ZDX Type S not only as the first all-electric model, but also as a worthy bearer of the Type S nameplate. However, those in the EV know that under roadmap pressure, Honda has contacted General Motors to use its Ultium platform for both the ZDX and the 2024 Prologue. Platform sharing is nothing new, but how much of your rival can you have in the mix before your new SUV feels more like a cuckoo in the nest?

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Looking at the ZDX, you get the impression that Acura really wishes it was a sedan, and not an SUV. The two-tone body, with its long, flat shoulder and chrome faux roofline, seems determined to attract attention and be seen as a lower vehicle. I’m also still not convinced by that lower sill finish, which remains matte silver regardless of body color. Add a lot of pleats, dips, divots and details and you have quite a busy result.

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The Type S’s standard 22-inch wheels are handsome – the cheaper A-Spec gets 20-inch rims, still a decent size all things considered – and it’s practical. Behind the standard power liftgate is 28.7 to 29.7 cubic feet of trunk space, depending on trim, expandable to 63 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

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2024 ZDX ownership starts at $64,500 (plus $1,350 destination) for the A-Spec RWD with a single electric motor driving the rear wheels; it has 358 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque and, as expected, offers the longest range of 500 kilometers. The AWD version adds a second engine, costs from $68,500 (plus destination) for its 490 hp and 437 lb-ft, and sees the range drop to 304 miles.

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Acura offers two versions of the 2024 ZDX Type S: regular, starting at $73,500, and with the Performance Wheel & Tire package that swaps the all-season rubber for summer rubber, starting at $74,500 (both before destination). Each version has 499 hp and 544 lb-ft of torque as standard thanks to dual motors, but the range drops to 278 miles.

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A 102 kWh battery is standard, with support for fast charging up to 190 kW DC. According to Acura, this means that between 72 and 130 kilometers of range is added after 10 minutes of being connected; wait 42 minutes, and the ZDX can go from 20-80%. Not bad, it’s the same as the Blazer EVnot surprising – but certainly lower than the 210-235 kW power that a Kia EV9 can handle.

However, the Kia cannot match this ZDX Type S in terms of pace (the most powerful EV9 currently available comes out to 379 hp). Acura quotes a conservative “less than 5 seconds” for the EV’s 0-60 mph time; in practice it is certainly faster.

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Like all ZDX models, the Type S has multi-link front and rear suspension. While the A-Spec relies on amplitude-reactive dampers, the Type S gets adaptive dampers. They can adjust the firmness depending on the driving mode and road conditions: the ride is firmer in Sport and softer in Normal.

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The Type S also features air suspension, which allows the standard ride height to be adjusted by 7 inches: 15 millimeters lower in Sport mode, or 25 millimeters higher in Snow mode. Combined with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, it leaves the Acura in the middle of the pack for the types of duties on which an SUV would traditionally be judged.

However, I can’t imagine anyone buying a ZDX Type S to go off-road. In a straight line it feels plenty fast, not as brain-melting as the most powerful electric cars, but certainly enough to put petrol vehicles to shame as they pull away from the lights. Sport mode’s electronic soundtrack is less appealing, mind you. The suspension is set firm, even in normal mode, which isn’t a huge surprise considering Acura has just over 6,000 pounds of SUV to handle here..

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Hit the corners and that fact becomes more urgent. Where gasoline or hybrid Acura models with all-wheel drive — yes, NSX, we daydream about you again – provide clever torque vectoring to send different power to the outside and inside wheels in a corner, that’s not part of the magic of the Ultium platform here.

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That chunky battery installed low between the wheels keeps things feeling stable and sturdy, but don’t expect the nimble shooting you might associate with the Type S brand. In any case, Acura smoothly combines its big Brembo brakes – larger on the Type S version – with regenerative braking. I wish there was a quicker way to change the regeneration levels, instead of having to tap them via the touchscreen, but squeezing to temporarily slow down is as good an idea here as it was on the Chevrolet Volt all those years ago .

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At the very least, a little fun can distract you from the ZDX’s anodyne interior. It’s not badit just is faint. I said the same thing about the Prologue’s cabinAnd the dash is basically the same in the Acura: large expanses of dull gray plastic and GM switches, with a few kinks to elevate it from entirely unmemorable with stitched leatherette dash and door panels.

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The core specs aren’t bad – there’s plenty of USB-C ports, some useful pockets, leather comes as standard, along with heated seats and ventilation, and unlike the Prologue you get heated rear seats in the ZDX Type S – but there’s none of the showmanship that Acura injects into its other cars.

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No extra large dial for the driving mode, which makes the switch to Sport feel more like an adventure; instead, there’s a small toggle switch hidden next to the parking brake button near the driver’s left knee.

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At least you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the standard 11.3-inch touchscreen – something Chevy EV buyers are missing out – and while all ZDX models have an 11-inch digital cluster, the Type S also features a head-up display. All trims also have an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, plus wireless charging. Type S versions also have a convenient 110V AC socket on the rear.

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A welcome carryover from GM is Super Cruise, the hands-free driver assistance package that lets you let go of the wheel while the ZDX is on pre-mapped stretches of highway. Standard on the Type S – where it’s called ‘Hands-Free Cruise’ – it uses a camera to monitor the driver to make sure you’re still paying attention (since, even if the system takes the steering and speed, the person at the wheel is still legally under control).

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As in recent GM vehiclesthe system can change lanes automatically: when the driver touches the turn signal, or automatically if the vehicle in front is slower than the speed at which Hands-Free Cruise is set. Setting a route in Google Maps running on the ZDX’s infotainment also allows the SUV to choose the correct lane for upcoming maneuvers and lane splits.

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Electric cars are usually pretty quiet, but the ZDX seems determined to make up for that with a slew of overly aggressive safety pipes and sounds. It screams at you at the slightest provocation; sometimes the whipped wrists will prevent you from driving altogether, such as the inability to move the Acura without your seat belt on. On the road, the active safety technology is often too eager to step in, with alarming “BRAKE” warnings popping up when vehicles ahead slow down a turn, and even a few unnecessary hits on the brakes.

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As with the Honda Prologue, I can’t say I dislike the ZDX: I wish it felt more like an Acura. Cover the emblem in the center of the steering wheel and I wonder if anyone could identify the brand. From the GM key fob to the Chevy parts bin booth, the overriding message seems to be, “we had to get an EV to the dealers sooner or later.”

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As a sportier SUV, the ZDX does well. I don’t dislike the design, it’s well equipped and Acura’s range estimates seem quite accurate if you drive sensibly. However, if you’re expecting an old Type S, this first EV from the company might leave you cold.

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It won’t always be this way, mind you. Honda and GM’s Ultium partnership starts and ends with the Prologue and ZDX: the next all-electric Acura – maybe something like this groundbreaking performance concept — must be based on the automaker’s own platform. That gives Acura’s undeniably talented engineers time to deliver something worthy of the nameplate.