REVIEWS: 2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura ZDX

Months in fleet: Four
Current miles: 11,835

Our 2010 Acura ZDX continues its year-long moon-rover mission to find out if its polarizing style can be overcome with fabulous driving dynamics -- or utility. This month's logbook comments focus almost exclusively on its utility.

Associate web editor Jeff Jablansky was happy that someone folded the rear seats, giving the driver (slightly) better rearward visibility, but what most impressed him was the center console. "This might be the most functional center stack/console ever. Compartments in all the right places for cups, keys, a handy Blackberry slot by the driver's right knee, and a power outlet exactly where it needs to be. For what it's worth, I now deem the ZDX a functional driver's car."

Deputy Editor Joe DeMatio agreed, praising "all the nooks and bins for stashing stuff. Even the interior driver's door handle provides a cavity in which to stash a cell phone. And the little retracting lid for the second cupholder, integrated into the center console bin lid, is a nice touch. As is the shallow tray that resides at the top of the bin. These all might sound like minor concerns, but I thought fondly of these features shortly after, when I got into a BMW 7-series and struggled to find secure places for my two cell phones, my sunglasses, and other stuff I like to keep at hand when I'm driving."

Joe also stashed five adults into the ZDX, and didn't hear a single complaint from any of the guys. How so? Either it was because two of them were "skinny as eels" or he drowned them out with the ZDX's great stereo.

While on the subject of utility, senior web editor Phil Floraday and a couple other members of the staff took the ZDX off-roading -- yes, you read right, off-roading. He reports: "I was blown away by the ZDX's prowess on the obstacles we tackled during our quick run to St. Helen ORV route. Visibility is horrible, there's no low range, and it can be incredibly difficult to get in and out of the vehicle on the trail, but the ZDX is capable of far more than any sane owner would actually attempt to do with it. At least now we know there is some capability baked into this rather compromised utility vehicle."