The 2013 Acura RDX represents a significant upgrade from the previous model, and actually takes a 90 degree turn from current automotive trends. Instead of downsizing and boosting the engine, Acura has dropped the 2.3 turbo 4 cylinder, and thrown in the outstanding 3.5 V6 which sees duty in a number of other efforts from Honda/Acura. It also thankfully receives a six speed automatic transmission.

As the saying goes, there's no replacement for displacement, so let's dive right in and I'll lay out why I think this vehicle represents all the best of what this brand has to offer.

Taken on its own, the RDX is pretty agreeable company. The exterior styling has been updated to incorporate Acura’s more recent facial features, with sloe-eyed high-intensity-discharge headlamps flanking the alloy-banded grille. The RDX’s proportions and silhouette betray its genetic links to the Honda CR-V—built alongside the RDX in Ohio—but the RDX is in no way unhandsome. The surface detailing includes four strict and crisp light lines defining the sides of the vehicle. All the visual arithmetic—dash-to-wheel ratio, overhangs-to-wheelbase, windshield and backlight angles—adds up. The RDX blandly appeals.

The interior is also chapter-and-verse for Acura, with supple, well-structured, leather-covered seats, and dash and trim materials comprising dense urethanes interleaved with bands of alloy trim. The rear seat backs now fold down flat without trouble, with a single easy-to-reach latch on either side of the car; and the rear legroom has been enlarged, as has the door opening. Getting in and out of the rear cabin is now much easier. The RDX may be commodity car building, but of a very high order.

It might not be the car I once loved, but then, as my wife frequently observes, it’s not all about me. The less and more of the new RDX adds up to more of what a lot of people want. I’m just not 1 of them.

But the test 2013 RDX moved forward with spunk and merged well into traffic. Power came on smoothly through the new six-speed automatic transmission that includes paddle shifters on the steering wheel for drivers who want to experience some sporty shifts.

Sounds from the V-6 also were quieter and less frenetic than those that came from the turbo four.

Most impressively, the tester with AWD delivered nearly 24 miles per gallon in combined driving that was some 70 percent at highway speeds and 30 percent on city streets.

This is in part because of a fuel-saving, engine cylinder deactivation system that worked seamlessly in the test RDX to shut down cylinders that weren't needed at times.

Plus, the new RDX is more aerodynamic in its styling and weighs some 600 pounds less than the Lexus RX 350.

On the highway, the RDX rode smooth and tackled curves well despite vague steering feel. In our 2013 Acura RDX AWD Arrival, we noted that the new V-6 engine outshined the previous 240-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter I-4 at the drag strip with 0-60 mph arriving in 6.3 seconds. While the RDX handles highway curves well, the new model's basic all-wheel-drive system gives up cornering prowess compared to the previous model's SH-AWD system.

Over the course of the trip and 1700 miles, the 2013 RDX averaged 23.8 mpg including stop-and-go driving and city driving as well as highway speeds when traffic and weather allowed. The worst leg of the trip was 21.3 mpg and the best leg averaged 26.2 mpg with variations due to elevation changes. On average, the RDX traveled 242 miles between fill ups on about three-quarters of a tank. The 2013 Acura RDX with all-wheel drive is EPA-rated at 19/27 mpg.