The Acura ZDX Is Coming Back as an Electric SUV

An image of the rear quarter on the original Acura ZDX crossover

The returned. Photo: Acura

Remember the Acura ZDX? It was a hybrid crossover that asked the question, “what if we just made a sporty hatchback bigger?” It sounds like an odd proposition now and was even more out of place in 2009 when it was unveiled. But after killing off the controversial crossover in 2013, Acura is now bringing the ZDX name back on its first all-electric SUV.

Set for release in 2024, the new Acura ZDX is being co-developed by the company with GM. As such, it will make use of the American carmaker’s ultium batteries before Acura develops its own electric vehicle architecture for use on future models.

Other than that, details of the new ZDX are pretty thin on the ground. As with the original car, the new model is being designed “from the ground up” at Acura’s LA design studio, which opened in 2007. The original ZDX was the first car to be entirely styled at the U.S. site.

A graphic showing the Acura logo and the letters 'ZDX'

All new Acura ZDX: Coming soon. Photo: Acura

Acura also said that when the car does break cover, we’ll be treated to two different variants of the new ZDX. That’s because the company will market a standard version and a Type S variant

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Emile Korkor, assistant vice president of Acura National Sales, said in a statement: “The Acura ZDX represents the start to what will be an accelerated path toward electrification by the end of the decade and the key role the Acura brand will play in our company’s global goal to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.

“Acura will remain focused on performance in the electrified era and Type S will continue to represent the pinnacle of this direction.”

A render of the Acura Precision EV Concept car.

The Acura Precision EV Concept is a glimpse of things to come. Photo: Acura

The new car, which will be Acura’s first zero-emission SUV, will launch in 2024, with more details about the new model expected to trickle out before then.

The design for the new model will draw inspiration from the Precision EV Concept that Acura unveiled in California earlier this week. The concept was said to offer a glimpse at the future design direction for Acura.

This follows a similar approach to Acura’s last design refresh. Back in 2016, the company launched another Precision Concept, with design elements of that car trickling down into the company’s current lineup.

A render of the front end of the Acura Precision Concept car.

In our electric future, grilles are the new headlights. Photo: Acura

With this new concept car, Acura is leaning heavily on a simplified, boxier styling than its current lineup. The concept retains the brand’s signature grille, albeit in a new illuminated, vent-less form.

It looks pretty sleek, so if this is the direction things are going then I’m looking forward to the future of Acura!