Show Time!

General Motors shows off its worldly assets with the Aura—based on an Opel Vectra sedan from GM’s German brand—which soon will be joined by a new Chevy Malibu version. The Chevrolet Aveo subcompact is built at GM-owned Daewoo in Korea, and numerous cars and trucks, including new crossover SUV triplets—the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Saturn Outlook—are built at GM’s first-rate Canadian plants. The Aura, Malibu, Acadia-Enclave-Outlook, and Suzuki’s XL-7 all offer the 3.6-liter “high-feature” V6 now built in Canada and Australia and at GM’s new plant in Flint, Michigan.

One of the benefits of being owned by Daimler is access to Mercedes technology, including the superb “Bluetec” clean diesel, which is now offered in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Dodge Avenger and Sebring sedans and a hardtop convertible are new, as are the crossover Dodge Caliber, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot.

Virtually every manufacturer on the globe has an entry among the rapidly expanding crossovers. Hyundai, from Korea, has redone the Elantra sedan and added a new Santa Fe, and a Veracruz SUV is soon to come. Suzuki has redesigned the XL-7, but crosses new boundaries with the SX4, a Fit-sized subcompact four-door hatchback  with a strong 2.0-liter engine and all-wheel drive—for $15,000. Among the best crossover bargains is the Mitsubishi Outlander, with striking new looks, excellent handling stability, a fold-down third-row jump seat, a new 3.0-liter V6, a six-speed automatic with a switch to lock in four-wheel drive, and magnesium steering wheel switches for manual shifting—all at the low-$20,000 level.

Nissan is on the leading edge of the  compact crossover trend with its newest Rogue, which joins a completely renovated Altima sedan and a new Versa subcompact. Nissan’s upscale Infiniti improved every facet of the G35, a mid-luxury sedan that offers an all-wheel-drive model.

Toyota covers the downsizing trend by adding the FJ Cruiser SUV, plus a Yaris subcompact car to complement its Scion fleet of small, fuel-efficient vehicles. Toyota’s newest Camry will share show space with a new Tundra.

German competitors Mercedes and Audi are both promoting Bluetec clean diesels, which will meet the most stringent clean-air rules in all fifty states, now that sulfur levels in diesel fuel have been reduced from nearly 400 parts per million to 15 ppm. BMW has redone its X5 luxury-performance SUV and has added a new 3-Series coupe and hardtop-convertible models. The best “mini” car is BMW’s Mini, which is slightly redesigned, with an all-new engine.

The smallest of all the small vehicles is the Smart, a Mercedes–built car that is inexpensive, gets more than forty miles per gallon, and is wildly popular in Europe’s most congested cities because it’s short enough to fit perpendicular to the curb in tiny parking spots. A Smart model called “Fortwo”—because it is, ah, “for two”—is coming to the United States in a matter of months, thanks to licensing by auto-racing team-master Roger Penske, a brilliant businessman. At the Detroit Auto Show, I coaxed a six-foot-four auto writer to climb into a Smart. He not only fit into the driver’s seat, but was amazed at how much room he had for his head and legs.

Maybe in the current automotive world market, everything fits.

John Gilbert talks cars with Charlie Boone on WCCO Radio Saturdays after the 7 a.m. news and writes weekly auto reviews on newcarpicks.com. Reach him at jwgilbert.com.