FUTURE CARS

If you're anything like us, from time to time you catch yourself marveling at how quickly time passes. And being car enthusiasts who follow the automotive industry's evolution, time seems to fly even more when models that once seemed far, far away are now common sights on everyday streets

So once again it's time for our annual look at the latest crop of significant future cars. From new brands to new interpretations of legends, there's more than enough enticing product in the pipe to inspire you to begin setting aside money today.

After all, these vehicles will simply be the cars of now before you know it.

2024 Acura ZDX 

WHAT IT IS Acura is bringing back the ZDX nameplate, but this time it's a whole different car. The ZDX will be Acura's first dedicated EV, and it will be based on General Motors' Ultium platform. The ZDX will share design cues with the Precision EV concept shown at last year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Élégance and will be a two-row compact SUV to compete against the likes of the Audi Q4 E-Tron, Genesis GV70 EV, Tesla Model Y, and Lexus RZ. Acura has already confirmed the ZDX will get a high-performance Type S variant.

WHY IT MATTERS It's yet another fully electric option from an increasing pool for consumers to choose from. That's a good thing. General Motors and Honda signed an agreement where Honda gets to use GM's Ultium platform for two of its models-the Honda Prologue and this ZDX. Last year, both companies expanded their contract to include joint development of a whole new EV architecture, saving costs for both companies.

PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN The Ultium architecture-which really describes the battery and motor technology rather than a platform in the traditional sense-has already been deployed in several vehicles, including the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and Chevrolet Silverado EV, Blazer EV, and Equinox EV. The 2024 Acura ZDX will be closely related to the Blazer EV, and depending on the variant, range should fall between 240 and 320 miles. Regular models will surely have standard AWD, but it's not yet clear if the Type S will be solely (or offer) rear drive.