Acura goes electric and its approach to snowy roads is really useful

The one I’m driving is a Type S, the top grade available. The Scarlet Red Metallic tester has a black roof and a tasteful Milano leather-trimmed interior, finished in black and white, which Acura calls Orchid. (I should mention that this colour scheme isn’t available in Canada.)

As I look around the cabin, I note some buttons and switches that have a distinctly GM appearance, and there’s good reason for that: the ZDX is built on the same GM electric platform as the Cadillac Lyriq, the first Caddy EV that’s been on sale for almost two years.

The car’s dual electric motors push 500 horsepower and 544 pounds-feet of motive torque to its wheels to thrust the car forward in a way that belies its 2,722-kilogram (6,000-pound) curb weight. The 102-kWh lithium-ion battery, shared with the Lyriq, adds considerable heft, but the Type S is still quite fast.

In sport mode, the car’s air suspension lowers ride height by 15 mm, improving its aerodynamics and helping it feel more planted to the road. Throwing the car into a variety of up and down corners, I find the ZDX Type S to be a willing participant; steering and firmer suspension delivers good performance driving.

Ride height adjusts with drive mode selection, but a dashboard button allows the driver to change it manually, which is handy. Of note, and this is a bonus for us here in Canada, is the ZDX’s snow mode, which lifts the car by 25 mm to help it manoeuvre on wintry roads.

There is a caveat worth mentioning regarding my driving impressions: the U.S.-spec. car I’m driving is equipped with a summer tire package not offered in Canada. Other chassis components, such as 22-inch Berlina black wheels and six-piston front Brembo brakes come standard here, just as they do south of the border.

During the drive, I also try out Hands Free Cruise, what Acura calls the GM Super Cruise function, which is available on the Lyriq and other GM vehicles. Just as it does in the Caddy, it works beautifully here, keeping me well spaced from other cars, while executing hands-free lane changes with precision. The system works on roughly 640,000 kilometres of roads and highways in the U.S. and Canada.

In styling and luxury appeal, the ZDX delivers. Its cabin isn’t quite as ornate and sophisticated as the Lyriq I drove recently, but it has amenities a buyer in this segment would want. Its digital displays, 11-inch instrument cluster, and 11.3-inch multimedia touchscreen are pin-sharp and respond quickly.

The software it runs on, Google built-in, features Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play, with the latter allowing users to install more apps for the system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

Other features that caught my eye include the Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System, Panoramic Moonroof and 16-way power front seats. And for our cold Canadian winters, a heated steering wheel, along with heated front and rear seats, are standard issue.

It all fits together nicely and comes wrapped in handsome styling recognizably Acura. I like its thin LED headlights, lightly creased body work and two-tone black roof and red body.

The ZDX supports charging speeds of up to 190 kW. On a DC fast charger, roughly 100 kilometres of range can be achieved in about 10 minutes. The Type S has up to 447 km of range on a full charge, while the base A-Spec offers up to 489.

There aren’t many drawbacks, but it’s worth noting the ZDX doesn’t qualify for the federal EV rebate due to its higher starting price. That price, $91,490 for the Type S, and $84,990 for the A-Spec, is also roughly $10,000 greater than those of comparable Lyriqs.

For those who can afford it, the ZDX Type S is a compelling performance EV.