Luxury cars can inspire various reactions, depending on your background. For a lot of folks, they appear to be an extravagance (i.e. “He spent how much on that car?”).

But for folks in the upper tax brackets, it’s often a necessary part of their wardrobe. Their car must match the rest of their lifestyle, and that’s where automakers like Acura (and Audi, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, etc.) come into the mix.

Honda’s elite-level slate of vehicles known as Acura are just one of several automakers vying for the oh-so-coveted dollars of these wealthy individuals, and I recently spent some time in one of their offerings -- the 2014 Acura RLX midsize sedan.

LOOKS
Quality of design and materials is a key component for luxury car buyers, and I’ll give the RLX mixed reviews in this area. From the outside, I was not overly impressed with the vehicle’s design, as it was somewhat attractive but didn’t “wow” me like a luxury vehicle should. Once you get inside, though, it’s a different story. The look and feel is pure luxury and high-end in terms of materials used, and it’s a vehicle you can get real comfortable in really quickly.

In terms of size, overall cabin size is adequate, but the back seat was a bit cramped for my taste (the trunk was ample sized, so I wouldn’t mind a little more leg room and less trunk space in this vehicle).

The LED headlights on the RLX are top-notch and will likely have you seeing farther than you ever have before on the road.

ENGINE, HORSEPOWER
Driving the RLX is an experience I highly recommend, on many levels.

First, you get a 310-horsepower performance from the 3.5-liter V6 engine. Those numbers are evident when you hit the gas and need to maneuver through traffic.

Then there is the handling and maneuverability of the vehicle. You’ll enjoy yourself pretty much the entire time you’re behind the wheel of the RLX, as it does everything you ask it to in a hurry. Putting the vehicle into Sport mode makes it even more fun to drive.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
Like most newer vehicles, there’s a ton of tech and safety features offered on the RLX -- some standard, some optional.

Standard safety features on the vehicle include: A full complement of airbags; Vehicle Stability Assist; Anti-lock brakes; Lane departure warning; Tire departure monitoring system.

You also get keyless access to the car (Smart Entry -- the car senses your key); power rear window sunshade; push button ignition; Heated front seats; Pandora Radio interface; Bluetooth connectivity, and multi-angle rear-view camera.

Adding the Tech package will get you: Navigation system with voice recognition; AcuraLink commmunication system with real-time traffic updates; Blind Spot information; Rain-sensing wipers; Power-folding side mirrors

And last but definitely not least, adding the Advance package gets you:
-- Collision Mitigation Braking System; Adaptive Cruise Control; Lane-Keeping Assist System; Heated rear seats; Auto-dimming side mirrors; Parking sensors

This Advance package features some extremely helpful options that will basically make it impossible for you to wreck (unless you do it on purpose). The adaptive cruise control is great for stopping your vehicle if a car jumps in your lane, and the lane keeping system will prevent you from drifting.

MPG
I got about 23 to 24 mpg during my time in the RLX; official numbers are on par -- 20 city/24 advance/31 highway.

PRICE, BOTTOM LINE
The base model of the RLX starts at $48,450, but it goes up quickly from there. I had a test vehicle with all the trimmings, and the RLX with Advance package starts at $60,450 (actually $61,345 once destination charge is included).

That’s no small potatoes. If you’re willing to drop $50K to $60K on a vehicle of this size, you probably have a lot of money to spare and not a lot of people to transport (translation; baby boomers and retirees who have invested well or have successful businesses and want a fun luxury car to drive).

There are plenty of folks who fit that description, but the question remains: Will Acura be able to pull them in with the RLX when there are so many luxury competitors out there with similar vehicles?