The ZDX is dead.

[liftnot]

I've never seen this before. But it looks about as ugly as the Accord Crosstour, so I'm not surprised it was killed off quickly.

You couldn't pay me to drive a Crosstour! Saying the Crosstour is UGLY is just being too kind :redface:

+1 It maybe a "good" car but for the styling? and $50K? or even at $30k...as might as well buy a mini-van...mini-vans are good cars and more spacious.

 

[Juice]

You couldn't pay me to drive a Crosstour! Saying the Crosstour is UGLY is just being too kind :redface:

The Crosstour makes the Aztec look gorgeous. One of the ugliest "cars" ever made, anywhere, by anyone, EVER.

 

[Hard Five]

Just to clarify the Crosstour and ZDX are based on the Accord not the MDX. Which due to its added height of the ZDX would make the tree falling scenario worse in a ZDX versus an Accord. :wink:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1045666_review-acura-zdx-and-honda-accord-crosstour

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/15/AR2010011502206.html

The first paragraph from your first link

"I was prepared to dislike both the Honda Accord Crosstour, the chubby wagonish crossover based on the Accord, and its more upscale cousin, the Acura ZDX, the highly sculpted crossover based on the minivanish MDX."

 

[Caustic]

The first paragraph from your first link

"I was prepared to dislike both the Honda Accord Crosstour, the chubby wagonish crossover based on the Accord, and its more upscale cousin, the Acura ZDX, the highly sculpted crossover based on the minivanish MDX."

Wow, hard to take any article seriously if it starts out by saying the MDX is minivanish. Having the opportunity to drive one for a week nothing could be further from the truth. The MDX is fantastic to drive, has a great upscale interior and has lots of utility. If my X5 at the time didn't have a v8, the MDX would have been a lock.

 

[White92]

Tested one out at the dealer when they first hit the showrooms.

Although I didn't really like the swept back hatchback coupe (sorry, don't like the X6 either) exterior I did think that the interior looked quite upscale with the stitched leather dash. The one I sat in had the reddish brown leather interior which was quite eye-catching.

Still, it left me wondering why anyone would want to buy one when basically you are losing the UTILITY aspect of the SUV.

A chunky raised hatchback sport sedan just isn't my cup of tea.

Reminds me of the AMC Eagle...

When the ZDX came out, the factory reps explained over and over that the car was designed for SINKs and DINKs (single income, no kids) (double income, no kids). They know the back seat was difficult to get into, but they explained that most of the time, the buyer of this car will be by themselves or will be a husband and wife travelling with the rear seats down to have their luggage and golf clubs in the back.

The training material always referenced a couple travelling through wine country and using the storage compartment under the floor for a wooden box of wine. That's who they desgned the car for, not the family with kids still at home. We obviously showed them the MDX or RDX if that were the case. Did it work? Obviously not, they are killing the car off. Customers always bought an MDX instead or even an AWD TL.

 

[nsxtasy]

Wow, hard to take any article seriously if it starts out by saying the MDX is minivanish. Having the opportunity to drive one for a week nothing could be further from the truth. The MDX is fantastic to drive, has a great upscale interior and has lots of utility.

tru dat.

However, most any minivan holds way more stuff and has way better fuel economy.

Disclaimer: I own an MDX, and I love it. I almost never need any more room than it already has, but I wouldn't mind better gas mileage (mine typically gets 13-15 around town, 19-22 over long distances).

 

[Motegi]

When the ZDX came out, the factory reps explained over and over that the car was designed for SINKs and DINKs (single income, no kids) (double income, no kids). They know the back seat was difficult to get into, but they explained that most of the time, the buyer of this car will be by themselves or will be a husband and wife travelling with the rear seats down to have their luggage and golf clubs in the back.

I'm a DINK and the ZDX does not appeal to me. My wife and I are looking at the RDX and TSX wagon as possible options for our next car. The MDX is very nice but possibly too big for us.

Right now our two sets of golf clubs fit just fine in the trunk of my RL!

 

[White92]

I've been saying it for years and it still hasn't changed. If cost was not an issue, my wife and I would each have our own MDX. It is the perfect, every day car to me.

 

[Osiris_x11]

reskin'it + unique drivetrain = marketable

My past thoughts on the ZDX...

not that bad, but def' not "zomg- I gots to gets one!"

This past week I went to a local area Acura dealership's launch party for the Acura ZDX. So, what I left w/...

- tech. version: ~$50k, advance version: ~$56k.

- some exterior styling/design cues from 4th gen. Acura TL.

- stitched genuine leather dash/consoles.

- two glass moonroofs w/ powered translucent-fabric sunshades.

- ventilated seats cool by inward vacuum-like fans drawing air in.

- build-quality & overall fit/finish/feel seems to be near current/2nd-gen. RL (which is on par w/ current: Audi A6, BMW 5-series, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Infiniti M, Lexus GS) & above TL & TSX.

- very solid/secure feel.

- lots of tech. stuff, equipment, features.

- rear-seat headroom & legroom surprisingly better than I previously assumed.

- trunk-space is rather underwhelming, as it's designed to suit lifestyles (weekend bags, golf-clubs, light groceries, etc).

- probably most fun driving C.U.V. that I've come across to date (BMW X6 is a much better performer in terms of quickness/balance, but not as fun as the ZDX).

- when viewed from the rear, the form/flow is very crisp, aero, structured (fenders/side flare out from rear pillars/roof, giving aggressive & muscular stance as well as a notable presence) analogous to that of current Aston Martin range & widebody Porsche 997 911 & Panamera models.

- it's MSRP is over-priced by ~$5k+, much like any/all other Honda & Acura offerings.

- seems too similar in rear 1/4 appearance (ie. hatch/rear-glass) to the much down-market Fit, Insight, and Accord-Tourer models

- looks much better in darker colors look than lighter colors.

- truly gorgeous front-headlights & powerful/muscular stance w/ a clean chiseled shape, all only to be muted by the polarizing Power Plenum grille.


... just my own observations/perceptions, YMMV!

a niche offering...

It's a lifestyle vehicle, meant for empty-nester's, young'ish couples, and single types who are into weekend jaunts to wine-country, spa/golf weekends, ski excursions, country-club socials, and hauling around clients (ie. real-estate, sales, med' reps., etc'). It's not (proverbially) geared for those who regularly fancy Costco/Sam'sClub & HomeDepot/Lowes runs, contracting/construction-site trips, trailering watercraft/off-road-toys, weekday domestic duties, hauling rug'rats & their comrades, or such.

Hence... form (style) superseded function (storage space)!

The passenger space is quite adequate & acceptable, I was pleasantly surprised. Though rear trunk/hatch storage space is unacceptably sub-par (but thoughtfully organized/designed for the type of target demographic sought). And regarding handling, it handles like a mo'fo. It's not gonna be anywhere as-quick as a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or BMW X6 x50i, though it's on par w/ the Cayenne S & X6 x35i in terms of quickness. But it's a lot more fun than the latter two, to drive around. The SH-AWD is quite impressive in this platform (feels noticeably different the TL, RDX, MDX setups). Go test-drive one, spiritedly & enthusiastically, and then report back.

And yes, the styling is a bit polarizing, certain design aspects are too TL-like, and it all comes at quite a hefty price-point. Personally speaking, I like the driving dynamics of the Acura ZDX, the shape/presence of the Infiniti FX, and the styling/ergonomics of the Audi Q5. Combine the three- I'm sold!

More Honda Airbag Issues: 2010 Acura ZDX Recalled

The NHTSA announced that Honda is recalling 1,854 ZDX models (model year 2010) for an issue with the front passenger side airbags. The airbags may have problems deploying due to the dashboard material, according to the NHTSA. No actual incidents of the problem have yet been reported.

According to the NHTSA’s summary: “”During the manufacturing process, the dashboard covering material may have not been properly laser scored to allow complete deployment of the front passenger’s SRS air bag.”

Funny story! Why? Because when I was at the ZDX launch party at my local area Acura dealer about two months ago, the product/sales individual stated over & over how Acura solicited, then purchased a company in Hungary that does the dash/trim/consoles (a patented, special procedure that attaches/adheres the leather onto the alloy/composite dash & trim pieces, which insures perfect fitment [sic], longterm durability, and lack'off shrinkage/warping which generally afflicts leather-wrapped dash/trim). Ha...

Personally speaking, I like the ZDX for what it is: a lifestyle vehicle, for those on the go. The behind-the-steering-wheel experience is/was quite impressionable, a very fun vehicle to drive. It's a definite bold design/style, perhaps even overly progressive/modern. I'm more into the Infiniti FX 37/56 type of look on lifestyle type of S.U.V.'s.

I believe that w/ current/forthcoming Acura design/style architecture (ie. NSX-2.0, ILX, 3rd gen. RL, etc) meaning a re-skinned ZDX, and a novel/unique powertrain (a high-output turbo i4, a performance-hybrid powerplant, a plug-in modality, etc) the ZDX could've survived & even been viable. But, looks can (and do) kill. It was a fun-drive & had a nice feel to it w/ regards to fit/finish. If they get cheap enough, I'd grab one for fun+utility factor & swap'out the front-grill (similar to after-market 4th gen. TL & 2nd gen. RL offerings in the marketplace)... ha!

 

[White92]

Regarding the recall of the airbag above ^. While the remarks about the place in Hungary that stitches the leather is correct, it had nothing to do with the airbag issue. The problem was from the company that makes the airbags. (Autoliv) They use a laser to score the underside of the section that the airbag is to punch through. The scoring was not deep enough and they recalled some of them.

 

[Hothonda]

The Updated ZDX nose is probably what we'll see in the new '14 MDX

 

[HIJACKER]

Also a DINK here and I just think the ZDX is to pricey for such limited access to seats and storage. If you want to haul a couple boxes or something you purchased, good luck getting it to fit with the rear angle. Hell, its hard enough with the slight angle on the FX35 I have now.

 

[White92]

ZDX: 46 sold in October, 688 year to date.

RL: 21 sold in Octoer, 350 year to date. This almost tied the record of 22 sold in Octover of last year.

 

[Hugh]

I love my 2011 Crosstour. The looks are definitely a love/hate thing. There doesn't seem to be a middle! So far 35K miles and not one issue with the car.

 

[seamus628]

I love my 2011 Crosstour. The looks are definitely a love/hate thing. There doesn't seem to be a middle! So far 35K miles and not one issue with the car.

You are the same person finding a Pagani Huayra ugly, and you drive a Crosstour-to funny

 

[robr]

I love my 2011 Crosstour. The looks are definitely a love/hate thing. There doesn't seem to be a middle! So far 35K miles and not one issue with the car.

how do you put a zillion miles on your NSX each year while putting 35k miles on a crosstour in a year as well?!?! what do you do, drive 24/7 for a living??

 

[docjohn]

how do you put a zillion miles on your NSX each year while putting 35k miles on a crosstour in a year as well?!?! what do you do, drive 24/7 for a living??

pimpin aint easy:wink:

 

[Dynamic-uzed-auto]

Zdx are ugly indeed but other than size exact same car as the Mdx. Cross tour is so fugly

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I like the ZDX. Only problem is, it's to over price if you ask me. I don't think it's ugly at all. Crosstour ain't that bad either.

 

[whiteNSXs]

Good riddance. Being a Honda fan, I am just so happy that they got rid another laughing stock of their Acura line-up.
Steve

 

[Osiris_x11]

less 'plenum, moar Euro Honda pls!...

i like the zdx. Only problem is, it's to over price if you ask me. I don't think it's ugly at all. Crosstour ain't that bad either.

 

[robr]

I like the ZDX. Only problem is, it's to over price if you ask me. I don't think it's ugly at all. Crosstour ain't that bad either.

I agree as well. Someone down the street has a ZDX and the first time my wife saw it we were walking by and she says I like that! What is it? Honestly I didn't know much about it and when we got home I looked it up and told her 'congrats, you just picked the most expensive vehicle Acura makes'. Couldn't believe the price.

 

[Kyras]

I love my 2011 Crosstour. The looks are definitely a love/hate thing. There doesn't seem to be a middle! So far 35K miles and not one issue with the car.

^I love my 2011 Crosstour, too. I have about 17,000 miles on it. I think the ZDX looks great but wouldn't consider spending that kind of money on a daily driver.

 

[nsxtasy]

Great photo, Patricia!

Did you plan to take the photo before realizing the effect of the fog in the background?

 

[Kyras]

Great photo, Patricia!

Did you plan to take the photo before realizing the effect of the fog in the background?

Thank you, Ken. :smile:
I took that photo on June 21, 2011, during our "June Gloom" month. If you aren't familiar with that term, we can get weeks of overcast, foggy mornings, and the closer to the Pacific Ocean you are, the less likely it is for the sun to burn through during the day. I'm inland about 17 miles so it usually gets sunny here but I remember going crazy when I first moved here because the sun didn't come through for weeks. I used to live in the desert and it was always sunny. ...But, to answer your question, I think I took that photo just to get all three of my blue Hondas in a photo, and I really didn't think about the fog. I had just bought my Crosstour 10 days earlier.

^Day of purchase, June 11, 2011.