Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Dude, the dinosaurs are dead. Which goes to show that all things must evolve in the face of cataclysmic change or, you know, die off for good. So it is with the auto industry and, more pointedly, sport utility vehicles.

A decade ago (akin to the Paleolithic era in swift-changing car years), 18-foot-long Suburbans and Excursions lumbered around our highways, slurping down petroleum and filling the air with emissions. Americans needed vehicles that could carry the entire family and the kitchen sink, plus be able to ford Donner Pass should the need arise.

Thankfully, the SUVlithic Age has (mostly) passed. Yet like crocodiles and other saurian holdouts who look similar to their prehistoric forebears, many sport utility vehicles look pretty much the same, too.

Now we’re told that a Darwinian evolution has arrived: Acura’s ZDX. A newer, smarter breed of SUV -- sorta, kinda, maybe.

The company has the audacity to call the ZDX a “four-door sports coupe,” a stretching of vernacular that might work for the Porsche Panamera, but not this vehicle. After all, it’s more than 5 feet tall and rides on the same platform as Acura’s regular ol’ SUV, the MDX.

A better description might be “an SUV with a coupe-like silhouette and sporting aspirations.”

While the ZDX may be less than an evolutionary leap forward, it does look sleeker and more agile than most of its blocky, shambling counterparts -- a velociraptor perhaps, in a world of brontosauruses.

Premium Gasoline

The vehicle is an all-wheel-drive, seats five in a pinch, and offers 55.8 cubic feet of storage with the second row of seats folded. Its 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway is more in line with SUVs of old than any new, advanced life form. And it needs premium gasoline, too.

The four-door will be in dealerships mid-December, carrying a luxury level of technologies, comforts and price. Acura says the price will be between the MDX and RL, so expect the new addition to start around $45,000, rising to $50,000 for the most popular model with the technology package. That puts it within range of other lither SUVs like the Infiniti FX, and some $10,000 less than the BMW X6, another SUV-cum-“coupe.”

For now, the ZDX will only be sold in North America, and Acura expects a volume of around 6,000 a year to begin. A niche player rather than a game changer.

So just how sporty is it? Well, the 3.7-liter V-6 with 300 horsepower sounds pretty good until you realize that the auto weighs 4,400-plus pounds. More disappointing is the miserly 270 pound-feet of torque available at 4,500 rpm. That’s simply not enough grunt when you need it, especially when you’re looking to surge into gaps on the highway.

Lazy Power

The six-speed automatic transmission takes a moment to drop to the gear below. Power comes on lazily. By then, the space you were hoping to shoot into has probably closed.

Buyers can opt for a system that can switch between sport and comfort settings. Sport tightens the steering and suspension noticeably and body roll is minimized. You can then truly appreciate the excellent all-wheel drive, which transfers torque to the outside wheels as you take curves.

Ultimately, this evolution is less a leap in function than in form. From many angles, the ZDX looks pretty terrific. (The fresh exterior was created by two young American designers, Michelle Christensen and Damon Schell, from the company’s Torrance, California, design studio.)

You’ll first notice the shape of the long roof, which is tallest at the point where the driver and front passenger sit, and then gracefully tapers as it extends to the rear.

Glass Roof

The black roof is constructed completely of glass from hood to bumper, and is only interrupted by two bisecting lines. The ZDX is most compelling from the rear three-quarters and back, where the extremely deep shoulders lend a sports-car look and shows off the width of the vehicle.

Even better is the complex interplay of tail lights, glass roof and the arc of the lift gate. It all fits neatly together like a geometric puzzle. The rear door handles are also integrated into the side windows, which is super cool.

Inside, that sloping roof means much less headroom in the rear. If you’re unlucky enough to be the middle rear passenger, I suggest you practice calling “shotgun” next time. (Still, the BMW X6 has buckets in front and back, so only seats four.) The front seats are extremely adjustable and upholstered in high-grade leather.

Generally the inside shows the same level of detail and care as the exterior. Acura and Honda excel at electronic comforts -- paddle shifters, a power tailgate, rear camera, and iPod and Bluetooth connectivity are standard. Navigation with traffic and weather features come with the technology package. The ability to switch to sport settings, a blind spot warning system and adaptive cruise control are included in the top-level “advance” package.

The ZDX is not the energy-efficient people mover of the future, but it is a step out of the primordial SUV ooze.

The 2010 Acura ZDX at a Glance

Engine: 3.7-liter V-6 with 300 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic.

Gas mileage per gallon: 16 city; 22 highway.

Price as tested: $52,000 (estimated).

Best feature: Emphasis on exterior design and craftsmanship.

Worst feature: Underpowered.

Target buyer: The people hauler who’s looking for an SUV with style.

(Jason H. Harper writes about autos for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Jason H. Harper at Jason@JasonHharper.com

Last Updated: October 1, 2009 00:01 EDT