The brand’s first fully electric model debuted at Monterey Car Week.
Honda is looking to make waves in the electric vehicle market. The first model in the automaker’s major 2024 push into the space is the Acura ZDX. It expects to obtain an EPA range rating of 325 miles on a single charge for the base A-Spec single-motor configuration.
That’s in the same ballpark as the Tesla Model X (333 miles) and better than the Model Y (303 miles), as well as Ford’s Mustang Mach-E (up to 312 miles) and the F-150 Lightning (230 miles). What’s more, Honda is touting this range for a starting price of around $60,000. The first Acura ZDX deliveries are slated for early 2024 with pre-sales starting later this year. Sales will take place exclusively online.
The company unveiled the EV at Monterey Car Week after teasing it earlier this month. It will be available in two variants: the Acura ZDX A-Spec and ZDX Type S. The former is expected to deliver 340 horsepower. The dual-motor, all-wheel-drive ZDX Type S will have an estimated 500 horsepower and is expected to start at around $70,000. Honda says that will be “the most powerful and best performing Acura SUV ever” but it’s expected to eke out a shorter range of 288 miles from the 102 kWh battery. Of note, the ZDX A-Spec will have 20-inch wheels, while the Type S has 22-inch wheels.
MullenLowe
Honda has been dripfeeding details about the ZDX for months, so it was already known that the EV would have Android Auto, built-in Google apps and Apple CarPlay integration. It will feature an 11-inch touchscreen dashboard for the driver and an 11.3-inch center display. The ZDX is the first Acura model with a Bang & Olufsen audio system, which comes as standard. It has 18 speakers, including a subwoofer.
Safety features include a rear pedestrian alert and blind zone steering assist. The ZDX Type S has hands-free cruise driver assistance. According to Acura, that allows for “true hands-free driving on up to 400,000 miles of compatible roads.” The Type S also has an automatic parking assist system that should help with parallel parking.
When it comes to topping up the EV’s battery, Honda is hoping you’ll never be too far away from a charging station. Last month, it announced a joint effort with six other automakers to build an extensive network of 30,000 stations in North America. The initiative’s first locations are expected to open in the US next summer. Honda also notes that the ZDX supports DC Fast Charging, and a 10-minute top up can add up to 81 miles of range to the ZDX A-Spec’s battery in the rear-wheel drive configuration.
MullenLowe