Acura planning second-generation ZDX?

The original model arrived before the coupe-SUV craze.

Acura helped popularize the coupe-like SUV body style when it released the ZDX for the 2010 model year. Originally conceived as a true, two-door coupe, the ZDX retired in 2013 after a brief, unremarkable production run. Was it ahead of its time? Acura seems to think so, because it's allegedly considering bringing the model back.

Car & Driver learned the Japanese firm's top executives are evaluating design mock-ups of a new ZDX. The publication adds that they like what they see, though the model hasn't been approved for production yet.

Seeing it in showrooms wouldn't surprise us. Though controversial, the BMW X6 has inspired Mercedes-Benz and, soon, Audi to release their own coupe-like SUVs. Several mainstream brands -- including Volkswagen, Renault, and Skoda -- have taken a stab at the segment, too, though some of those models remain at the concept stage. Meanwhile, the Japanese have so far steered clear of the body style, so Acura's re-entry could give luxury buyers an alternative to the Germans.

There's no word on when Acura will decide whether or not to move forward with the project, and it's far too early to tell when it will go on sale if it receives the green light for production. Another point that's up in the air is which segment it will compete in. It could release a bigger model in the vein of the X6, or it could move into a small segment and compete against the X4.