It was time for lunch and I had one car on my mind — the recently traded-in 2010 Acura ZDX. This is one of those vehicles that you just want to look at and find out what the designers were thinking. It is definitely different and so much so that one of my co-workers likens it to the Pontiac Aztek. I’m not sure I would go that far because it does look better than that. But it is different more along the lines of the Infiniti FX35.
The most difficult part of the drive was getting it out of the parking spot in front of the dealership. It was parked between two Mercedes-Benz sedans on the front line with another parked on the cement pad behind it. This is where the small window in the back didn’t help at all. Thankfully, the rearview camera displayed on the NAV screen and helped me back out without scratching any property. But later when I returned from my trip, the front fenders were so prominent that I was a bit nervous nosing into the parking spot. This is definitely a vehicle that would take time to get used to.
On my way to Jersey Mike’s in Willoughby, I fiddled with the cruise control and Navigation. It would have been better to figure it out before driving, but that didn’t happen. Even while driving, it was easy to figure out the big OK button on the dashboard to get the navigation system operating. The steering wheel mounted cruise control was also easy to figure out. I didn’t get to use the DVD player but saw the slot located at the bottom of the center console. I wonder if it plays movies while you are stationary?
For lunch, the closest Jersey Mike’s restaurant is located on Euclid Avenue in Willoughby across from the hospital. We tend to go there once a month for lunch on Saturdays. The service is good and so is the food. Can anyone say Big Kahuna? Order #56 and you’ll get plenty of roast beef, grilled onions, melted cheese, jalapenos, and mushrooms. I skip the mushrooms but always (and I mean always) get the Big Kahuna. In fact, I can polish off a Giant sized one in under ten minutes no problem. Just be careful. If you start a Big Kahuna, you will finish it. There’s no stopping.
After lunch, I visited our first lodgings in the Cleveland area. When I was an assistant pastor in Mentor, we lived in an inexpensive townhouse on Ridgewick Drive in Wickliffe. There really wasn’t much to look at and after twelve years I’m sure all of our neighbors have moved on. (They’ll probably never forget the foolish redhead who tried to remove front springs from his SAAB 900 in the back parking lot.) So I drove on and decided to take Ridge Road to the west. A ways up the road on the right side I saw a stone building, stone fence, and … look at that … a stone tower waiting to have its picture taken. The tower could use some fixing up, but how many people do you know who have a stone tower in their parking lot? Very cool.
I really didn’t stomp on the accelerator but once. That was when I entered the Spur at Bishop Road. Even though the entrance ramp goes down hill at that point, the ZDX jumped rather quickly to the speed limit thanks to the 300 hp 3.7L V6 and AWD. The highway drive from there to Rt. 306 was smooth and comfortable. But I have to admit that I never did get the power seat situated perfectly for my body. And the power adjusted steering wheel never seemed at the right place for my arms. I drove with both arms extended completely which wouldn’t be very good for a long trip. But for the short time I had it out, it wasn’t too bad. Another thing I disliked was the side bolsters of the driver’s seat. They were too firm for my liking. There may be an adjustment for those but I only found one for the lumbar support.
Just for fun, I took Kirtland Road back to the dealership. And I’m glad I did. Someone has been building a beautiful housing development across from the golf course on the north side of the road just west of 306. As you can see, the beautiful stone homes make this odd car look very nice. But one thing you may not recognize from the pictures is the size of this car. This crossover (like the FX35) looks is a very big car. When I showed my children the pictures they thought it was a compact. But in person this is a big turtle shaped crossover about as tall as an SUV and with room for five adults. I especially liked the extra storage space under the floor of the hatch. When the cover is down, you have a flat surface for sliding things behind the second row seat. But the lower compartment gives you even more space underneath.
I want to like this vehicle. It is different enough to grab my attention. And if you know me at all, you know that I like different cars. I like the curvy shape on the outside, the powerful engine, AWD, and the good looking Navigation screen. I don’t particularly like the seat bolsters, the visibility for parking, and the seating position. But some of those things could probably be figured out over time. If you’d like a chance at owning this particular car, take a look at more pictures and information here. If you are looking for a car that stands out in a crowd, this may be just the car for you.