I’ve narrowed down my search for a new car to the ZDX and the Lincoln MKT. I know, I know, they are very different cars and serve different purposes, I have done a lot of research and do understand the many trade-offs between the two.

The one area I’m interested to hear from ZDX owners is with respect to the comfort of the ride. I test drove the MKT and was very impressed with how comfortable the ride was. You could barely feel bumps as you drove over them, the cabin was amazingly quite, on the highway at 85 you could whisper and be heard by the passenger. I realize that part of getting this comfortable sedan-like ride means you give up the sporty side of things with handling. Although I will say with the twin turbo Ecoboost engine the MKT was fun to drive and had tons of power at any speed.

I also test drove a ZDX last night, but it was late and the drive was short, we did not hit any bumpy roads. I’d like to know how owners feel about the comfort of the ZDX ride. Does it handle bumps well? Is highway driving more quite and sedan-like, or more SUV like? If you’ve been on long drives due you get fatigued at all? Do you find the limited visibility to take away from the driving experience.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can share with me on this.

Ken

 

I had a 2007 TL type S before and I would say that the ZDX has a more comfy ride, while retaining a superior handling. It does handle the bumps well and the highway ride is in between the floatiness of an SUV and the stiffness of the TLS.

Last weekend I went from NY to Atlantic City. Its about 130 miles each way, and I had 0 fatigue from driving (back was hurting from sitting at the blackjack table though )

I've adjusted to the limited visibility and its not a problem for me anymore.

I prefer the smaller cockpit-like interior of the ZDX vs the TLS.

 

I've had a 03 TL Type-S and an 06 RL and the ride of the ZDX is somewhere between. It's not sedan like but more sporty. It absorbs bumps well but retains the tight steering and handling that you would expect from a much smaller and faster car. The interior is quiet on a smooth road provided you're cruising... the car has a throaty exhaust note that gives the driver an idea of the sportiness that this car can have.

As for comfort and fatigue... I drive it daily on my 40-45 minute commute to work and never get tired and always find a comfortable driving position.

I have taken this car on various road trips... 1.5 hour trip out to Bethlehem in PA, 2 hour trip to the Jersey Shore, 4 hour trip to DC and even a 5 hour trip up to Marblehead, MA (about 30 mins north east of Boston). This car is an awesome cruiser... between the 400 mile range, XM+iPod+HDD music, comfortable seating... it's a joy to drive.

I'm used to the visibility... I adjust the side mirrors to see the flanks (rear fenders) and get a good view rearward... the rear view from inside the car is not as bad as most people think... the rear hatch with the lower panel shows just as much as a regular car does (except for the narrow bar across where the top of the hatch meets the vertical back panel. Plus backing up is not and issue with the rearview camera.

Hope this helps you out Kwilkins!

 

obviously, the best thing is for you to get a more thorough drive to determine for yourself.

That said, I have advance package. When set for comfort it is very smooth, although it doesn't "float" - you can still feel the road. When set for sport, you can feel a lot more of the road, but not uncomfortably or jarringly so.

My wife and I have 5 or 6 1000 miles days behind us in the car, and have never had a vehicle more comfortable for long hauls such as that.

Visibility is a non-issue for us (although we were worried about it too). Only challenge I have is that I am used to the blind-spot indicators, so I have to be extra diligent when I rent cars.

Since it is one of my issues with the vehicle - check with your insurance agent on costs to insure both of them. It might make a difference for you.

Good luck with your choice.

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have an extended test drive setup for this weekend, so by Sunday I should know a lot more about the car.

 

It amazes me on how high the insurance on the ZDX is. IMHO, the ZDX is literally a "coupe" version of the MDX. Insurance on the MDX is very reasonable; why the high insurance costs on the ZDX?

 

We are into a 6 week trip with our new(2010) ZDX wi.tech. So far we have about 1200 miles of 90% highway driving and the ride is very superior to our traded-in '08 TL. Even after a couple of 400 mile runs there is very little fatigue and no aches or pains, very comfortable indeed. The lack of fatigue I think is due to the quietness of the cabin and the lack of pains and aches is due to the vast improvements of the front seats compared to the TL and the softer ride. The handling is also very good because of Acura's all wheel drive system(SH-AWD). We are very glad we made the switch.
As I posted earlier, our insurance with the same coverage went up $6.10 per month compared to the TL.