It’s safe to say that the electric car market is a bit weird right now. From vanishing incentives to manufacturers pivoting away from all-electric plans to startups facing a harsh reality, a huge shake-up means we’re going to see some casualties. The latest EV to bow out early isn’t from some fledgling company that went public via SPAC, it’s from the engineering might of two global automotive giants. The Acura ZDX electric crossover has been discontinued after the shortest production run of any Acura model ever.
In case the Acura ZDX slipped under your radar, this midsize electric luxury crossover is part of a collaboration between Honda and GM. Essentially, it’s Acura’s take on a Cadillac Lyriq, sharing a wheelbase, powertrain options, and overall architecture with the popular Cadillac crossover. It’s an expensive proposition, and the $65,850 price of admission may be partially responsible for a certain degree of model year weirdness.
See, despite it being almost October of 2025, there is no 2025 ZDX. Instead, Acura is still exhausting its supply of 2024 model year EVs, with 202 brand new units listed for sale on Cars.com. Considering you can’t just stamp VINs using a previous year, this means that some electric crossovers on Acura lots are roughly a year old. That’s not a position anyone wants to be in.
Still, even throughout a largely slow sales year, questions lingered over whether the ZDX would get another run for 2026. While penalties for exceeding federal fleet emissions standards are dead, along with California’s EV mandate, the ripple effects of that on the agreement between GM and Honda hadn’t yet been seen. Well, it looks like an answer has arrived.
Car Dealership Guy News initially reported that “Acura has discontinued production of its ZDX electric SUV effective immediately, according to an internal memo obtained by CDG News.” As soon as we heard that, we knew we had to reach out to Acura for the full story, and here’s the brand’s official response:
To better align our product portfolio with the needs of our customers and market conditions, as well as our long-term strategic goals, we can confirm the Acura ZDX has ended production.
ZDX has played a valuable role for the Acura brand, and will provide a foundation we will build on next year with the arrival of the all-electric Acura RSX, which will be produced at the EV Hub in Ohio in the second half of 2026, as well as with hybrid-electric Acura models now in development.
Acura ZDX customers will continue to receive full product support through our dealer network, including service, parts, and warranty coverage.
While the discontinuation of the ZDX after just one model year is a bit surprising, future product plans mean that Acura’s first electric crossover is getting squeezed out. Not only is the incoming RSX crossover an in-house product, it’s also slated to occupy a smaller, more popular segment than the ZDX. Assuming the few hundred remaining ZDX crossovers in inventory sell out by the end of 2025, this does mean Acura will have a time gap between EV offerings, but it seems like a gap that the brand can afford.
Eerily, the last Acura to wear the ZDX badge wasn’t exactly a hot seller either. A crossover coupe based on the MDX was always a niche proposition, so it’s understandable that the original ZDX only yielded 6,119 U.S. sales over a four-model-year run. By comparison, the electric ZDX sold considerably better, shifting 18,911 units from the start of production in 2024 through August of 2025. Still, considering the bulk of those were leftover 2024 models sold this year, maybe it’s time to retire the ZDX nameplate if you’re superstitious or anything like that.
So, if you like GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway-focused advanced driver assistance system, electric power, and Apple CarPlay, options fulfilling those three criteria are about to get slimmer. Once the 200-ish ZDX electric crossovers still on dealer lots are gone, they’re gone.
Top graphic image: Acura
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I liked it enough that we leased one for my wife. She wanted an EV after getting jealous of my PHEV so we shopped around before the regime change. The huge discounts at the time definitely helped sway us into the ZDX. My wife couldn’t stand all the chrome in the Caddys and she can’t get past a Kia badge (even though I really dig the EV6 and 9).
We are 10,000 miles in and quite happy with it. The app is absolute garbage but the car itself has been solid. Our biggest gripe is that it’s a bitch to park. I always find myself adjusting it in the spot after I pull in.
It’s a boat and a little sloppy around town but it really excels while highway cruising which is most of her commute.
Glad it’s a lease though. EV tech is moving forward fast.
Anyone else see first gen ZDX lines in the Tesla Cybertruck?
I have actually seen both first and last (?) gen ZDXes on the road shockingly enough. I know I’m in the minority here but I like the styling of both generations…I don’t have a good explanation but it’s the truth.
They didn’t give it a chance.
Up here in Canada, the ZDX is a $90k vehicle. I wanted to look at it…I like everything about it. It’s basically the best looking (slightly tall) EV wagon! It’s quick! But it’s $90k. And there were no lease deals on it. The Cadillacs (Optiq and Lyriq) both had great leasing programs that would have made them *half* the price monthly. The Cadillacs were the most boring vehicles I’ve ever driven, so I wasn’t going that way. My local Acura dealership effectively avoided conversation on it – they wanted nothing to do with it, and definitely wouldn’t talk about the poor leases on them.
I want to like Acura. The first gen TSX was a great car – one of the best I’ve owned, and should be on a short list of best sedans ever with the period TL. The last decade or so, every decision they’ve made is just baffling. I’d most likely have a ZDX in my driveway right now if it was priced competitively. Being $10k – $20k more that competitive vehicles is ridiculous, and I’m in no way surprised they’ve cancelled it.
We leased one with nearly $25K off in discounts. That helped bring it in line with the competition $ wise. But that’s not a sustainable business model lol
Not only have I not seen an ZDX in my area, it’s getting increasingly rare to see any Acura model – not Mitsubishi-rare – but rare enough that I take notice when I see a newish one.
Maybe they change the name to IntegraCross ??
I mean, it kinda’ worked for Ford.
Honestly, I’ve never seen one in my tiny town of almost 300,000 people.
Anecdotally I see a lot of these in my local area. In a similar vein, I just went to the Acura dealership here and they seemed to have quite a few on the lot as well.
We very briefly looked at the ZDX earlier this year. My spouse couldn’t stand the exterior styling, and couldn’t see what justified the substantial price increase over the Prologue on the inside. We didn’t end up with a Prologue either, but I had to agree that what Acura was offering wasn’t any better than the Honda (sort of) it was based off of.
That photo of the first-gen ZDX is just awful. I had all but forgotten about the beak-era Acuras, and now the nightmares are going to return!
Also, I didn’t even know that Acura brought the nameplate back. Their lineup is such a snooze that apparently nobody else did either…
This was a weird product, Blazer EV type of interior but with Lyriq powertrain/performance numbers. Definitely a Lyriq is a much better value product, this was more of a Blazer EV on steroids.
In my opinion, this is a much better looking vehicle than the Prologue, further proving that the average consumer will happily ignore questionable styling if their budget needs have been met.
Well I think it’s safe to say that didn’t go well.
Man I saw one of these on the road this past weekend for the first time and that back end is an absolute mess
Just did some quick checking from the Acura and Caddy websites, and I was correct. Leasing a Lyriq is substantially cheaper than a ZDX by ~$100-150 a month on a casual comparison.
An Optiq is even cheaper if you don’t mind a slightly smaller car. I actually think that little crossover is pretty appealing, contrary to what GM Gang is assuming about me a few comments down haha
The lack of android auto/carplay in the Optiq is a non-starter for me. GM’s native infotainment push is way more annoying and disruptive than I think it’s worth. The Lyriq still has the previous generation infotainment system where you can do phone mirroring.
That said, I’m still most likely to be shopping for an off-lease Ioniq 6 Limited (and a set of SE-trim wheels) when the lease on my 500e is up, rather than a Lyriq or a ZDX.
The ZDX must be one of the most cursed vehicle nameplates ever made. Also, the demise of the current one is very much due to the stupidly high price as well as poor dealer network unwilling to sell for less than MSRP, not to mention it isn’t very competitive either. I half-assedly looked into one of these and after a couple minutes on a local dealer’s website that looked like it was designed in 1997, I gave up.
Re the two shots of the ZDX, first the end of article pic with the weird red lighting, and moreso the mid-article interior pic with the same lighting weirding out the inside: I nominate these for Jason’s “‘what were they thinking?’ car brochures” article twenty years from now.
You could say that about the whole brand to be honest.
Not sure which is more rare: The first gen ZDX or the Second Gen ZDX!
It wasn’t bad looking even if that blue press photo looks like a beamng screengrab.
Interestingly enough, for such a poor seller, they appear not to depreciate any more than the Lyriq. Similar year/mileage/trims of used ones are very close to the price of the Lyriq. I’d have expected more aggressive discounting if it’s that unpopular. I didn’t look at the lease deals available, but I would suspect that a Lyriq lease would still be cheaper.
Wow, it’s the Acura SLX of our millennium.
It’s also surprising that ZDX’s can’t be sold, while the Honda Prologue seems to be doing pretty well.
I see several ZDX’s in my town (there’s a strong Acura dealership here). In darker colors, which most of them seem to be, that strange chrome that goes over the doors (like an old drip rail) and then drops down aiming toward the bumper reminds of a landau bar on the side of a hearse. I think the perfectly straight line at the base of the windows doesn’t help the matter. I just keep thinking there’s a dead guy in a box in back of one of those.
Unfortunately it was a half baked GM product. The people that appreciate Acura for what they are (all 7 of them) aren’t willing to put up with GM problems. It makes sense for Acura to shift their focus and resources to their in house EVs…but unfortunately the upcoming RSX might be the ugliest car of the 21st century, so I doubt it will do any better.
Acura needed hybrids yesterday. Hell, not even yesterday…like 5-10 years ago at this point. You really, really have to care about longevity over all else/get a killer deal to choose any of their SUVs over the competition. The Integra is a neat little car but there are rumors that it’s only going to last another year or two.
What ZDX problems are you referring to?
Yes ,yeeesss. Let the GM hate flow through you.
What has Honda accomplished the last 30 years that would make you think their products are any more trustworthy than GM’s?
Dear lord I had no idea this comment would strike such a nerve with people lol
It’s just that you can find “a problem” on any marque today. There’s always a gotcha…any make, any model, and Honda and Toyota are mostly coasting on a reputation earned decades ago that they really aren’t living up to anymore. That’s not to say they aren’t reliable, just that the difference between some marques is splitting hairs at this point.
I think the problem with the ZDX is nobody wanted to spend $70k on a smallish electric crossover wearing an Acura badge, because Acura never had the brand equity that Lexus, BMW or Cadillac have.
I guess I just resent the implication that the ZDX was “half-baked” just because it was made by GM, or that Acura customers are accustomed to a better level of service or quality than Cadillac customers, because I don’t think either is true.
As Angrycat said, I think Honda (and to some extent Toyota, though not as much) is really coasting on a reputation made decades ago.
The Ultium platform has had myriad issues that are well documented. The Blazer EV in particular has been problematic. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good cars on that platform, but I don’t think calling out some of its issues is a sleight at GM or something.
Consider this a reply for you and RoRo. These are easy to find but I’ll share them, here are some examples of Ultium issues:
https://insideevs.com/reviews/749622/chevy-blazer-ev-long-term-review/
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2025/07/some-2024-chevy-blazer-ev-units-need-electric-drive-transmission-module-replacements/
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2025-chevrolet-blazer-ev-rs-rwd-yearlong-review-update-5-first-service-recall
https://www.reddit.com/r/HondaPrologue/comments/1frkc7z/numerous_issues_with_new_honda_prologue_beware/?rdt=51207
https://www.prologuedrivers.com/threads/serious-second-thoughts-any-one-not-having-tons-of-problems.585/
https://www.edmunds.com/honda/prologue/2024/consumer-reviews/
And from this very site:
https://www.theautopian.com/honda-prologue-owners-are-discovering-what-its-like-to-own-a-gm-built-product/
Honestly, good rebuttal.
I do wonder if the Cadillac versions (and by extension the ZDX) use better components since they aren’t as built to a price point as the Blazer or Equinox, but maybe not.
You may be on to something because the Cadillacs are very, very well reviewed. I’ve said this a couple times but I’ll keep repeating it-I think if you want an EV specifically you should find your way to a Cadillac showroom. I’ve been accused of anti GM bias here (which I think is a wee bit of a stretch but I’m not here to argue with people) but I’m absolutely checking out their EVs next go around.
It could also be that they are built in TN to a better price point than the Blazer EV/Prologue twins that are made in MX. The fit and finish on the latter cars are terrible and feel like a $30k car inside. At the training center we had a Prologue side by side with a ZDX and man was it night and day how much better QC the ZDX had. I still think the Lyriq has a better interior than the ZDX however.
Shows how out-of-touch you are and commenting on things you probably shouldn’t be.
Hondas and Acuras quality has been on a long downward spiral for decades, while GM has been making some great products in recent years, including consistently placing brands in the top 5 in quality surveys.
Or, I guess you can keep on pushing out-dated “news” from 1987, I guess. Up to you, mate.
Wow. I’ve been driving Hondas continuously since 1978 and I’ve seen no evidence of a “long downward spiral,” and I’ve had Hondas (Accords, Civic, Prelude, Fits, CR-Vs) made in Japan, the US, Canada, and Mexico. As a matter of fact, the 2025 Honda I recently bought is the highest quality car (fit, finish, lack of defects) of any brand I’ve ever bought.
So I guess my anecdotal evidence is as good as anyone else’s anecdotal evidence?
Great YT channel by a Honda salesman called Acura Advice who puts out informative, but quite entertaining videos on almost all the Honda models out as they change throughout the generations. As someone who has never cared for Hondas, but still loves automotive history, it was eye-opening hearing this guy (who even is a Honda enthusiast) talk about problems after problems after problems the newer the cars.
They have had a lot of engine problems in recent years and while they used to be right up there with Toyota in terms of quality back in the 80s and 90s, they are usually around mid-pack in many quality surveys in recent years.
Its funny how people still think JDM cars are at the same level as during Japan’s peak. That hasn’t been the case in decades. A simple search of “Honda reliability problems” will give anyone a long list of problems with their more recent cars.
If you like your new purchase, then by all means enjoy it!
THIS!
Yeah, I don’t understand this at all…as far as daily drivers, Honda is the most reliable brand ever, and they are the best…bar none. Everyone has different tastes/preferences, but to me Honda is #1 by a longshot…they have been the most consistent too…of course there’s always going to be off years, like the 5th gen Accords weren’t as good as the 3rd/4th gens (see also Toyota, but they are way more boring to me + they have been having more problems lately) Outside of that, preference for brand, etc is all subjective
The cars that were built over those 30 years that are still in the road for one.
A lot more 30 year old GMs around here than 30 year old Hondas, but your mileage may vary.
Strange that you mention 30 years ago. I can’t speak to current Hondas, but 30 years ago Honda was hitting it out of the park. These were the “Golden Era Hondas”. In 2000 they were selling the outstanding B-series powered Civic Si with 100hp/liter, the Prelude SH with a torque vectoring differential, the S2000 with 120hp/liter and 9000 rpm fuel cuttof, the incredible Integra type R with 108hp/liter that is still the best handling FWD ever (current type R has more grip, but not better handling), the all-aluminum 70mpg Insight with a sub $20k msrp, and the NSX. All of these cars had the world’s first variable valve timing, which was subsequently incorporated by all other OEMs. Of notable mention was the late “80s and early ’90s Acura Legend which was the Lexus LS400 before Lexus existed. That car was a sales smash hit and was stealing significant market share from the Germans. The Accord won umpteen Car and Driver 10 best awards for multiple decades.
I currently own 5 Golden era Honda with a combined 1.25M miles on the odometer and they are incredible vehicles – both from a performance and a build quality / reliability standpoint. Current GM may be able to deliver on the former, but at least in my experience, could not deliver on the latter. Sold the BW a couple of weeks ago largely due to build quality issues. Sad that my 35 year old Hondas are better screwed together than a brand new $100k Cadillac
I picked 30 years ago for a reason, yes
You can’t be serious here, Shirley.
Every comment I make here is serious.
I haven’t a clue how much Honda paid GM for the platform, but this could easily be a business case that answers the question easily. With the EV mandate gone, there’s likely more incentive to just wait for your own in-house version to fill the gap than to enrich your competitor.
Integra irks me that it’s the only way to get the 1.5T with hatchback, 6MT, and LSD. At nearly the pricetag of the CTR, it doesn’t represent a reasonable value proposition for me.
A few years ago in the Before Times, the prior generation of Civic offered the Sport trim hatchback with the 1.5T and 6MT (no LSD) for about $1,100 over the base LX model.
2020 Honda Civic Hatchback Starting MSRPs: LX Hatchback: $21,650.
Sport Hatchback: Around $22,750.
2025 Integra A-Spec with 1.5T and 6MT – $38,000
You could get the LX Hatch with 1.5T & 6MT for a period, with Europe getting a 1.0T version as well.
But the only way to get an LSD is to get the CTR or lose the hatch with the Si.
GM is one of the top mass-market EV makers right now, so what the hell are you smoking?
Z(ed)DX’s dead, babe, Z(ed)DX’s dead