Acura Nails ZDX Execution
Funky-looking CUV is best-developed Acura yet. But will BMW X6 intenders pay attention?
BY CHRISTIE SCHWEINSBERG Ward's AutoWorld, Nov 1, 2009 12:00 PM

It would be easy to slam the styling of American Honda Motor Co. Inc.'s Acura ZDX. After all, the luxury brand's design language has been largely mute.

The all-new 4-door sports car/cross-utility vehicle might not photograph well, but it actually scores a lot of points in person.

What's more, the vehicle is one of Acura's best executions to date. The brand claimed the ZDX would be its most luxurious model ever and lives up to the hype while maintaining Honda's reputation for world-class engineering.

The 5-passenger ZDX is positioned between Acura's large RL sedan and MDX CUV and viewed by Acura officials as their new flagship.

It joins the BMW X6 and a growing list of other vehicles that are not easily categorized, such as the Infiniti FX CUVs, as well as the Mercedes CLS and BMW 550i Gran Turismo coupe-like sedans.

Even though it was panned by many reviewers, the X6 has performed well in the market, maintaining a small but devoted following.

Ward's data shows X6 sales down a mere 1.8% through September vs. like-2008 to 3,302 units. The less-expensive FX was off 18.4% in the same period, with 8,299 units sold.

Like the X6 and FX, the ZDX is a 4-door CUV (Acura calls it a 4-door sports coupe). It shares a platform with the MDX.

The ZDX and MDX have the same wheelbase, 108.3 ins. (275 cm), but the ZDX is 1.7 ins. (4.3 cm) longer overall than the MDX. And because of its bulging design, the ZDX is 7.1 ins. (18 cm) wider at its mirrors than the MDX.

Height is reduced significantly from the MDX, by as much as 6.9 ins. (17.5 cm) when the CUV is fully loaded.

With empty-nester Baby Boomers a targeted demographic, the ZDX is much easier for climbing in and out, with a 0.3-in. (0.8-cm) ground-clearance difference from the MDX unladen and 1.7 ins. fully loaded.

Despite its expected Boomer appeal, the ZDX delivers a sporty drive. Acura has used the same pick-your-favorite chassis-setting system from the MDX, with electronically controlled magneto-rheologic fluid dampers, 15 sensors and a high-speed electronic controller.

However, there isn't much difference noted in the “sport” setting compared with “comfort” on the smooth new asphalt of the Henry Hudson/Saw Mill River Parkway from New York City into Westchester County.

But steering is noticeably sharper in sport mode than in comfort.

Thanks to its low-riding stance, the ZDX handles like the TSX sedan, easily carving up the Saw Mill River Parkway.

The 3.7L SOHC V-6, making 300 hp and 270 lb.-ft. (366 Nm) of torque, is Honda through and through: It's quiet and powerful but doesn't hit its power peak until 6,300 rpm. Low-end torque is lacking. The torque peak comes at 4,500 rpm, while the X6 peaks by 1,400 rpm.

The X6's turbocharged 3.0L I-6 matches ZDX's 300 hp, but the BMW engine boasts 30 more lb.-ft. (41 Nm) of torque. The FX's 3.7L V-6 churns out 303 hp and 262 lb.-ft. (355 Nm) of torque.

The ZDX's new 6-speed automatic — Honda's first, also in the refreshed '10 MDX — operates smoothly, allowing drivers to seamlessly downshift two gears at a time, making up somewhat for the lack of low-end torque.

Fuel economy is so-so. Ward's manages 18.2 mpg (12.9 L/100 km), according to the trip computer, on a 29.7-mile (47.8-km) loop outside Manhattan. A 15.3-mile (24.6-km) leg on the highway in Westchester boosts mileage to 21.6 mpg (10.9 L/100 km).

Acura designers and engineers lavish the ZDX interior with premium materials that set this CUV apart from other Acuras.

The headliner in the top Advance trim looks like suede but feels more like a plush carpet (other trims get a circular knit), and leather on seats and the dash features a natural grain.

But a quibble with the interior, more relating to functionality, is the busy, confusing center stack found in all Acuras.

As with a coupe, the ZDX is designed around the front-row occupants, so rear-seat passenger space suffers, particularly headroom. Head-bumping is common when climbing out of the rear due to the steeply raked hatchback roofline.

The CUV comes standard with Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, and a blind-spot detection system is optional.

Also available is the Advance package, which includes features such as adaptive cruise control; collision-mitigation braking; blind-spot information system; ventilated seats; and the driver-selectable chassis settings, dubbed Integrated Dynamics System.

When it goes on sale this winter, the ZDX should do well against the FX, but prospects against the X6 are uncertain. Expect the ZDX to price well below the X6, which begins at $55,900. But the nagging question persists: Will BMW intenders even consider an Acura?

They should. The ZDX is fun to drive, luxurious, sporty and comfortable, so long as you're not in the backseat.