The 2010 Acura ZDX is not for everyone. It’s not even a safe bet. It’s for people reaching beyond the typical. It’s for risk takers, people who define their vehicles instead of the other way around. Astronauts come to mind as potential ZDX drivers. They would appreciate the engineering finesse of Acura, and the ZDX could pass for a lunar rover. My test vehicle even arrived in NASA white. If not from another planet, the ZDX is definitely from something outside of Acura’s wheelhouse. Honda’s luxury brand has finally built a vehicle to that makes the giant bottle opener of a grille look tolerable.
Mixing things up is a good thing for Acura. The brand seems to have struggled in recent years with defining who it wants in its cars and crossovers.
There’s nothing understated about the ZDX, which Acura refers to as a four-door sports coupe, a phrase I hate. Ray LaHood, the automotive kingpin and Secretary of Transportation, should ban any manufacturer from attaching the term “sports coupe” to a vehicle if it:
* Has more than two doors. (ZDX has five if you include the rear hatch.)
* Requires people step up to get inside. (ZDX does.)
* Is not a sporty coupe. (OK, the ZDX is sporty in a moon mission sort of way.)
But marketing-based definition aside, the ZDX is an oddly great vehicle.
Impressionism in metal
First, there is that exterior. Somehow, Acura managed to stay true to the original concept. All of the great aspects about the vehicle shown at the 2009 New York Auto Show made it on the production model. The sloping roof line, which includes panoramic glass, and the body stretched out like angular taffy make the ZDX look like an unfinished Picasso. You’re not always comfortable looking at it, but you like looking at it. There are even those hidden door handles on the second row, which make you look twice just to find them.
The ZDX performed like Picasso as well; the older, less agile 4,400 pound Pablo. But still, there’s engineering artistry behind its performance.
The 3.7-liter V-6 provides plenty of power at 300 horsepower and 270-pound feet of torque. Acceleration is quick and the Sequential Sportshift six-speed automatic transmission clicks through the gears with precision.
The independent suspension provides an extremely smooth (and quiet) ride, gliding over Detroit’s bumps. The ZDX is best on the highway, where its wedge-like design cuts through the air and powerful motor never misses a beat.
On hard curves, the ZDX loses some of its sports appeal. The Super Handling All Wheel Drive system manages the torque between axles and wheels, and improves handling dramatically. The Active Damper System, which can tune the ZDX’s suspension on the fly, helps its performance.
If Acura wants to attach that sports coupe moniker, it needs to deliver sports coupe performance. “Really sporty crossover” would be more accurate. The real question is: How much does that matter to you? For most people, probably not much.
The speed-sensitive system steering feels nicely weighted at any speed. There were also some nice high-tech driving features that simply make driving easier.
The blind spot detection system worked nicely, catching your eye every time someone sneaks into that space right off your bulging rear fender. The intelligent cruise control takes all of the work out of long hauls, adjusting the vehicle’s speed based on the car in front of it. The back-up camera is a necessity, as you can see almost nothing out the back because of the roof’s angle.
Plush and exquisite
While the vehicle’s performance was good, its interior is absolutely fabulous. If this ZDX is a sign of Acura’s future interior, look out Audi, there’s some competition on the way.
Acura managed to provide the mirror image of the exterior on the inside. But all of the sharp edges are covered nicely in supple leather.
And while there are a lot of busy lines throughout the cabin, it remains calm and sedate. The center console, which on other Acuras becomes an alphabet soup of buttons and knobs, is nicely organized. The black-face stereo only lights up the buttons if the stereo is on. If the stereo is off, the buttons meld in a simple black finish.
The navigation system takes a little getting used to, but has an excellent 8-inch VGA display screen. Add the technology package includes a 435-watt, 10-speaker surround sound stereo, Bluetooth audio connectivity, a USB port and auxiliary jack to connect other devices to the system.
The advance package includes LED lighting in the cabin, as well as the blind spot detection system, adaptive cruise control and Acura’s Collision Mitigation Braking System — as well as ventilated front seats and a brushed tricot headliner.
Everything about the ZDX feels plush and exquisite.
There’s also lots of storage space, including 26.3 cubic feet behind the second row. There’s even a hidden compartment below the floor of the back big enough to hold 2.2 cubic feet of stuff — a handy feature when people passing by can look into your trunk space.
Really, the ZDX is fascinating. Some people will love it and others will hate it. But it certainly leaves an impression. And if you don’t reach for the stars now and again, you’re stuck right where you are without a hope that anything will change. Go on, take a risk. Acura did.
This may be a reach for Acura, and it’s not going to set many sales records, but the result was worth it.
sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217
