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Premium midsize SUV; Built in Canada
  • 4-door hatchback
  • transverse front-engine/all-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $17,900 – $35,300*


2010 Acura ZDX front


2010 Acura ZDX rear


2010 Acura ZDX interior

Pros:
  • Cargo room
  • Interior materials
  • Quietness
Cons:
  • Fuel economy
  • Rear-seat entry/exit
  • Rear visibility

If standout styling is high on your list of attributes that a vehicle in this class must possess, move ZDX to the top of your shopping list. With standard all-wheel drive and plenty of amenities, ZDX is a comfortable, capable choice; but it lacks practicality with its small back seat and poor rear visibility. If you’re looking for a sporty, yet practical SUV in this class, Acura’s own MDX likely will better fit your needs.

Overview

Introduced for 2010, the premium midsize Acura ZDX was the latest addition to the lineup from Honda’s luxury brand. Seating five, ZDX was a four-door hatchback with a raised suspension and standard all-wheel drive. The sole powertrain teamed a 300-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. Maximum towing capacity was 1,500 pounds. Major competitors to the ZDX included the BMW X6, Infiniti FX, and Range Rover Sport.

Standard safety features included antilock braking, traction control, an antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front-side airbags. Leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, a rearview camera, a power tailgate, and a wireless cell-phone link were standard. Two option packages were offered, and versions so equipped were priced as separate models. The Technology Package included a voice-activated navigation system with real-time weather and traffic, a multi-view rear camera, and an up-level audio system. The Advance Package included all the features of the Technology Package plus blind-spot alert, adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, and a driver-adjustable suspension with sport or comfort modes. Also included was Acura’s Collision Mitigation Braking System, which signals of approaching objects, sounds a warning, and applies the brakes and tightens the front seatbelts if it determines a collision is unavoidable.

Yearly Updates

2011 ZDX
For its second season in the lineup, the ZDX was essentially unchanged.
2012 ZDX
The ZDX saw no changes of note for 2012.
2013 ZDX
Only one model, which included most of the Advance Package equipment, was offered for ZDX’s final year. New were forward-collision and lane-departure warnings.

Engines

transverse front-engine/all-wheel drive

Only a single powertrain has been available: a 3.7-liter V6 engine developing 300 horsepower, teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

ohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.7/224
Engine HP 300
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 270
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed automatic

 16/23

 20.9

Road Test

ZDX’s V6 offers enough power for just about any situation; only long hill climbs place a strain on it. Smooth in operation, the six-speed transmission furnishes prompt downshifts.

In Consumer Guide testing, we averaged 16.9 mpg in mostly city driving and 19.3 to 22.5 mpg with more highway use. Premium-grade gas is required.

Ride quality is best in a ZDX with the standard suspension and 19-inch wheels. The Advance Package (if installed) includes driver-selectable Sport and Comfort suspension modes. Comfort softens the ride for better absorption; Sport mode delivers stiffer tuning, making some bumps deliver a jolt.

Overall, ZDX is fairly car-like with well-checked body lean and decent cornering ability. This vehicle deftly handles narrow twisting roads, too. If a ZDX has the Advance package, its Sport suspension mode firms up the steering and provides crisper handling.

The cabin is impressively hushed and well isolated from wind and road noise. In certain driving conditions, low levels of tire thrum may be noticeable. ZDX’s 3.7-liter V6 emits a fairly muted, but still sporty note during acceleration, but it fades while cruising.

Audio and climate controls are easy to use, but the sheer number of them takes some getting used to. The available navigation screen is large, mounted high on the dashboard, and rarely suffers from glare. Fairly simple to use, it only absorbs iPod audio controls; but the control knob sits low, near the center console, which forces eyes off the road until functions are mastered. The navigation system’s Doppler-style real-time traffic function is a neat feature. Integration with an iPod is nearly seamless; even custom playlists are easily controlled. The available multi-view camera’s 180-degree view is similar to the regular angle, and the top view displays a straight-down picture of the rear of the car. The Advance Package’s adaptive cruise control and blind-spot-detection systems are helpful tools. The blind-spot system illuminates an icon on the front roof pillar rather than the side mirror, making it more easily visible than on similarly equipped rival vehicles.

ZDX cabins are trimmed in top-notch materials, including supple leather with detail stitching. Surfaces that are not leather have nice graining and soft-touch material.

Front-seat headroom is adequate for average-size adults, but those above 6 feet will crave a bit more clearance. Seats are all-day comfortable, but taller occupants may want a longer seat for more thigh support. Thick rear pillars, a small rear window, a horizontal bar across the tailgate, and a sharply raked roof line combine to impede visibility straight back and to the corners. The Advance Package’s ventilated seats are a nice touch on a warm day, though fan noise is louder than expected.

The sloped rear roof line cuts into backseat headroom, but there’s enough space for smaller adults; most everyone will be short on legroom. The small second-row door opens wider than expected, but the opening is fairly narrow, hindering entry/exit. The low roof also requires some hunching to get into the back seat.

Small-items storage is decent and comprised of a fairly shallow glovebox; a deep, two-tiered center console; and several small cubbies. The rear seat backs fold completely flat. The cargo area is surprisingly shallow and suffers from high liftover. Hidden side-panel and under-floor storage spaces compensate somewhat.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2011 Acura ZDX w/Technology Pkg.

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 6
60%
Fuel Economy - 4
40%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 6
60%
Quietness - 7
70%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 7
70%

Other

Value - 7
70%

Total: 60

Specifications

4-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
108.3 192.4 78.5 62.8
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
55.8 21.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.0 35.3 42.2 35.7
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2010 ZDX 4-door hatchback

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Front Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Rear Passenger Injury - 5
100%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Engine knock and oil leak
Description: Some engine blocks had improper cylinder bores which cause low compression and required replacement. (2013)
Keys
Description: On vehicles without push button starting, the master key may not stay in its fully extended position. (2010)
Seat
Description: The button on the head restraint may quit working or fall out because retaining tabs break. (2010)
Suspension noise
Description: Front wheel bearing may make droning or humming noise. (2011-13)
Transmission problems
Description: A judder from torque converter lockup required a software update. (2012)
Navigation system
Description: Unless the XM radio and navigation system were updated with a patch, the radio presets may erase and the navigation may be erroneous. (2010)

Recall History

2010
Description: During the manufacturing process for ZDX passenger cars manufactured between November 12, 2009 and March 22, 2010, the dashboard covering material may not have been properly laser-scored to allow complete deployment of the front passenger’s airbag.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on April 20, 2016.
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