2024 Acura ZDX and Type S EVs Priced Above the Competition
Acura has priced its first BEV a little higher than competition from Cadillac, Tesla, and more. Can it compete in value?
The 2024 Acura ZDX SUV represents a major shift for the Japanese automaker as its first 100-percent battery electric vehicle (BEV). It joins its Honda Prologue SUV cousin in utilizing General Motor's Ultium EV platform along with the 2024 MotorTrend SUV of the Year, the Chevrolet Blazer EV. While the chassis underneath may be virtually identical to the Prologue and Blazer EVs, Acura is a premium brand, which means customers should expect more from it by way of style, tech, and creature comforts. Now we know how much potential customers can expect to pay for the new ZDX.
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How Much is the 2024 Acura ZDX?
The 2024 Acura ZDX electric SUV will start at $64,500 when it's released in Spring 2024. Though, it should be noted that the MSRP does not include the destination charge which wasn't available from Acura when they made the announcement. However, considering the destination charge for other 2024 vehicles like the TLX is $1,195, we expect it to be about the same for the ZDX. The starting price is for the base A-Spec rear-drive single-motor trim. The A-Spec AWD dual-motor ZDX will start at $68,500 and the top trim Type-S will come in at $73,500.
Against the Competition
The rear-wheel drive ZDX's fresh $64,500 starting price puts it above the rear-drive offerings like the Tesla Model Y ($45,380) and the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq ($59,985). Other rear-drive, non-luxury oriented mid-size electric SUVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E ($44,795) and Kia EV6 ($43,975) can also be had for much less than Acura's offering as well.
If you upgrade to all-wheel drive, the Acura's $68,500 barrier to entry is beaten by Tesla's Model Y which starts at $50,380 currently, and the Lyriq comes in at $63,480 for the all-wheel drive Tech trim. The first Mach-E trim with eAWD is at $47,795, and the lowest AWD EV6 is $51,225.
For Performance models, the 500-hp ZDX Type-S $73,500 MSRP puts it well above the Tesla Model Y Performance trim ($53,880), Ford Mustang Mach-E GT ($62,940), Kia EV6 GT ($62,975), and Cadillac Lyriq Sport AWD ($68,085). Acura says it still is yet to determine any potential pricing incentives or rebates in the U.S.
What Do You Get for the Money?
Does Acura's luxury label justify the new ZDX EV's price? We'll have to wait to get our hands on one for a full valuation, but here's what we can judge so far. The single motor in the base rear-drive A-Spec makes 340 horsepower and 325 miles of range, while the dual-motor A-Spec range drops to 315 miles, and the top of the line Type-S range is 288 miles. The Type-S is the most powerful trim at 500 horsepower.
The Acura ZDX is equipped with DC fast charging and can handle rates up to 190 kW. The 102 kWh battery pack in the ZDX A-Spec can juice up to 81 miles of range in just 10 minutes when in a optimal charging scenario. Additionally, after keeping mum on it for a bit, Acura confirmed that it will be joining nearly all other major OEMs in adopting Tesla's NACS charging port. That means charging options for the ZDX will be plentiful since it can take advantage of Tesla's Supercharger network.
We don't have all the details on the interior features and options, but we do know that a 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system will come standard. An 11-inch "Precision Cockpit" digital display is also standard and a 11.3 inch touchscreen is available to manage infotainment. The 2024 ZDX will be Acura's first vehicle with Google Built-In and will have compatibility with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, unlike GM's offerings on the similar platform.
To sweeten the pot when it comes to charging, Acura will give customers one of three options (A, B, or C) when purchasing the new ZDX. At the top end Option A includes a level 2 home charging station, a $500 installation credit, and $100 EVgo charging credit. Option B replaces the home charging station with portable charging kit that is capable of Level 2 speeds, a $250 charger installation credit and $300 EVgo credit. Option C foregoes the charging equipment and installation credit but offers $750 of EVgo charging credit. All three options come with 60 kWh of complimentary Electrify America introductory charging.
Andrew Beckford’s passion for cars started as a middle schooler when his friend Richie explained how an internal combustion engine works. He was bitten by the bug and the rest, as they say, is history. He dug deep into the tuner scene and eventually wrote for Turbo Magazine, Import Tuner, Super Street. He covered car shows, feature builds, and reviewed racing games for those magazines in addition to covering motorsports including Formula Drift, Indy Car, and F1 for his personal blog. Eventually Beckford joined MotorTrend to cover the daily automotive news beat. Besides being a gearhead, Beckford has been a gamer since the ’80s and is a huge fan of the arcade racing games of the ’90s like Daytona USA, SEGA Rally, and Ridge Racer. Beckford’s a movie buff as well, especially comic book films from DC and Marvel. When car culture crosses over with gaming and entertainment, rest assured Beckford is aware of it. In addition to serving as a consultant on a “triple A” racing titles, he’s reviewed major racing games such as Forza Motorsport, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, F1, and more. He’s also interviewed blockbuster directors including Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Neill Blomkamp (Gran Turismo). His biggest profile to date was with Robert Downey Jr. on his love affair with cars and his show Downey’s Dream Cars on MAX. Beckford’s profile of Downey Jr. was the first print cover story written by an African American in MotorTrend’s history. Along with KJ Jones, Andrew Beckford also heads up MotorTrend’s celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting diverse voices in the automotive industry and motorsports. Beckford’s first car was a 1982 Nissan Stanza affectionately named “Stanley” by his late mother.
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