Alas, as Acura found out, being fun to drive doesn't always count for much these days, especially when it's middle-aged empty-nesters and young, high-income couples doing the buying. Turns out owners of previous RDXs didn't care much for its sporty dynamics -- they just wanted a good-looking, comfortable, fuel-efficient, and practical CUV for their daily commute. And that's pretty much what Acura has built for 2013.

Much of what made the original RDX feel special -- the firm ride, turbo antics, and crisp handling -- are gone from this 2013 version, but don't despair. The new RDX is more mature for a more mature buyer, and ultimately that will pay dividends in both customer satisfaction and Acura's profit margins.

Judging by the new demographic Acura is aiming at, the brand has managed to craft exactly the machine they decided their customers wanted. When you consider that the sales leader of the segment is the Lexus RX, it's easy to understand why Acura chose to soften the edge of its entry-level crossover. It's not going to light many fires in the hearts of driving enthusiasts, but it's not supposed to anymore. As a somewhat lower-cost alternative to its European rivals, the 2013 Acura RDX ought to make plenty of sense to the sizable segment at which it's directed.

The 2013 Acura RDX has become "more" to or for a broader audience. It's got appreciable styling, decent fuel economy and, what Acura calls "high density packaging" or lots of stuff in a compact package.

The issue I maintain for the new RDX is that, despite Acura's desire to once again want to be an object of desire, as it once was, it stirs no emotions. It does nothing especially well, far from bad, is not striking aesthetically nor is it exhilarating to drive. The NSX, still roughly three years away, won't do any good for the brand in the short run...

I like the new RDX, but I can't say that I'd pick it over an Audi Q5 and BMW X3. I would consider it if I was in the market for a Lexus RX only because of Acura's perceived youthfulness that Toyota's luxury brand does not nor will ever have.

Prices are up for 2013 but content is up further. There is no "base" model for 2013; starting price is of $40,990 and the Tech package adds an extra $3,000. Acura expects that the Tech version should represent 60% of the total take. The 2013 Acura RDX will go on sale on April 2, 2012. It is built at East Liberty, Ohio and Acura Canada expects sales of 4,500 units in the next year.

Much of what made the original RDX feel special -- the firm ride, turbo antics, and crisp handling -- are gone from this 2013 version, but don't despair. The new RDX is more mature for a more mature buyer, and ultimately that will pay dividends in both customer satisfaction and Acura's profit margins.

The new RDX is aimed directly at the mainstream. In some ways it follows the predictable path redesigned vehicles often take -- slightly larger inside and out, more fuel efficient too. But it isn’t trying to capture the edgy design and personality of the outgoing model. I have to believe the changes they’ve made to the personality will make it the most popular model Acura sells, even though it’s missing features the other brands have had for years.

The 2013 RDX is a well done crossover that hits a broad sweet spot and it immediately impresses on a test drive. It’s only after a good hard look will shoppers find missing features, and that drops it from the luxury segment to the near-luxury category. While I firmly believe a lot of the doo-dads missing from the Acura’s option list are superfluous, many shoppers in this category will judge it by what’s not available. At the very least there should be an “advanced technology” package available for those who want it.

Mock overkill if you want but Acura needs more than “smart luxury”, it has to pack more wow into their cars if it wants to be seen as the equal to Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Infiniti and Cadillac. With RDX I’d settle for radar assisted cruise and panoramic roof. RDX is a very satisfying car at a good price point but without the next level of features it appears they aren’t trying as hard as the others. Modesty is an excellent quality in people, not luxury cars.

Inside the RDX Acura has upgraded the materials with a soft touch dashboard and nice leather-like door trim. Metallic colored plastic trim and chrome help break up the cabin design and give it a bit of flair. The seats are comfortable with enough legroom in the rear for adults to sit comfortably. The cargo area is well packaged and features two handles to fold the rear seatbacks flat. This is definitely convenient when attempting to load larger items.

There's a family resemblance in the design and styling But where the earlier RDX had a punishing ride, the new one is almost creamy, while still retaining decent handling from a more rigid body structure and more sophisticated steering and suspension system tuning.

Where the former model had power peaks and valleys, the new V6 engine pulls strongly throughout its range, and actually delivers way better fuel economy than the original.

Depending on the circumstances, it runs on three, four or six cylinders. The toggling back and forth among the different modes happens automatically and is unobtrusive.

Unaccountably, the rear seatbacks do not recline, a flaw from the original RDX.