Reviews

Although it cost a whopping $140,895 and was too hardcore overall to qualify as a daily driver, the dramatically dynamic, ultra-sharp-handling, and wildly dressed-up BMW M4 CSL (limited to 1000 units) sold out instantly after its 2022 reveal. Almost exactly two years later, BMW just launched the equally eye-catching M4 CS, priced at $124,675. Despite the extensive carbon-fiber treatment, trademark quad headlights with yellow lenses, a choice of drop-dead gorgeous satin black or golden forged-alloy wheels, and acres of contrasting black go-faster accents, the CS is actually not nearly as extreme in character and execution as its forerunner. After all, it features four proper seats instead of two solitary racing buckets; a commendably compliant chassis setup instead of a lowered, ultra-firm, track-focused suspension; and all the expected luxury equipment instead of a no-frills full-noise cabin. Both models share the brand’s iconic top-of-the-line twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six rated at an identical 543 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. But thanks to its standard all-wheel drive, the M4 CS beats the no-longer-available rear-wheel-drive M4 CSL to 60 mph; BMW quotes a 3.2-second time versus 3.6 for the CSL, but considering the mechanically similar M3 CS sedan did the deed in 2.7 seconds, we reckon BMW’s estimates are rather conservative. To carve out the CS’s extra performance, the M power brokers dialed up the maximum boost pressure to 30.5 psi, which duly increased output by 20 horsepower. In a parallel move, the engineers took out more than 70 pounds of weight. Means to this end include a lighter exhaust with a titanium silencer, redesigned low-carb wheels, a carbon-fiber hood, various slimline splitters and spoilers, four yawning grille-less nasal air intakes, and a decontented center console.We drove the M4 CS on the Salzburgring circuit in Austria, a two-hour drive from Munich. Mixed weather ruled out the Michelin Pilot Cup 2 R track-oriented tires, which are a factory option. Instead, our Riviera Blue companion for the day was shod with Pilot Sport 4S summer rubber, size 275/35ZR-19 up front and 285/30ZR-20 in the back. A little over 2.6 miles long, the Salzburgring is essentially a pair of fast straights capped by a set of slower curves on the approach to the start-finish line and the tricky high-speed 90-degree Nockstein Corner at the western perimeter. Constantly changing radii and several elevation changes make this ‘Ring more challenging than the straightforward layout suggests. Sven Esch, driver of our pace car and senior vehicle dynamics engineer of the M4 CS, knows this natural proving ground inside out. He calls out his instructions: “No 2WD, please. Feel free to dial in Track mode and MDM, but do not switch off DSC.” Aye, aye, sir!The M4 CS is fitted with thinly padded one-size-fits-some bucket seats as standard equipment. Their cushioning effect is negligible, but together with the three-point seatbelts they keep even extra-large frames firmly in place during hard braking or ten-tenths turn-in maneuvers. The steering wheel, unnecessarily squared off at the bottom, boasts a red straight-ahead marker but is almost too thickly rimmed for standard-size paws. The eight-speed transmission knows three operating modes: Auto, Sport, and Manual. We opt for the latter and select the fastest of three shift velocities, which is rapid and punchy but not nearly as wham-bang brutal as the flat-out second-to-third Sport+ whiplash in a 911 GT3. Which is exactly the point: The M4 CS will never scare you like the CSL, which loved to live its life on a razor’s edge in the wet and could still be snappy and short-tempered in the dry. Even the long back straight is not long enough to reach the claimed 188-mph top speed. We saw an indicated 144 mph before dropping the (extra-cost) carbon-ceramic anchors, which start making a difference after the second or third stint with the crowd on the pit wall still cheering. The brakes, the springs, the dampers, and the anti-roll bars all were tuned specifically for the CS. Track mode further speeds up the throttle response, sends an extra smidgen of torque to the rear wheels, delays stability control interference by a fraction of a second, and flexes the chassis muscles at the limit more energetically. One’s favorite dynamic profiles can be stored and summoned via two fire-red steering-wheel buttons labeled M1 and M2. M1 could, for instance, lock all systems in Sport or Sport+ with DSC off, while M2 may serve as a low-grip default setting with the full safety net in place at all times. Unlike Porsche, BMW M even lets the driver tweak the key dynamic man-machine interfaces, namely steering response and brake action. Although the difference between Comfort or Sport is relatively subtle, we would prefer a stable feedback under all driving conditions. It is in this context worth mentioning that BMW steering has over time gradually lost some of that deeply reassuring connectivity and total haptic immersion that peaked in the legendary E46 M3. Even in a sharp-handling and commendably involving sports coupe like the M4 CS, electric actuation and electronic control has to an extent traded crispness and sparkle for reduced effort and enhanced safety.Having said that, the M division’s latest effort still is a highly emotional piece. Hit the red starter button, watch the digital displays pop into life one after the other, listen to the exhaust at idle, then blip the throttle and compare the sound to the selected drive mode. Too subtle? Hit the exhaust button, dial in Sport+, then check again. That’s better. Now, pull the gear-lever into Drive and take off. What’s next, Herr Esch—another qualification lap or a long run? Although the vocal inline-six redlines at 7200 rpm, the torque curve plateaus from 2750 to 5950 rpm, warranting plenty of midrange grunt. The shift lights on top of the speedometer and the tach instantly reflect every change of rhythm, but unfortunately the instruments retain silly square bracket graphics rather than more readable old-fashioned round dials. Although BMW removed the center armrest without asking for permission, at least the iDrive controller survived as a comforting fixture for touchscreen haters.More on the BMW M4Two five-lap runs and some bonus track time doesn’t sound like nearly enough to evaluate a new car, but then the M4 CS is in essence a familiar quantity spruced up with a few fresh talents. Although it looks like a facelifted CSL, its road manners, ride comfort, performance, and equipment are more like an M4 Competition xDrive’s with a twist. Trouble is, that twist will cost you an extra $35,200, which is a lot of bread even if the production run will end, as rumored, after only one year and 2000 units, thereby likely bolstering the resale value. But right here and now, a base model M4 with standard seats and a wider choice of options seems like the more compelling bet. Feel free to save even more by opting for the 503-hp $84,375 rear-wheel-drive version, or secure a future classic in the shape of the 473-hp M4 manual priced at $80,275. Although the CS is the perfect 10 that beats the rest of the range on merit and appeal, that wafer-thin dynamic advantage comes at an uncool premium.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 BMW M4 CSVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $124,675
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2993 cm3Power: 543 hp @ 6250 rpmTorque: 479 lb-ft @ 2750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.5 inLength: 189.0 inWidth: 75.5 inHeight: 55.1 inTrunk Volume: 16 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3850 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 2.7 sec100 mph: 6.4 sec1/4-Mile: 10.7 secTop Speed: 188 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 18/16/22 mpgAlthough I was born the only son of an ornithologist and a postal clerk, it was clear from the beginning that birdwatching and stamp collecting were not my thing. Had I known that God wanted me to grow to 6’8″, I also would have ruled out anything to do with cars, which are to blame for a couple of slipped discs, a torn ligament, and that stupid stooped posture behind the wheel. While working as a keeper in the Aberdeen Zoo, smuggling cheap cigarettes from Yugoslavia to Germany, and an embarrassing interlude with an amateur drama group also failed to yield fulfillment, driving and writing about cars became a much better option. And it still is now, many years later, as I approach my 70th birthday. I love every aspect of my job except long-haul travel on lousy airlines, and I hope it shows. More

“There aren’t a lot of situations that 720 horsepower can’t solve.”It didn’t take long in the desert outside Palm Springs, California, for this line from the 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R’s development team to ring true. Staring down a sandy dune several stories tall, our goal was to claw our way up the mountainside, rip a big fat drift, and meander back down. Some members of our cohort didn’t give the throttle the commitment it needed on the way up, but as the truck’s vertical progress began to slow, the relative silence gave way to a supercharged eight-cylinder aural assault, as all 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque went to work putting the Raptor R back on its intended course.On paper, the changes to the 2024 Raptor R seem mild. A new hood gave Ford engineers the airflow needed for them to extract 20 extra horsepower from the R’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 and flatten the engine’s torque curve a bit. New Fox Dual Live Valve shocks allow for control of both compression and rebound (only compression was adjustable previously). Combined with a control unit loaded with the Blue Oval’s in-house algorithms, Ford claims this more advanced suspension setup will expand on-road comfort and off-road capability in equal measure. To see how these changes enhance the Raptor R’s off-road prowess, we went through a series of different dirt-tinged scenarios. While we did spend a bit of time on the road, our 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tires were aired down (27 to 29 psi up front, 23 psi out back) for better desert-running grip, so we can’t speak much to how the truck would operate normally during daily use. But don’t worry, it sure as hell gets up to the speed limit in no time, and the truck’s gigantic footprint means 90 mph feels a lot closer to 40 than it should. Our first adventure led us to an off-road course meant to mimic desert racing. Pushing past 70 mph on gravel on a slight uphill stretch is not for the faint of heart; even with the BFGoodrich tires providing immense amounts of grip, the Raptor R’s front end lightens, and the body becomes subject to the lateral whimsy of the rocky path underfoot. A light drag on the brakes straightened the body in time for us to give the left pedal a much stronger hug, and the tires once again dug in as we dove into the first turn and powered out. The immense amount of suspension travel dispatched a series of gnarly-looking whoops with less drama than expected. Throughout, the Raptor R remained eminently composed—we were never left searching for grip from either axle—and only encouraged us to go faster in search of bump stops we never found.Following our best efforts to shake our bones to goop, we headed over to an autocross of sorts that Ford built on a dry lakebed, which gave us a chance to toss up some big brown rooster tails and cake the nearby terrain in dust. In the Raptor R’s Baja mode, the stability-control system permitted a lurid amount of yaw, allowing us to slap the 10-speed automatic transmission into manual mode, heave the front end into a corner and apply power to send it sideways. It drifted with ease—as anything with 720 horsepower should.Before being sent up a multi-story dune, we had some proper mountain crawling to knock out. Swapping to Off-Road mode changes the powertrain’s behavior, focusing more on low-speed, low-rpm crawling than high-speed, high-rpm whoop-demolishing. This change in throttle mapping made it easy to move forward at whatever pace was comfortable, using the front camera’s feed on the standard 12.0-inch touchscreen to place the tires atop rocks that could otherwise slash some sidewalls if they weren’t surmounted correctly. Ford wasn’t about to put us into a situation that only a Chinook could solve, but it wasn’t exactly mini golf either; still, the Raptor R ate that steep, rocky trail for lunch, without even so much as a glance at 4LO.Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Raptor R drive without a jump, and Ford happily obliged. There wasn’t much hang time, but no matter what angle the Raptor R actually left the sandy ramp—hitting highway speeds in the desert will cause an awful lot of unintended juking and yawing—the truck plopped back down to terra firma (terra firm-ish, we suppose) with a satisfying lack of metal-on-metal noise, and a small bit of countersteer kept the nose pointed in the right direction.More Raptor ReviewsThe Ford F-150 Raptor R already exists in the upper echelon of off-road-truck capability, and the small adjustments made to the pickup for 2024 give the pilot the confidence to add pace and get up to even more hoony shenanigans. Dearborn will want more than a pound of flesh for the privilege though—while the six-cylinder Raptor starts at a mildly sensible $80,325, upgrading to the Raptor R requires another $31,925, and with a couple other options, our example’s window sticker reached an eye-watering $113,935. But considering the Ram 1500 TRX’s replacement and the Raptor’s closest competitor, the Ram 1500 RHO, is only offered with six cylinders of motivation, this muscled-up Ford is the only V-8 dune-demolisher in town.SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Ford F-150 Raptor RVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: Raptor R, $112,250
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 315 in3, 5163 cm3Power: 720 hp @ 6650 rpmTorque: 640 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.4 inLength: 232.6 inWidth: 87.0 inHeight: 80.6 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 6050 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.5 sec100 mph: 9.0 sec1/4-Mile: 11.9 secTop Speed: 112 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 12/10/15 mpgCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

From the February 2001 issue of Car and Driver.For the past several years the editors of the New York Times have been suffering major anxiety palpitations over the threat to the populace posed by pavement-pulverizing, gasoline-swilling, compact-crushing, rollover-prone sport­-utility vehicles. The rest of the media elite have followed the lead of the frumps at the Times, waxing hysterical over the obvious reality that tall, heavy vehicles roll over more easily and stop less efficiently than their lower, lighter counterparts. Then came the Ford/Firestone debacle, which sent television reporters and editorialists everywhere into swoons of terror, identi­fying the scourge of the SUVs as the next Black Plague to envelop civilization. Manufacturers from the start have responded to these tocsins with bigger and bigger SUVs—machines with their own ZIP codes, packing V-8 and V-10 engines with enough power and torque to electrify small Third World countries. HIGHS: The latest successful SUV spinoff from a full-size pickup, traditional Toyota quality.Here came the fleets of Excursions, Escalades, Yukons, Yukon XLs, and Durangos, all with gonzo motors and suf­ficiently low fuel mileage to qualify for eternal damnation from the Friends of the Earth. Now Toyota is in the act. Yes, the same Toyota whose Priuses, Echos, and Corollas are among the lightest, most fuel-efficient vehicles in the world. But Japan’s largest automobile manufacturer is a profit-making business, not a division of the Sierra Club, and after first attacking the domestic full-size­-pickup market with its new Tundra last year, it was only a matter of time (mea­sured in months) before that platform would be modified into what is charitably called the “full-size” SUV class. Although the Sequoia falls a bit short of the outré weight and size standards set by Ford’s Excursion and GM’s Suburban, it is one big Namu, offering eight leather­-bound seats in a neatly styled if unre­markable package. Offered in two- and four-wheel-drive versions (priced from $31,295 and topping out at $44,000 for our loaded four-wheel-drive test vehicle), the Sequoia is substantially cheaper and slightly more capacious than the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Lexus LX470, both of which are powered by the same 4.7-liter DOHC V-8 developed for the Tundra pickup, tuned for 240 hp here. This puts the Sequoia, pricewise, in direct competi­tion with the Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Ford Expedition, while offering world-class Toyota fabrication and relia­bility. The only clue that its lineage can be traced to the Tundra, except for its engine, is the presence of the four-speed automatic shift lever on the steering column, as opposed to a console mount found in most upscale SUVs. As expected, its road manners are prim and proper, in the narrow context of sport­-utilities. (Note: With the possible excep­tion of the BMW X5, there isn’t an SUV built that could be described as possessing decent handling.) Our Sequoia, weighing in at 5251 pounds and standing two inches more than six feet tall, and with 10.6 inches of ground clearance, wobbled around the skidpad generating 0.71 g of cornering force. This is not a bad number for an SUV of this size, but the Sequoia cannot be confused with a modern sedan.LOWS: Limited towing capacity for an SUV in this class; conventional, low-risk styling.Yes, the Sequoia has all the right stuff: a new five-link coil-sprung rear suspen­sion, anti-roll bars fore and aft, ABS on four-wheel vented disc brakes, a skid-man­agement system that automatically acti­vates brake and throttle applications when adhesion fails, plus Toyota’s A-Trac trac­tion-control system. But none of these devices can overcome the laws of simple physics. Large, heavy, tall vehicles must be driven with caution, meaning that the rollover shibboleth popularized by the media is in part the fault of the driving public that presumes SUVs can be wheeled around like cars. Cornering, as with all sport-utes this big, demands pru­dence. Modern gadgetry such as traction control, skid management, and ABS notwithstanding, big SUVs like the Sequoia cannot be taken for granted in any driving situation demanding agility or quick movements. This is hardly a design flaw but merely a manifestation of the nearly impossible task of wedding a large five-door, multipassenger vehicle with off-road capabilities to a smooth, comfortable package with a carlike personality. On pavement, the Sequoia behaves well. Its acceleration (0 to 60 in 9.1 sec­onds) is within the range of vehicles in this class, and cruising at 65 to 80 mph on the open road offers silent running with silky comfort. Straight-line stability is first-rate, considering the vehicle’s high-rise architecture. The Sequoia hauled itself from 70 mph to a dead stop in 204 feet, which is very good for a 5251-pound vehicle. Like most Toyotas, the full-power interior is effectively laid out and executed to middlebrow perfection, offering high levels of function and low levels of visual stimulation. But make no mistake, this is one big, beefy machine, and unless one plans on reg­ularly hauling five or more passengers or enough junk to fill a small single-wide, it may be too large for most customers. These whale-size SUVs fall into a narrow-spec­trum specialty class and should not be con­fused with more conventional machines of this genre. Maneuvering in tight quarters can be a night­mare. Rearward visibility, hampered by headrests and a high backlight, offers the unfortunate option of parking with the Braille system while dreaming about one of those remote television cameras employed on giant recreational vehicles. The Sequoia, and other similarly sized SUVs, can be legitimate pains in the ass to navigate when employed for normal transportation.Thanks to its impressive ground clear­ance and four-wheel-drive system that can be engaged with the push of a dashboard button (or used full-time), the Sequoia is quite effective off-road, although it lacks locking differentials. As a compromise, low range is available with a separate shifter that locks the center differential. Aside from slogging up snowy mountains to ski lodges or occasional forays to back­country trout streams, the Sequoia is, like all upscale SUVs, probably best suited for John Loudon McAdam’s ancient but uni­versally celebrated road surfaces. Toyota claims that the two-and-a-half-­ton four-wheel-drive Sequoia will tow up to 6200 pounds, although its engine produces only 315 pound-feet of torque. Based on our experience with race cars, one puz­zles under what conditions such a load could be hauled effectively. Sixty miles an hour on level terrain? Perhaps. Then again, the Chevy Tahoe’s trailer rating is even higher with less torque.More Reviews From the ArchiveThat said, Toyota has effectively followed the domestic industry’s lead in converting a pickup platform into a useful, well-founded sport-ute. High value, vaunted quality, and reliability at a rea­sonable price are all in play with the Sequoia. Like most of the products from this cau­tious and essentially conserv­ative manufacturer, there is little about the vehicle to prompt rooftop celebrations, but there is also precious little to criticize, considering the mission state­ment of the vehicle. VERDICT: The right price, the right quality, the right stuff to create an instant contender. SpecificationsSpecifications
2001 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4x4Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 8-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $42,755/$44,000Options: sunroof, $1005; 6-disc in-dash CD changer, $200; daytime running lights, $40
ENGINEDOHC 32-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 285 in3, 4664 cm3Power: 240 hp @ 4800 rpmTorque: 315 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm 
TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axleBrakes, F/R: 12.5-in vented disc/12.2-in vented discTires: Bridgestone Dueler H/T265/70R-16
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 118.1 inLength: 203.9 inWidth: 78.0 inHeight: 74.0 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 62/56/37 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 60/39/9 ft3Curb Weight: 5251 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 9.1 sec1/4-Mile: 16.8 sec @ 81 mph90 mph: 21.9 secRolling Start, 5–60 mph: 9.8 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 6.3 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 97 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 204 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.71 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 13 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMYCity/Highway: 14/17 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

Acura enjoys applying the ZDX name to its most experimental models. The first was the easily forgotten coupelike crossover that debuted in the late aughts. Although that body style would go into vogue about a decade later, the original ZDX was ahead of its time, didn’t sell well, and disappeared after only four model years. Now, Acura has revived that moniker and applied it to another experiment, this time with General Motors as its lab partner. The resulting 2024 Acura ZDX represents the automaker’s first electric vehicle and first electric Type S performance variant.Penned by a Los Angeles–based design team, the new ZDX’s handsome appearance incorporates Acura hallmarks such as “Jewel Eye” headlights and a pentagonal grille that’s actually a debossed panel with an illuminated outline. Beneath its stylish bodywork is GM’s modular Ultium platform that supplies a battery with 102.0 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity, as well as rear- and all-wheel-drive powertrains. The latter is standard on the top-spec, 499-hp ZDX Type S, which is what Acura brought us to California to drive for the first time. Anyone familiar with Acura’s lingo knows that its Type S badge gets affixed to a model’s sportiest variant. The ZDX is obviously a product of badge engineering, but the Type S has myriad go-fast goodies that aren’t found in semi-siblings like the Honda Prologue, making it clear that Acura tried to ensure the EV lives up to that performance branding. Along with 544 pound-feet of torque—more than the hybrid NSX supercar—the ZDX Type S alone offers an adaptive air suspension and yellow-painted Brembo six-piston front brake calipers pinching huge 15.3-inch rotors. Heck, grippier summer tires are even available as a $1000 option—something not found on Acura’s other Type S SUVs. Set loose on California’s U.S. Route 101 and curvier Highway 154, we unleashed the mightiest ZDX’s forceful acceleration, which arrives in an instantaneous wave of thrust—although, to be fair, that’s par for the EV course. With Sport drive mode activated, pressing the right pedal also introduces a synthetic soundtrack that, to our ears, resembles a robot trying to make engine noises underwater. While it’s mandatory in Sport mode, it can be turned off via the customizable Individual setting if you’d rather mute the sideshow.Individual mode also lets drivers adjust the brake response, damper stiffness, and steering effort. However, it’s a bit of a bear to manage, requiring a fingertip tap dance through multiple submenus on an otherwise straightforward 11.3-inch touchscreen that runs Google built-in software and includes both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We spent most of our time driving the ZDX in Sport—not only because it didn’t feel drastically different from the default Normal setting, but also because it was annoying to change modes, as the button is located in an awkward spot on the lower left-hand side of the dash. That made us miss Acura’s signature rotary drive-mode selector from its gas-fed fleet, including the TLX sports sedan and the three-row MDX SUV.Wonky mode swapping wasn’t the only thing amiss on our first date with the ZDX Type S. As with any budding relationship, personality matters. Had we been forced to re-create a scene from Bird Box and drive blindfolded, we’d praise the ZDX’s interior tranquility and how adeptly the Acura changes direction without much body roll, but we’d be hard-pressed to differentiate it from other “sporty” EVs. Most of them also offer breakneck take-offs and surefooted low-center-of-gravity handling, meaning it’s trickier to make a performance-minded model stand out. We’ve seen this sort of existential limbo before, and we assume it won’t be the last time we pick up on it either.Sure, the ZDX has heavy steering that implies sportiness, but it doesn’t transmit much, if any, tangible feedback. The brake pedal is pleasantly firm and responds naturally with or without the two different regeneration settings, yet there’s nothing on the 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster that clearly indicates what regen mode is currently selected. Instead, you must judge it by the “charge” meter or your own equilibrium. Similarly and equally frustrating, the active drive mode isn’t shown on the instrument panel, like it is on most new vehicles.Apart from wishing the ZDX Type S was more engaging from behind the wheel, our other minor gripes don’t offset the Acura’s many redeeming qualities. Despite our car’s large 22-inch wheels and low-profile tires, it had a luxury-grade ride, no doubt aided by the standard height-adjustable air springs. We enjoyed the ZDX’s driving position too, which benefits from excellent outward visibility and peaked front fenders that help with wheel placement around tight corners. The back seat is palatial for two adults, and the flat floor makes it habitable for three. We also sampled Hands Free Cruise, Acura’s version of GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving tech. With steady lane positioning and seamless automatic lane changes on a busy Highway 101, the system is a game-changer for daily commuters in congested areas. Hands Free Cruise is only offered on the Type S, along with other desirable features such as automated parking assist, a digital rearview mirror, a head-up display, heated rear seats, and a third climate zone with rear HVAC controls, which all contribute to the top model’s $74,7850 starting price. The Type S is eligible for the $7500 federal tax credit, but so are the rear- and all-wheel-drive A-Spec models that start at $65,850 and $69,850.Acura says the A-Spec will be the volume seller, but unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity to drive one. That’s a pity, because the 490-hp AWD model strikes us as the sweet spot in the ZDX lineup. We’d probably also be less disappointed with how it drives, compared to our higher expectations for anything with a Type S badge. In addition, the A-Spec AWD offers an extra 26 miles of EPA-estimated driving range (304 versus the Type S’s 278). Every ZDX has a 11.5-kW onboard charger and a DC fast-charging rate that peaks at a decent-but-not-mind-blowing 190 kilowatts, which Acura reckons is good for a 20 to 80 percent juice-up in 42 minutes.Kissin’ CousinsThe ZDX has been available to order since March through Acura’s new omni-channel sales process, which can be done online or at a dealership. There’s no haggling, and deliveries have already started for the early adopters. But dealer inventory should remain quite limited, which could cause frustration when it comes to in-person purchasing. Much like its first EV, Acura says its new digital-heavy sales strategy is an experiment, with the goal of eventually extending it to the rest of the lineup. That’s why the new ZDX is an important first step for Acura’s electric future. While we didn’t fall in love with the hotter Type S at first blush, we’re optimistic that a second date at our test track will reveal something we missed.SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Acura ZDXVehicle Type: mid- or front- and mid-motor, rear- or all-wheel-drive, five-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: A-Spec RWD, $65,850; A-Spec AWD, $69,850; Type S AWD, $74,850; Type S AWD with Performance Wheels and Tires, $75,850
POWERTRAIN (RWD)
Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACPower: 358 hpTorque: 324 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 102.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.5 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 190 kWTransmission: direct-drive
POWERTRAIN (AWD)
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 490 or 499 hpCombined Torque: 437 or 544 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 102.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.5 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 190 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.8 inLength: 197.7 inWidth: 77.0 inHeight: 64.4 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 53/49 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 62–63/29–30 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5500–6100 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.0–5.5 sec100 mph: 10.0–14.5 sec1/4-Mile: 13.0–14.0 secTop Speed: 120–150 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 86–88/93–95/80–82 MPGeRange: 278–313 miEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More