Acura Signs The Death Warrant For The ZDX

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Acura may be refreshing the ZDX for 2013, but the company has simultaneously signed the car’s death warrant, killing off one of the most reviled cars on sale today.

Acura’s Jeff Conrad issued a roundabout confirmation of the car’s death

“People shopping for a luxury crossover vehicle will find the Acura ZDX an even more attractive product,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. “Moving forward, we will continue to advance the Acura lineup with a focus on new core models, like the recently redesigned RDX and the upcoming all-new RLX flagship sedan, that provide the ideal balance of performance and fuel efficiency that is right for each product and a driving experience that is dynamic and emotional.”

At $51,815, there are understandably few takers for Acura’s four-seat monstrosity. Acura sold only 48 units last month, which may be less than the number of TWAT nominations the ZDX garnered in the same 30 day period.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Ceipower Ceipower on Oct 11, 2012

    Whomever calls the shots at Honda style wise , it's been clear for some time they are not in touch with the buyer. Acura's decline began with the re-nameing of the line up, going from names to letters to define models. Once unique and respected vehicles are now unknown to most buyers, and the styling isn't a winner, yet for a decade Honda has stuck to the "beak". If I were a owner of a Acura dealership with millions invested in their future , I'd be more than a little pissed. Honda had something , they threw it away, and seem to not care. This attitude of indifference is present to some degree in every product Honda puts there name on. Just because it's says Honda , it no longer means what it used to. The proposed NSX looks hidious with that beak on it.

  • Snakebit Snakebit on Oct 11, 2012

    jcisne, This has probably already occurred to you, but when the S2000 was brought over here to the States, Acura already had the NSX, and Honda corporate told them they(corporate) felt the S2000 would sell well as a Honda, and actually it did, for what started out as a $30,000 two-seat Honda. I don't think Acura dealers put up much of a fight, in the beginning when that would have been the time to object, because they had nine or ten years experience trying to sell NSX's. With the exception of the first couple of years, when the car was hot partly because guys like Vanilla Ice and Donnie Wahlberg bought them, many Acura dealers wouldn't accept their allocation of NSX's because they were afraid they'd stay in inventory too long. Now, I know what you're thinking; outside of North America, they're both sold as Hondas. I put about 25,000 miles on a S2000, I've driven NSX's on the street for new model ride-and-drive sessions and ridden shotgun in them at Lime Rock Park. For what they really are, they're so sweet to drive. I won't bore readers with the NSX experience. If you liked the looks, imagine that being behind the wheel is that super, and more. Personally, and I do mean just me in the car, driving the S2000 is gobs of fun. I really disliked the digital instruments, but everything else about this car is so well thought out. Almost all of the controls located so that you could leave your hand on the steering wheel and just use a finger to actuate them. 240 horsepower from a non-turbo four cylinder, and without a cold air box. Just everything so well put together, great seats with lots of legroom. One hitch I found is that none of my friends liked riding in it, the S2000 is VERY stiff-riding even with stock suspension. But, when I had to do a 400 mile trip from Boston to Lake Ontario, and then the same miles back, I took the S2000 and loved it.

  • Theswedishtiger Theswedishtiger on Oct 11, 2012

    So in what order will these names become history Volvo - No brand identity Acura - No cache Smart - Really? Lotus - Financial wreck Suzuki - No sales Mitsubushi - Mistu who? Lincoln - Last few fanboys have not quite made it to the funeral home. Fisker - Goes one day after the GOP wins the election? Opel - GM's millstone Range Rover - They start to break down on mile one, world gets the message

    • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Oct 12, 2012

      Fisker - Chapter 7, footnote in Wikipedia. Suzuki - Withdrawn from US market, continues overseas. Lotus - Chapter 11, absorbed by the VAG octopus. Mitsubishi - Withdrawn from US market, continues overseas. Opel - Hopefully nuked, but probably sold/nationalized. Lincoln - Gracefully withdrawn al la Oldsmobile, not just dropped like Mercury. Some dealers given Ford franchise, some given the finger. Volvo - Withdrawn from US, later Swedish operations closed and brand becomes hood ornament for dodgy Chinese designs, similar to MG. I disagree on Ranger Rover, Acura, and Smart even going away. LR: Too many valley girls, slumdog millionaires, and African dictators think Land Rover's are desirable for the brand to completely disappear. Acura: Honda will turn Acura into a complete rebadge brand (which is close to reality at the moment) and sell them until its no longer feasible. Given current economic conditions, boomers won't be able to retire for 15-20 years and thus will continue to spend, and they are the ones with 80s dreams of Japanese car supremacy... never mind the fact this is no longer the case... they are lemmings for the faux luxury brands offered by the Land of Rising Sun. SMRT: Smart will continue as a symptom of CAFE until enough people are killed in them it makes 60 Minutes.

  • Snakebit Snakebit on Oct 13, 2012

    Gentlemen, you asked for a V6 version with 240 horsepower of the S2000? Did I fail to mention that the stock four cylinder already put out 240 hp? As far as how the S2000 interior ranked to me with a BMW Z3, aside from the finish of the instrument panel which was prototypical Honda, the red and black leather seats, console, and door panels can compare to either Z3 or Z4, but not Z8. As far as being buzzy or noisy, with the top down they're as noisy as maybe a BMW motorcycle, quieter than a typical Honda bike, and let's not get started on the noise from a Harley. They're a roadster, you don't buy one because you want a car quieter than an Accord or TL. You give up a little quiet when you drive a roadster or convertible with the top down. Otherwise, get the removable hardtop and leave it on.

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