Compare the2024 Acura ZDXVS 2024 Tesla Model Y

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the ZDX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model Y doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The ZDX’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Model Y doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The ZDX Type S has a standard Surround Vision System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model Y only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the ZDX’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The ZDX has standard OnStar, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model Y doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the ZDX and the Model Y have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Acura ZDX weighs 1023 to 1689 pounds more than the Tesla Model Y. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 41 percent more Acura dealers than there are Tesla dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the ZDX’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Acura vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura fourth in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 14th.

The ZDX has more powerful engines than the Model Y:

The ZDX can travel longer on a full charge than the Model Y on a full charge:

For better stopping power the ZDX Type S’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

For better traction, the ZDX has larger standard tires than the Model Y (265/50R20 vs. 255/45R19). The ZDX Type S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (275/40R22 vs. 255/35R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the ZDX A-Spec has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Model Y. The ZDX Type S’ 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the Model Y Performance.

The Acura ZDX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Tesla Model Y only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The ZDX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Model Y doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the ZDX can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Model Y doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The ZDX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the ZDX flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The ZDX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Model Y’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the ZDX’s wheelbase is 8 inches longer than on the Model Y (121.8 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the ZDX is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model Y.

For greater off-road capability the ZDX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (7 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the ZDX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The ZDX has 12.3 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 15.7 inches more rear hip room and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

The ZDX has a much larger cargo volume than the Model Y with its rear seat up (29.7 vs. 16.9 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the ZDX Type S’ liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model Y doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the ZDX uses the Vehicle Stability Assist sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Model Y doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model Y, the ZDX Type S has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The ZDX Type S has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model Y doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the ZDX has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The ZDX’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the ZDX has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the ZDX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the ZDX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Model Y doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The ZDX Type S has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.