Acura RLX, 2014: Odd-looking luxury sedan elegant, plush, pricey (video)

What should a consumer expect from a car with a starting point of just under $50,000? That’s the beginning price of 2014 Acura RLX, the new medium-sized Acura luxury sedan.

The Acura RLX replaces the RL as the carmaker’s top sedan, and it’s firmly positioned against a few heavy-hitters — the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS 350.

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Like its rivals, the Acura RLX has a lot to offer with a variety of trims, powerful engines and enough plushness and superior touches to make it hard not to like.

For starters, it has a 3.5.-liter V6 with 310 horsepower. There are faster sedans, but the new Acura has a steady powerful growl of authority while accelerating. It only took a brief learning curve, and once I realized there was power on demand, the RLX won me over.

There are lots of small, but important features on the new Acura RLX I really like, which videographer Bruce Aldrich (www.tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com) and The Weekly Driver discuss in the video below.

Here are the facts and figures for the 2014 Acura RLX:

Curb Weight, 3,933 pounds; Driving Range, 370 miles (city), 573.5 miles (hwy); Drive Type, Front wheel drive; Engine, 3.5 liters, V6, 24 valves; Fuel, Premium unleaded (required); Fuel Tank Capacity, 18.5 gallons; Gas Mileage Estimates (MPG,City/Hwy/Combined), 20/31/24; Horsepower, 310; Manufacturer’s website, www.acura.com; MSRP range, $48,450-$60,450; Warranty, bumper to bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Drivetrain, 6 years/70,000 miles; Roadside, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited mileage; Transmission, 6-speed Shiftable Automatic.