Once in a great while there are cars that come around, shake up the industry and create a new trend. A good example would be the high-performance sedan, which has led to the creation of performance-based divisions within many auto manufacturers. Now, everyone from BMW to Jaguar have an "M" or an "R" variant of its popular, commonplace sedans.
Another example would be the BMW X6. With its sloping roof, it takes the four-door coupe idea from a Mercedes-Benz CLS and couples it with an X5. The end result is an aggressive and polarizing design that led to endless debates on the 'net.
Fast forward to last year's New York Auto Show, where the Spies published a user submission of Acura's latest vehicle, the ZDX Concept. You know what they say; imitation is most sincere form of flattery. While this user submitted photo led to 001 being given the boot, it soon became the “it” car of the auto show because of all of the controversy generated by the ZDX leaking on AutoSpies.
Now to the present, when we contacted Honda to arrange for a media loan, a Honda spokesperson denied us access saying through an e-mail that we would not be provided test vehicles.
You be the judge: why would they say no to the ZDX and past vehicle requests?
Let's face it, the AutoSpies incident was the only real story at last year's New York Auto Show.
So, C'est la vie. But when would that stop us?
Ladies and gentleman, let's get down to brass tacks. The latest Acuras have been featuring one of the most controversial front facades the automotive industry has seen in the past year. And, it is certainly unique. But where it does not seem to add up on the smaller sedans, it somehow kind of works on the ZDX. Granted, I think it would work a bit better if it were not so INYOURFACE.
If you can get past the car's front-end design, a.k.a. "The Beak," then you are gold because the rest of the design is quite good. In fact, it remains nearly dead-on when comparing it to the concept featured in New York. Of course this is a good thing. My favorite view is from the rear 3/4. The ZDX has this really thick and beefy look to it that seems menacing.
It is kind of like a flexing bodybuilder, you do not go up to them and throw down fisticuffs.
The ZDX is an exciting vehicle to look at and once you adjust to its wild design, it kind of grows on you. Yeah, it is one of those designs. Do not get me wrong, I do have a grievance though.
For example, what is up with the rims? Although from a design standpoint it was wise to go with something conservative, considering the whole car is outrageous, these wheels seem too Accord and should look more AMG and sporting. An aggressive, thick five-spoke set of rims would really do this car some proper justice.
Sliding into the ZDX's orange colored seats, I quickly become impressed with the interior. It is without question the nicest interior Honda/Acura have ever done. The materials feel great and everything has a sense of attention to detail. One nice touch I really liked were the black buttons, which light up when the vehicle is started. It gives the driver the idea the car has been awoken from its slumber.
My tester, which was equipped the advance package, came with an array of niceties: six-level heated and ventilated seats, a headliner that feels like Alcantara but I am pretty sure it wasn’t -- does anyone know what "premium brushed tricot headliner material" means -- special interior lighting, blind spot detection, collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise and the integrated dynamics system. Obviously, there is a lot of kit in this car.
Upon closer inspection, however, this is where things start to go a little haywire. The leather covered dash pieces look good in some places but there is clearly some stretching going on in certain regions. Now, although I understand that every piece of leather cannot be perfect, it does appear so in a Mercedes-Benz.
Additionally, all of the sexy exterior styling comes at a price.
The two-pane glass roof only opens in the front, which is restricted to 10 inches due to the sloping roofline. Then, glance over your shoulder and you are confronted with an endless black hole, which creates the largest blind spot known to man. Even through intersections I have driven across thousands of times, I was a little hesitant and uncomfortable. On top of this, rear cargo room is limited due to the diving roofline. Sure there are compartments built into the floor but they may not fit more than a couple pieces of relatively thin luggage. After taking all of this into consideration, clearly the ZDX is a compromised car that is a triumph of form over function. It is a bit unruly and I dig that.
Someone once told me that the crazier ones are always more fun. Or, so they thought.
Equipped with a 3.7 liter V6, the ZDX has 300-horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Not the best figure for a vehicle weighing in over the 4,400 pound mark. This translates into a quick car but not a fast one. If this Acura had 350-hp it would make a world of a difference because it just feels slightly underpowered. To make matters worse, throttle tip-in is not as responsive as one would expect.
Mated to this motor is a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It gets the job done but it is not lightning quick. Every time you shift using a paddle it seems hesitant like Regis Philbin on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: "You sure? Final answer?"
Because the gearbox does not feature a fully manual mode it never totally relinquishes control when you are using the paddles, there is a bit of annoying intervention.
Through turns the steering feel is loose and the suspension is a bit comfortable. The car is oh-kay but it feels a bit dull. But then I realized "Oh, what is this control down here? Sport? Click that over a notch," and BAM! The ZDX is brought alive.
Its suspension tightens up, the steering gets more weight and instills confidence, and the car feels much better as a whole. It is astonishing what a difference one button can make.
And although the weight distribution is 58 percent to the front, you would expect this Acura to feel like it was dragging its nose on the ground. Not the case.
After my first driving impression, I walked away from the ZDX largely impressed. Why? Because it is the right move for Acura. This car injects passion and more of a soul into Acura. Where the brand always has made good cars now there is something a bit more lively and exotic behind them. I am sure that many more drivers would like to see this from the brand, and as long as they keep the comfort and sport option, Acura will not alienate its loyal fans.
Although we cannot be conclusive of its MPG, we racked in just over 17 MPG during our brief test period. It is not a tremendously impressive figure and speaks to Acura's inability to make a substantial leap in its MPG figures. Could a hybrid be on the horizon?
Of course this particular vehicle could use a bit more power but you have to take things one step at a time. Remember, no one ever said that a Type S variant would not exist. Let's cross our fingers.
Thanks to an unnamed dealership in the New York area, we had the chance to drive the ZDX. We did not photograph the plates per the dealer's request to remain anonymous and avoid possible conflict with Honda/Acura.
Geneva Motor Show Photo Gallery
2011 Hyundai Sonata Launch Photo Gallery
2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost Launch Photo Gallery
2010 Chicago Auto Show Photo Gallery