If you’re gathering a list of the most reliable vehicles you can get, nine times out of ten, you’ll likely see many Lexus and Toyota models. If you’re wondering why that is, these two sister companies are arguably the two most reliable car brands, both used and new vehicles. Ironically enough, the top reliable car brands come from Japan. This isn’t dogging on American or European car brands; data and stats don’t lie, and it seems Japanese automakers seem to have the secret recipe for designing and engineering reliable vehicles. As stated above, don’t take that the wrong way or see it as biased or favoritism; it’s just facts.
So, if you take Toyota and Lexus out of the situation, who are the remaining reliable Japanese car brands? Technically, the answer is almost all of them. You have Mazda, Subaru, Honda, and Acura. Japanese car brands are a bit divided regarding the platforms they focus on. Toyota and Lexus cater to hybrids (HEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Mazda focuses on plug-in hybrids, while they just released the CX-50 HEV, making them a new contender. Subaru just entered the hybrid industry as well, with the Forester and Crosstrek hybrids. When it comes to EVs, most only offer one or two, but they’re still as reliable as the others. So, without Lexus and Toyota in the mix, which Japanese car brand offers the most reliable electric vehicle?
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Acura and other authoritative sources, including the EPA, AAA, iSeeCars, and NHSTA.
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The Acura ZDX Rivals Lexus’ And Toyota’s Reliability
The Acura ZDX is the most reliable Japanese electric vehicle without looking at the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ. The Acura ZDX is a bit of an underrated electric SUV, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth picking up. Acura is similar to Lexus’s and Toyota’s relationship in that Acura is the luxury division of Honda. When it comes to sleek appearances and elevated interiors, this is practically the bread and butter for Acura.
Currently, Acura only offers the ZDX as its sole EV. This seems to be a trend for Japanese car brands because Subaru, Toyota, and Honda all offer just one EV. Of course, there are some expected models to come, like Honda’s 0 Series, but you won’t find a catalog of EVs from big-name Japanese automakers. Nonetheless, sometimes doing less is more, and that’s the case with the ZDX. It showcases that it’s perfect enough to be the sole EV for Acura.
iSeeCars Gave It An 8.9 Out Of 10 For The 2025 MY
Acura
Diving straight into the reliability of the Acura ZDX, iSeeCars rated it an 8.9 out of 10. There might be some confusion if you were to look at the ratings iSeeCars gave, and that’s because it’s over the 2025 model year (MY). You’re probably not confused yet, but here’s the point: Acura is still offering the ZDX as a 2024 MY. Acura debuted the ZDX last year and hasn’t transitioned it to a 2025 model.
Acura plans to continue it as a 2025 model, and it’s not the first time this has happened. In fact, Kia is currently doing this with the mainstream EV6, but the Korean brand has already released various details about the 2025 EV6. So, it’s up in the air if iSeeCars made a misclick. If you browse the internet, you’ll see many automotive news sites confusing it for a “2025” model, but it’s safe to say iSeeCars ratings stay true for the 2024 ZDX.
Overall Score: 7.7/10
Reliability: 8.9/10
Retained Value: 6.5/10
You won’t have to worry too much about the discrepancy because Acura just released the ZDX last year. It isn’t expected to receive a facelift or significant changes one year after its release. Of course, anything can happen, but for now, iSeeCar’s ratings look to be valid for the 2024 model. When it came to other areas, it scored 6.5 out of 10 for retained value and 7.7 out of 10 overall.
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What Five-Years Of Owning The ZDX Looks Like Regarding Costs
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If you’re still not on board and need some concrete evidence on why the “2024” Acura ZDX is reliable, there is no need to stress because there is plenty of data on this Japanese electric SUV, giving it some credibility in the reliability department. One area that stems from reliability is ownership costs. A car technically can’t be reliable if it costs high in maintenance and repairs or heavily depreciates. So, the next area to look at on the 2024 ZDX is to see just how much it costs to own after five years.
2024 Acura ZDX 5-Year Ownership Costs
Cost Per Year
5-Year Total
Fuel
$642.00
$3,210.00
Maintenance And Repairs
$898.00
$4,490.00
Depreciation
$8,573.20
$42,866.00
Insurance
$1,976.20
$9,881.00
Fees & Taxes
$1,261.40
$6,307.00
Finance Charges
$1,787.00
$8,935.00
You Can Expect Low Maintenance And Repair Costs
American Honda
Electric vehicles get a wide range of stereotypes, but if you really look into them, you’ll see that many are myths. A large one is that many EVs on the market are prone to high maintenance and repairs. Ironically enough, this is completely false, and Tesla is the car brand to have the lowest maintenance costs, which, as a reminder, is a car brand that only offers EVs. Acura demonstrates how EVs can be cost-effective with the ZDX, which brings in low maintenance and repair costs.
During the first year, AAA estimates that you’ll spend around $898. After five years, the costs rise to $4,490. This might seem like a large chunk of money, but compared to highly reliable and cost-effective non-electric vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4, the ZDX ends up being more cost-effective. This is because EV motors and systems are mechanically simpler than internal combustion engines (ICE), with fewer moving parts and liquids.
Depreciation Hit Is The Hardest
Seyth Miersma
The only area that’s a bit of a downside to the Acura ZDX is depreciation. Electric vehicles aren’t the best when it comes to retaining their value, and this is also true for luxury vehicles. Unfortunately, the ZDX is both of those and loses $8,573 of its value during the first year. You can expect to have lost $42,866 of the ZDX value at the five-year mark. Overall, with all the ownership costs added together, the 2024 ZDX costs $75,689 to own after five years. The good news is that if you can look past its depreciation, you won’t have to worry about the other areas.
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The Electric SUV That Aced Every Safety Rating Category
Acura
While ownership costs are a significant area to do well in when determining if a vehicle is reliable, one that’s just as important is safety. It seems everything in the car world is backed by extensive data, and this can be said for safety ratings done in America. While all the data above is brought in through credible sources, you might not be as credible as areas such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You’ll explore what the EPA has to say about the ZDX, but the NHSTA is the federally run agency that covers all cars driving on American soil and runs them through a standard of tests to offer accurate and credible ratings/data.
Frontal Crash: 5/5 Stars
Side Crash: 5/5 Stars
Rollover: 5/5 Stars
Overall Safety Rating: 5/5 Stars
Recalls: 3
When it comes to the 2024 Acura ZDX, it passed with flying colors. This isn’t an exaggeration; the 2024 ZDX received five out of five stars in every category. So, if you’re looking for an electric SUV that offers top-notch protection along with an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, you may need to go check out the ZDX. The NHSTA also keeps track of recalls of thousands of vehicles and lists the ZDX running into three of them. These recalls pertained to damaged coolant lines and a possible release of brake pressure.
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The Acura ZDX Starts At $64,500
American Honda
Now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. As mentioned, Acura offers the ZDX as a 2024 model and is available in three trims: A-Spec RWD, A-Spec AWD, and Type S. The A-Spec RWD is the base trim and starts at $64,500. The middle trim is practically the same, minus the drivetrain, with the middle trim receiving an all-wheel drive system. It raises its price to $68,500, meaning it’s an additional $4,000 over the base model for the all-wheel drive system. Lastly, the Type S is the trim with the highest MSRP, with a price tag of $73,500. As you’ve probably expected, this trim is centered around performance, boasting a more sporty appearance both inside and outside.
Offering Thrilling Performance That Ranges 358 To 499 Horsepower
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The 2024 Acura ZDX is underrated in general, but it is even more underrated when you consider its performance. The base model runs on a single electric motor, generating 358 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. As per its trim name, the A-Spec RWD comes standard as rear-wheel drive. All trims run on a 102-kWh battery, and it takes 42 minutes to charge it from 20 to 80 percent on a DC Fast Charger.
2024 Acura ZDX Performance Specifications
A-Spec RWD
A-Spec AWD
Type S AWD
Motor Setup
Single-Electric Motor
Dual-Electric Motor
Dual-Electric Motor
Horsepower
358 HP
490 HP
499 HP
Torque
324 LB-FT
437 LB-FT
544 LB-FT
Transmission
Single-Speed
Single-Speed
Single-Speed
Driveline
Rear-Wheel Drive
All-Wheel Drive
All-Wheel Drive
Battery Capacity
102-kWh
DC Fast Charging
42 Minutes (20-80%)
The A-Spec AWD changes its motor setup, sporting dual electric motors. This increases the performance to 490 horsepower and 437 pound-feet of torque. The drivetrain changes to an all-wheel drive system and utilizes the standard single-speed transmission seen on all trims. Lastly, the ZDX Type S AWD runs on the same system as the middle trim but receives some extra power, totaling 499 horsepower and 544 pound-feet of torque. If you’re looking for the trim with the most thrill, the Type S is the one to do so.
The Japanese EV With The Longest Driving Range
Acura
If you’re looking for the best Japanese EV to buy if range anxiety is a real concern, the Acura ZDX is currently the one with the longest driving range. This is where the credible EPA comes in, which is also federally run with strict guidelines and incredible credibility. The ZDX RWD offers a combined fuel economy of 90 MPGe and a maximum range of 313 miles. This is the trim with the best fuel economy and longest range. For the middle trim, it doesn’t stray too far, offering 87 MPGe and 304 miles. The performance-focused trim dips down significantly in fuel economy, but its range makes up for it. You’ll get a combined fuel economy of 78 MPGe and a maximum driving distance of 278 miles.
2024 Acura ZDX Fuel Economy, Range, And Fuel Costs
RWD
AWD
AWD Type S
Fuel Economy (City)
96 MPGe
94 MPGe
83 MPGe
Fuel Economy (Highway)
83 MPGe
80 MPGe
74 MPGe
Fuel Economy (Combined)
90 MPGe
87 MPGe
78 MPGe
Range
313 Miles
304 Miles
278 Miles
kWh/100 Mi
37 kWh/100 Mi
39 kWh/100 Mi
43 kWh/100 Mi
Annual Fuel Cost
$850
$850
$950
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One Of The Most Underrated Electric SUVs In 2025
American Honda
The 2024 Acura ZDX makes it apparent that it offers tank-like reliability, whether you’re looking at its safety ratings, ownership costs, or well-engineered electric motor setups. The Japanese market in America doesn’t have too many EVs to choose from, but funny enough, the ones that are here are some of the best you can pick up. The ZDX is one of the most underrated electric SUVs, and it wouldn’t be too surprising for it to pick up some traction in the following years. For now, you know a secret that others don’t, and that’s that the 2024 Acura ZDX is quite the steal in 2025.
AloJapan.com