Adding M to new 2 series gives BMW challenger

May this Memorial Day Weekend bring happy thoughts and kind remembrances to all, as we enjoy our variable weather.

The roads today, Sunday and Monday will be filled with cars and trucks, including a rush of late-model beauties.

Show me something in a size 2, please, in red metallic, with some flair and a faster-than-heck look.

Matching that request is the 2014 BMW M235i Coupe, which reached showrooms two months ago.

This one competes in a new-to-the-U.S. class of undersized premium models against Mercedes-Benz CLA and Audi’s A3 and S3.

The 235 replaces BMW’s 135i from a year ago. BMW’s model nomenclature is now even-numbered for coupes (2, 4 and 6) and odd-numbered for four-doors (3, 5 and 7). Thus, the 328ix I reviewed in December was a four-door sedan, the 435ix was a two-door.

Beneath the hood of the new M235i is a 320-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline-6-cylinder engine, twin-scroll turbocharged with direct-injection, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Slip down into the relatively narrow, bolstered, thigh-lengthened driver’s sport seat and participate in the performance. Push the Sport button on the center console and move the shifter into manual mode for more sensitive throttle and quickened shifts. In Sport mode, the coupe will run 0 to 60 in fewer than 5 seconds.

Electronically controlled, sport-tuned dampers enhance the car’s handling. Adding to the impression is the sound emitting from the dual exhausts. The combination of grip and rolling ease is gained from Michelin Pilot Super Sport 225/40ZR18 tires. Adding security are larger M Sport brakes, 13.4-inch discs in front and 13.6 at the rear.

The coupe’s rear seat lacks legroom and headroom. Access and egress are okay, as the front seats, with push of a lever, slide far forward for open space to crawl through. The small coupe is bigger than expected in the luggage compartment – 13.8 cubic feet.

Even at its curb weight of 3,535 pounds, this is one of the smaller BMWs I’ve driven in recent years. Smallest was the Z3 back in the late ’90s. One of the most fun to drive was the 1999 M Coupe, based on the Z3 chassis. The M Coupe, with a long hood and odd-looking rear end, stood only 50 inches in height and was barely over 13 feet in length. Above the rear wheel arches, the body tucked in sharply to rear-quarter windows. It was a rough rider, yet so much fun to drive – a great handler. Under the hood, of course, was an inline-6, generating 240 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. In the upper left-hand corner of the windshield was a small-type notice reading, “Over the car’s first 1,200 miles don’t use full throttle and don’t exceed 106 miles per hour; and over the first 3,100 miles don’t exceed137 miles per hour.”

The M package pushed sticker price on the 2014 coupe to $46,025. That’s $5,000 higher than a 2014 328i xDrive GT I reviewed five months ago and $10,000 higher than a ’14 320i xDrive about that same time.

Melbourne red metallic exterior with M badging and black leather interior with alcantra headliner highlighted the overall appearance. The coupe was equipped with moonroof, fine-wood trim, automatic climate control, navigation and AM/FM/CD/MP3 with hands-free Bluetooth and USB, xenon headlights and retractable headlight washers.

The 235 has two usable cupholders, never a priority with BMW, at the front of the center console.

The M235i averaged 23.4 miles per gallon, at the lower end of its 22/32 EPA estimate.

Adding interest for U.S. luxury-make consumers is recent talk from Leipzig, Germany, where the M235i Coupe is built, that within the next year it will be available in this country with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

Notes from e-mail

Bud, I read your column every week and, partially upon your writing, I purchased a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee loaded. And (in regards to your column last week), to think I could have purchased a Kia for the same amount. The Jeep will climb circles around any Korean vehicle. And you can keep the moonroof, as Colorado is the skin cancer capital of the nation. Thanks for your articles. – B.R.

Well, Brent, I can find lots of favorables for both the Grand Cherokee and the Sorento. I will tell you, though, when we host the annual family Christmas gathering, it looks like a Jeep convention outside our home.

Gateway Mazda sold to Shortline

The Mazda man from Malta last week ended more than 50 years in the car business.

To label Emanuel Bugelli a “Mazda man” is perhaps a misnomer; he’s been associated with many marques, and when I asked him several years ago, “After all those years with all those makes, what’s your favorite,” he said:

“I favor no one make over another. It’s all business. With the right people, you can make anything go; that’s more important than any particular make.”Bugelli on Thursday sold the Gateway Mazda dealership to longtime Denver area car dealer Don Hicks and business partner John Bowell, owners of Shortline Automotive.

“Mazda will fit perfectly with our Shortline group,” said Hicks. Shortline’s Subaru, Kia and Hyundai stores are down the street a few blocks from Gateway Mazda on South Havana Street in Aurora. Hicks opened a Porsche business in Colorado Springs about seven years ago.

Bugelli as a young man came to the U.S. in 1961 from Malta, an island off the coast of Sicily, and landed a job as bookkeeper in a car business.

Through the years, he worked his way into prominent management positions with large California dealerships at Vallejo, Woodland, Riverside and San Diego.

Bugelli came to Denver in 1980 as an associate with Doug Spedding. He bought Friendly Ford in 1982 and added a dealership at Silverthorne in 1987. He bought the Mazda store from Gene Osborn in 1988, then several years later divested his other interests and moved his office to the Gateway Mazda location.

Hicks for more than 25 years has operated Shortline Automotive. He is a member of Subaru Chairman’s Roundtable and in 2008 received the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award for Colorado.

Hicks began his automotive career in 1972 as a salesman for Courtesy Ford in Littleton.

Sale of the Mazda dealership has been in the works for several weeks. It opened its doors Friday morning under its new banner, Shortline Mazda.

V-6-powered '15 Kia Sorento smooth crossover

The 2015 Kia Sorento SX carried me Wednesday noon to Fort Lupton for lunch with Dick Johnson at the Wholly Stromboli. An unusual restaurant name, one not soon forgotten; I likened it to Harry Caray’s tavern in Chicago known as the Holy Cow.

Dick Johnson and I back in the early 1970s worked side by side on the Denver Post city desk. Dick soon turned his excellent writing skills to a career with the Post’s Empire magazine; I followed another fork in the road filled with automobiles. Dick’s gait has slowed a bit, yet he drives an automobile with as much command as ever from his residence in Denver.

The Sorento today is a smooth-operating crossover. Introduced with a truck-based configuration in 2003, the Sorento gave up its offroad aspirations in May 2010 when, as an ’11 model, it unveiled car-based underpinnings. The sales pace more than doubled almost immediately and Kia has sold more than 100,000 Sorentos yearly since.

The Sorento, which received major styling and power upgrades a year ago, shows minor refinements in its front end for 2015.

A large sunroof, 4 ½ feet long, is a brightener in daylight hours, for the interior of the Sorento review model is very dark, with black leather and even the simulated wood trim is of dark cherry finish. Manual sunshades can be raised on the rear side windows.

Lightly bolstered front leather seats, average-sized, are supportive and comfortable.

Legroom is somewhat tight in the second row. The seats slide fore and aft in order to create entry into the third row, where the smaller seats are decent but lack headroom. The third row, when in place, leaves scarcely any cargo space at the far back. Fold the third row and the cargo area expands to a roomy 37 cubic feet. The spare tire is stowed underneath the rear of the vehicle.

Delivering smooth traction with the SX all-wheel-drive crossover is a 290-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, which emphasizes strong midrange torque, particularly when in manual mode. A May 11 snowstorm brought into play Kia’s AWD system, which proportions torque to the rear wheels as needed. The driver, with push of a button on the steering wheel, can engage electric-steering adjustments from normal to soft comfort to quickened sport.

Pushing an ECO button on the center console can increase efficiency by lessening downshifts and throttle response. This size vehicle, though – more than 15 feet long and weighing 3,900 pounds – performs most responsively and responsibly in normal mode.

Handling is impressive. The Sorento is shorter than much of its competition and it shows in a tight turning circle of barely over 35 feet.

With lots of in-town driving during the week, the ’15 Sorento averaged 20.9 miles per gallon. A similar model in testing a year ago averaged 22.7. High-performance dampers, part of a revised, stiffer chassis, lend improved control over road dips and bumps. The Sorento rides on Kumho Crugen P235/55R19 tires on nice 10-spoke mirror-finish alloy wheels.

An easy-to-uses UVO voice and touch infotainment and navigation system, with SiriusXM/Bluetooth/USB, is included with the Sorento SX AWD sticker price of $39,195. Other amenities include rearview camera, Infinity surround-sound, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, side-curtain airbags, heated and cooled front seats, push-button start, tilt/telescope steering wheel, blind-spot detection, rear air conditioning and power liftgate.Also available with cheaper versions of the Sorento is a 191-hp, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine.

Notes from e-mail

Bud, I think you missed the 2015 Hyundai Genesis at last month’s Denver Auto Show. It is fully equipped at $56,000 and competes with European sedans that cost $30,000 more. – B.S.

Didn’t miss it, Bill; simply didn’t have space for all the impressive models on display. In fact, one will soon be heading my way for test-driving. Think it competes with European sedans costing $30,000 more? We’ll see.

Bud, I’ve been to Estes Park frequently and I believe you were in a “loading only” zone along Main Street in last week’s photo of the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X pickup. A red truck in a no-parking spot, risky. – S.T.

We parked out front of Granny Gingham’s only long enough for the photo, Steve. In driving on up to the Other Side restaurant, Jan and I pulled up alongside seven Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Always a neat sight. As to your parking comments, five or six years ago, we photographed a new Chrysler 300 in the same spot, when main-street parking was legal.

Cummins 6.7 adds tow to Ram 3500

Its 22-foot length makes it an imposing truck on the road; even more mindful for the driver, though, are the large hips at the rear, 8-feet wide, which demand some care in maneuvering through downtown streets or along narrow offroad trails.

It is the 2014 Ram 3500 Laramie Crew Cab 4-by-4 with dual rear wheels and an 8-foot-long box.

The massive, strong, durable 1-ton truck came my way with the Cummins 6.7-liter turbodiesel inline-6-cylinder engine, boasting 850 lb.-ft. of torque. Loaded up with leather and chrome and navigation and premium audio and heated and cooled seats, the Ram 3500 Crew Cab is base-priced at $48,585. A large 8.4-inch display screen enhances the travel and entertainment features.

Add these options and the truck’s sticker climbs to $66,340:

$10,890 for the Cummins turbodiesel with exhaust brake and the Aisin 6-speed automatic transmission, $1,595 for rear air suspension, $1,200 for the dual rear wheels shod with Nexen Roadian all-terrain LT 235/80R17 tires, $500 for UConnect to Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Sirius/GPS, $475 for spray-in bedliner, and others.

Among other standard items are remote start, rearview camera, speed control, automatic headlamps, heated steering wheel, 32-gallon fuel tank and locking tailgate. Four-wheel-drive lock is at hand with the twist of a dial on the dash. The Ram averaged 14.3 miles per gallon in a 50/50 split of in-town/on-highway driving. The truck is equipped with a diesel exhaust fluid injection tank, which needs refilled every 5,000 to 10,000 miles.

The 6.7 Cummins’ high torque capability gives the Ram 3500 an astounding tow rating near 30,000 pounds, and makes it a force among the others – heavy-duty Ford, Chevy and GMC trucks. The heavy-duty truck category is among the most competitive of American automotive markets.

A new 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 gas engine has been added as an option for the Ram 3500.

The Ram powertrain carries a five-year/100,000-mile warranty.

'14 Nissan Frontier tackler of rugged terrain

Until this week, it had been four years since I’d driven a Nissan Frontier pickup.

Not a lot has changed; it is still a sturdy, good-looking four-door truck with a very small box on the back.

I remember the first Frontier I drove, way back in October 2000. “It’s my all-time favorite product from Nissan,” I said then after spending a week with it.

Over the years, the truck has become somewhat dated. Its unusually wide turning circle, which creates difficulties in parking lots and on narrow streets, is enough to diminish the high praise. The 43 ½-foot turning radius is 3 feet wider than that of its rival, the Toyota Tacoma.

A 2014 Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab, finished in attractive lava red, carried Jan and me on Monday to Estes Park, by way of flood-devastated Glen Haven. The pickup, on the 8-mile drive from Drake to Glen Haven, was dwarfed by the size of the many trucks hauling patching materials and working the roads for which most of the paved surfaces are gone.

As busy as was the highway, the pace in tiny Glen Haven was almost frenetic, with workers everywhere rebuilding the damaged businesses. The general store, known for daily-fresh cinnamon rolls, expects to reopen within a few weeks.

The Frontier’s ride is comfortable, even with its flat seats and lightly bolstered seatbacks. The rear seating area suffers from lack of legroom. “Well, of course, we have the Titan (Nissan’s full-size pickup),” would be the response of a Nissan salesman.

Power is plentiful from the Frontier’s 4-liter V-6 engine, with 201 horsepower and 281 lb.-ft. of torque, and the shifts are smooth from the 5-speed automatic transmission, operated by a tall shifter. It’s a good combination for the 4,400-pound truck.

The Pro-4X turns the Frontier into a very capable four-wheeler; the twist of an electronic switch on the dash engages four-wheel high or, even four-wheel low range. It uses Bilstein offroad-type shocks and B.F. Goodrich Rugged Trail 265/75R16 tires.

Overall fuel-mileage average, aided by the Big Thompson Canyon descent from Estes to Loveland, was 18.3 miles per gallon. Tow capacity for the Frontier Pro-4X is 6,300 pounds.

The Nissan’s cargo bed, only 59 inches in length, grows through dropping of the tailgate and use of sliding bed-extender bars.

A voice-activated navigation system with color display screen headed several options which raised the Frontier’s sticker price to $36,050 from a base of $31,850. Other extras, in addition to the sliding bed extender, were leather seats (heated in front), heated outside mirrors, power moonroof and roof rack.

A Rockford Fosgate audio system with 10 speakers and subwoofers is standard. Included among other items are USB connection port, dual gloveboxes, front/side/curtain airbags, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, cruise control, rearview camera, dual-zone temperature control, rear under-seat storage bin, automatic headlamps, fog lights, skid plates, sliding rear window, spray-on bedliner and adjustable tie-down cleats in the cargo bed.

Notes from e-mail

Hello Bud, I am still driving my 2004 Chevy Trailblazer up here in Conifer where I have a comfort level when switching into four-wheel drive manually. I know that all four wheels are locked in until I believe it is safe to dial it back to two-wheel drive. Conditions up here can be tricky on ice and snow. I trust my visual analysis of the road conditions and just like to know that all my wheels are working when I turn the dial to 4/wheel. Are there any models being made anymore that still gives me that option or are they all automatic when it comes to needing 4/wheel drive. Can I trust that type of driving that the car will know when to switch power to an individual wheel when it senses the need. – F.D.

Though all-wheel-drive crossovers have gained the spotlight, Frank, I believe models such as the Nissan Xterra, Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner and others offer four-wheel-lock capability. However, don’t underestimate the terrain-conquering capabilities of today’s AWD models; most will take you anywhere you want to go, even in wintertime.

Bud, I noticed the 2015 Audi A3 in last weekend’s Post and I’m confused by it. Does it replace the A4 or is Audi expanding its line of cars? – J.M.

You should read the column, Jess, in addition to looking over the photos. It explained that the A3 is smaller than the A4 and joins Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Acura in a new premium compact sedan field.

Audi introduces 2015 A3 sedan; TDI aids A8L

I was just five bills and some change short of a $100,000 review, when, much to my delight, along came the all-new 2015 Audi A3.

The A3, dismantled as a hatchback a year ago, made a return to Audi showrooms several weeks ago in its new form as a small luxury four-door sedan.

And, yes, its newness and its $36,645 sticker price take precedence over the elegant 2014 Audi A8L TDI and its pricetag – $99,445.

For the A3 is a car of the future. It pits Audi against the Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW 2 series, Acura ILX and others on the drawing board in a field of small premium models that is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years.

Though somewhat smaller, the restyled A3′s exterior looks very similar to the A4 midsize model. At an overall length of 175.4 inches, the A3 is 10 inches shorter than the A4; it is 7 inches shorter in wheelbase and, at 3,362 pounds, is almost 200 lighter in curb weight.

The A3 quattro all-wheel-drive sedan is a nimble performer, with its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 220 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. It is mated to an Audi S-tronic, 6-speed double-clutch gearbox that shifts smoothly and quickly, particularly when moved into manual mode.

It’s a crisp handler with strong low-end acceleration and cruises economically, earning EPA estimate of 24/33 miles per gallon. I attained the 33-mpg mark in a 100-mile highway drive; several days of in-town maneuvering lowered overall average to 29.6.

Relatively wide, bolstered, supportive front seats are an interior highlight, along with a panorama sunroof and an MMI navigation screen which pops neatly into view from inside the dash above the HVAC vents and controls. There was no rearview camera in the review model, though one is available as part of an optional $1,400 driver assistance package.

The A3′s reduced size takes a toll – somewhat tight rear-seat legroom and a small trunk of only 10 cubic feet. Cutting into all-around vision are extra-thick B pillars and wide headrests.

The A3 with quattro power and turbocharging carries a base price of $32,900. Adding navigation, CD/DVD player, HD radio, heated front seats and mirrors, heated windshield-washer nozzles and aluminum inlays and surrounds boosted sticker price to $36,645.

Dual-zone automatic climate control and a driver-information system head a list of standard items, which also includes antilock disc brakes, Sirius satellite radio and curtain airbags and knee protection.

Suspension for the quattro setup are MacPherson-designed A arms in front and four-link independent rear. The A3 rides on 17-inch wheels with Continental 225/45R17 all-season tires.

An A3 convertible is expected to be added to the lineup this fall.

Adding interest a week ago to my time in the flagship ’14 Audi A8L quattro sedan was its power source, the 3.0-liter, TDI clean-diesel engine, which was added as an option in the past year, and is matched up with the maker’s smooth 8-speed Tiptronic transmission.

The diesel raised the 4,500-pound A8L’s EPA rating to 36 miles per gallon on the highway. With 240 horsepower and 408 lb.-ft. of torque, the TDI carries the big, long four-door about with decent acceleration.

There is no better legroom than that in the rear-seating area of the A8L; other amenities include double sunroofs, the two little audio tweeters which rise up from the ends of the dashboard, the massaging front seatbacks and LED strips along the headliner.

Other options in the $99,445 price included Bang & Olufsen advanced sound, adaptive cruise control, lane-assist detection and 20-inch wheels.Adaptive air suspension and speed-sensitive power steering are standard items on the A8L, along with music interface with iPod cable, navigation, power-folding and heated exterior mirrors, four-zone automatic climate control, power rear sunshades, power trunk opener/closer and front/side/side-curtain/front-knee/pelvis-torso side airbags. Supplementing the rearview camera is one of top-view angles.

Only distraction I could find was with the 7-inch-high, block-letter TDI identifier on the outside of the front doors. That’s a bit much.

The Audi A8, competing with the BMW 750Lxi and the Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic, is built at Neckarsulm, Germany.

Notes from e-mail:

Bud, you described the Volkswagen Jetta TDI well as a great combination of high-mileage and good hill-climbing power. I have a TDI Sportwagen and can get 20-22 miles per gallon (instantaneous read) climbing Mt. Vernon Canyon at 65 miles per hour. On a flat, pure freeway driving at 65 mph, I can easily get 50-60 mpg. I can also put two bicycles and luggage for two in the back without breaking down the bikes. – R.W.

I understand, Rob. Few automotive power sources will attain and exceed tbeir EPA estimates as easily, on a straight highway run, as will the Volkswagen and Audi TDI models.

Swedish plant tools up for next 50 years

A Volvo agency rep, on the one hand, was excited by my emphasis in last weekend’s review that the new V60 sportswagon comes right out of the old Torslanda factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. That cheers longtime Volvo faithful, who aren’t certain where lies the future of the Swedish company.

On the other hand, said Malena Silva, while near the end of the column I correctly attributed a quote, “Our Swedish heart is beating strongly,” to Volvo North America CEO John Maloney, it wasn’t made clear that Maloney has since been replaced as CEO by Tony Nicolosi.

Okay, it is now.

The Torslanda plant, which has housed Volvo headquarters, has produced more than 6.8 million cars in its 50 years of operation.

Rolling off the line on opening of the factory in 1964 was the Volvo Amazon, followed shortly by the P1800 sports car, which today is a sought-after classic. Production of the Volvo 140 began in the fall of 1966.

Torslanda launched in 1974 a sensible, safe, sturdy model which would identify Volvo Car Corporation ’round the world for 20 years – the 240. In August 1979, I reviewed in The Post the ’79 Volvo 242GT, with which “thicker-than-standard front and rear stabilizer bars and stiffer springs have isolated most road harshness away from the steering feel.” A turbocharged version was added to the 240 line in the early 1980s and the 760 showed up in 1982.

Torslanda tooled up for an all-new vehicle in 1991 – the Volvo 850. It was the first Swedish-developed, front-wheel-drive Volvo ever, and was equipped with a transversely mounted 5-cylinder engine. Also produced at the factory were the 940 and 960, larger and more traditional models.

Torslanda entered the modern era at the turn of the century with production runs for the S70, V70 and the luxurious S80 sedan. Based on the S80 technology, the XC70 was added and continues in popularity today.

Torslanda paid heed to the sport utility vehicle craze with launch of the XC90 in 2002. Fifteen thousand orders had been received before the first one came down the line.

Manufactured today at Torslanda are the S60, V60, V70, XC70, S80 and XC90. A redesigned XC90 will be added later this year.

Torslanda factory rolls on four years after Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co.

'14 VW Jetta TDI shows 40 mpg at 65 mph

Forty-miles-per-gallon consistency in highway cruising is a highlight of the torquey, 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower TDI engine in the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta; a bonus is its ability to kick down and conquer those big hills to the west of the city.

The clean-diesel performance exceeds that of most gas/electric hybrids among competitively sized compact sedans.

Cross-shopping of diesels and hybrids may not be prevalent today.

“Most of our TDI customers are dedicated diesel followers,” said Denise Dennis, general sales manager at Tynan’s Volkswsagen in Aurora, from where I picked up the Jetta review model.

Volkswagen TDI diesel engines date back into the 1990s and the German automaker has dominated sales of clean-diesel, light-duty automobile sales since.

The Jetta and its larger sibling, the Passat, are far ahead of the pack among diesel-equipped vehicles.

Through the first three months of this year, 8,151 Jetta TDI diesels have been sold in the U.S., followed by 7,769 Passats. Others of the top 10-selling diesels are the BMW 3-series with 2,179 sales, the BMW X5 with 1,553, Chevrolet Cruze 1,509, Audi Q5 1,424, Volkswagen Golf 1,267, Porsche Cayenne 1,180, BMW 5-series 1,098 and Mercedes ML 1,088.

Quite a lot is offered by the Jetta TDI compact four-door for its sticker price of $28,960.

Heading the amenities are an easy-to-use touch-screen navigation system and premium package of Fender audio, rearview camera, power sliding/tilting sunroof, push-button start, power driver seat and 17-inch alloy wheels with Continental ContiProContact 225/45R17 tires.

It also has front/front-side/curtain protection airbags and height-adjustable front safety belts, SiriusXM satellite radio/Bluetooth connectivity/iPod cable, air conditioning, trip computer, heated leatherette front seats, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power windows and mirrors, intermittent wipers and a first-aid kit in the trunk.

The front-wheel-drive Jetta with clean-diesel technology operates smoothly and quietly; the clatter of the engines and smokey exhausts are only bad memories of diesels of the past. The TDI engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and carries an EPA estimate of 30/42 mpg.

An improved independent rear suspension lends good ride and handling to the Jetta.

The Jetta is one of the roomiest of compact models in rear-seat space and its trunk is a large 15.5 cubic feet.

In addition to the TDI diesel version, the ’14 Jetta is available in gasoline editions of S, SE, SEL and GLI models. Beginning prices are around $18,000.

The Jetta’s overall length of 182.2 inches is among the longest of the compact segment. Other measurements are 183.9 for the Dodge Dart, 182.6 for Toyota Corolla, 182.1 for Nissan Sentra, 181 for Chevrolet Cruze, 179.4 for Honda Civic, 178.5 for Ford Focus and 178.3 for Hyundai Elantra.

For 2014, the Jetta’s standard 5-cylinder gas power has been replaced with a more spirited 1.8-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

The original VW Jetta, in 1980, was 15 inches shorter and considered a subcompact. I drove one, a four-door notchback, over Memorial Day weekend in 1980; it was priced at $8,065, weighed only 1,900 pounds and boasted a short turning circle of 31 feet. Its wheelbase was 94.4 inches, same as that of a Chevrolet Chevette.

A look back

In early May 35 years ago, I reviewed in The Denver Post the 1979 Buick Electra Limited four-door sedan. Excerpts:

Even in its downsized form, the 1979 Buick Electra Limited is a very large automobile – on a wheelbase of 118.9 inches and 221.1 inches long. Only the Cadillac DeVille and Fleetwood are bigger among cars built by General Motors. Highest ratings for the Electra would be for its ride and handling, interior trim and fit, its luxury offerings and the steady response of its 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine with high-altitude emission system. Gas-mileage tests produced averages of 12.9 in town driving and 17.8 on the highway. Impressive optional items pushed the price of the Electra past $14,000 from a base of $8,402.15. Among the options are a CB-radio-clock package for $889 and an Astroroof for $998, automatic electric door locks, remote-control side mirrors with temperature on the left, custom wire wheel covers and white sidewall tires. Power steering, power brakes and power windows are all standard items. Trunk space is a wide 20.4 cubic feet and the fuel tank holds 25.3 gallons. With a weight of more than 3,900 pounds and automatic level control, the Electra’s ride is smooth, with little pitching or wallowing.

Denver sends Mustang to 50th festivities

Shortly before the Lexus IS250/350 sport sedan was chosen “Car of the Year” at last week’s Denver Auto Show, it was apparent that the event’s biggest attraction was the 2015 Ford Mustang.

The focus on the Mustang continued all over the country this past week, as Ford marked the 50th anniversary of the original pony car.

Jan and I sat in Lee Iacocca’s office in Beverly Hills last May with his assistant Norma Saken and listened to a just-recorded tribute to the iconic Mustang by Iacocca; the recording was released this past week as part of the anniversary celebration.

Under Iacocca’s direction, as an executive with Ford Motor Co., the 1965 Mustang was unveiled on April 17, 1965.

Kia’s display area dressed up by K900

Another star of Denver’s auto show was the 2015 Kia K900, an all-new rear-drive luxury sedan, which went on sale this month. The large, sleekly styled four-door looked almost out of place in the display area of Kia, known for 20 years for small, economical automobiles.

The K900 is impressive enough on the auto show circuit that it has been named by AutoTrader.com to its list of “Must Test Drive” vehicles.

AutoTrader.com said the K900 showed “unexpected amenities, outstanding design and tremendous value within its segment.”

Pricing of the Kia V-8, which went on sale this month, begins around $60,000.

Larry Miller staff lends day of service

Employees of six Larry H. Miller dealerships in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs are volunteering in their communities during the fifth year of a Miller Day of Service, an annual event honoring the late founder of the dealerships near his birthdate.

The team which volunteered at the Coalition for the Upper South Platte in Colorado Springs on Friday raked and reshaped the ground surface, reseeded native vegetation, mulched and installed log erosion control structures to the Waldo Canyon area, ravaged by fire in 2012.

A second team will volunteer Friday of this week at the Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, unloading, sorting and packaging food donations. A third team Friday will assist Boulder County Parks & Open Space with clean-up after the September 2013 flooding, including piling and hauling trash and debris, building fences and planting trees and shrubs.

V60 wagon lends hope for Volvo continuance

Questions regarding the future of Volvo have rolled all over the roadway the past three or four years since China’s Zhejiang Geely took ownership of the Swedish firm.

A bit of an answer was delivered to my doorstep last week in the form of the 2015 V60 Sportswagon.

It’s a sleek, low-slung, front-wheel-drive compact wagon offering great handling and good economy; an all-wheel-drive version will be available. The new V60 is 8 inches shorter and 300 pounds lighter than the long-popular XC70 wagon.

Turbocharging and direct-injection boost performance of the V60′s 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission to a rating of 240 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, and an EPA estimate of 25/37 miles per gallon (I failed to get near the 37-mpg mark).

The 8-speed goes far beyond the former 6-speed in delivery. Move the shifter into the gate to the left of Drive, the Sport mode, and the paddleshifting sequences are immediate and smooth up or down the gears, after a momentary lull on takeoff.

Keeping the turbo revved high with a tap of the paddle to a gear lower, the wagon shows outstanding, flat cornering and impressive maneuverability.Adding economy to the V60 is an automatic stop/start system which shuts down the engine at stoplights, restarting on release of the brake. My overall fuel-mileage average with the wagon, of which more than half its miles were on the highway, was 28.7 mpg.

With Stuart Wright as a passenger, I drove the V60 to the Colorado Convention Center for the opening day of the Denver Auto Show last week. A like model was spotlighted in the Volvo display area.

Power blue metallic finish enhances the structure, from its blunt nose and long hood to the roof that slopes to Volvo’s trademark elongated taillights. It rides on 19-inch, polished diamond-cut wheels with Pirelli Cinturato 235/40R19 all-season tires.

V60 occupants are gripped by deeply bolstered, leather-covered seatbacks, an interior highlight. Up front, of course for a Volvo, is the floating center stack. Legroom is somewhat tight and footroom even more restrictive, especially in exiting, in the rear seating area. Cargo capacity is only 15.2 cubic feet; fold the rear seats, though, and it expands to 43 feet.

The review model is the V60 T5 Drive-E model, the E representing the fuel-efficiency. Don’t be confused by the T5 for a 4-cylinder-powered vehicle. Under the hood of the AWD version will be a turbocharged inline-5-cylinder block. Also available will be a T6 R-design, powered by a turbocharged 6-cylinder.

Power-folding side mirrors (when car is locked or unlocked) were among optional items which pushed sticker price of the V60 Premier Plus model to $42,225 from a base of $35,300. Also on the added list were a lowered sport chassis, paddle shifters, the 19-inch wheels, heated front seats and metallic paint.

Sensus navigation, up graded audio, sunroof, push-button start, dual-zone climate control and rain-sensing wipers were other features.

Volvo, known traditionally for structural integrity, includes on the V60 a rearview camera, blind-spot and lane-change alert and a City Safety system which can apply braking if it detects excessive speeds on approaching an object, as well as standard airbags.

Scandinavian-based Volvo has endured a period of uncertainty since its purchase by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China, so introduction of the new Swedish-built wagon is refreshing. Geely bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co. in 2010. Volvo supporters insist that the new owners maintain the level of quality for which the carmaker has been recognized.

“This is an exciting time of transformation for Volvo and shows our Swedish heart is beating strongly,” said Volvo Cars of North America President and CEO John Maloney. “The V60 signifies our first step in a gradual move toward powerful, highly efficient, 4-cylinder engines across the entire portfolio of our vehicles.”

Volvo was founded in Sweden in 1924 by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson; their first car, the 1944-cc Jakob, was in production three years later.Sales in the U.S. began in 1955, when the Volvo PV444 cars arrived in Los Angeles. In 1956, Volvo sold 5,047 cars here.

In 1958, Volvo invented the three-point safety belt, considered one of the most important safety features of all time.

Some of its better-known cars, after coming to America, were the P1800 coupe of 1961 and the 240 series, beginning in 1974. Some of those 240s, now 20 to 40 years old, are still seen about the streets of Denver.

Volvo, bought by Ford Motor Co. in 1999, was re-sold in 2010.

This is what Ford's doing for Mustang's 50th anniversary

Ford is building a limited-edition Mustang GT to honor the pony car’s 50th anniversary.

The company will only build 1,964 special cars, honoring the year the Mustang first went on sale.

The 50 Year Limited Edition will come in one of the two colors of Ford’s logo: white or blue. Buyers can choose a manual or automatic transmission.

There are special chrome highlights around the grille, windows and tail lights. The Limited Edition will also be the only 2015 Mustang with a faux gas cap badge on the rear, where the original cap sat.

Limited Edition cars will be among the first built when 2015 Mustang production begins later this year.

Ford is showing the Limited Edition at the New York auto show, which begins this week. Pricing wasn’t announced.

Truck unvelings add status to Denver Auto Show

Oh, such an assortment of automotive marvels parked inside the Colorado Convention Center.

It’s the Denver Auto Show, for which two days remain.

A pleasantly disposed woman, I noted, seemed content to wander among the Ford display area at the Charity Preview Party Tuesday night, as other members of her family scurried about the huge hall. Was the attraction the 2015 Mustang, or maybe the small coffee bar? I would inquire.

Do you drive a Ford, I asked.

“No.” A Toyota, or a Lexus?

“No.”

“Six months ago, I bought the first 2014 Quattroporte sold by Sill-TerHar Maserati in Broomfield,” said Jan Scheimer, of Colorado Springs. “It is a wonderful car.” She could be an apt judge of that, for she also owns a Mercedes-Benz S550.

Those luxury vehicles are far to the back of the big show spread, and to walk from Ford, at the front door, all the way through, is to peruse the best and the shiniest of 550 new cars and trucks.

Among them are the Jeep Cherokee, selected SUV of the Year by members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press; the Chevrolet Silverado, chosen Truck of the Year, and the Lexus IS250/350, named Car of the Year.

The auto show will open its doors at 10 a.m. this morning and again at 10 on Sunday morning.

“This year’s show is high on energy, high on impact and high on technology. From clean to green, to mean and lean, there’s something for everybody,” said Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.

Truck news is always well received in this part of the country and Chevrolet drew interest by unveiling the High Country edition of its Heavy Duty 2500/3500 series to compete with the Ford King Ranch and Ram Longhorn. A new Power Wagon and an innovative 1500 light-duty EcoDiesel pickup are being shown by Ram. Ford, along with its 50th anniversary Mustang, is focusing on the 2015 F-150 with aluminum-alloy body, bed and cab parts that will shed 700 pounds in overall weight.

The new Corvette Stingray, revealed a year ago in Detroit, rivaled the Mustang for most immediate attraction among showgoers.

Among highlights:

Indoor offroading – Camp Jeep’s traction tests of climbs, descents and obstacles aboard one of the tough 4-by-4s.

Deceptive – What can compare with the big 550-horsepower launch from the small stature of the Nissan GT-R.

Storyteller – Jack TerHar, who last year talked of Jaguar stylist Ian Collum in showing the Jaguar F-Type convertible, this week discussed his meeting with Jaguar owner Ratan Tata and his statement that “I listen with my ears, and hear with my heart, ” in unveiling the F-Type Coupe.

Good catch – The halibut, shared with General Motors executives, at the Oceanaire Seafood Room two blocks from the convention center.

Grilled – The most prominent nose is that of the Audi A8L TDI, or is it the spindle look of the Lexus GX460?

Light touch – The park lights for the 2015 Chrysler 200 have been placed along the forward edge of the front fender wells.

Wheels – How about those titanium-finished beauties on the Audi R8.

A natural – Mention of $1.69 per gallon natural-gas prices at the CNG display.

Great pumpkin – The new Dodge Dart GT finished in header orange clear coat.

Standout models – Jenna, who said at the Ford display, “I’m for sure a Mustang girl,” and Candlelynn, who said the only thing she likes better than promoting Subarus is hiking with her two young sons.

WHAT: The 2014 Denver Auto Show

WHERE: Colorado Convention Center

WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

HOW MUCH: $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 6 through 12 (and free for those younger)

Saturday Drive can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.

Denver Auto Show ends Sunday, April 13

Doors open at 10 a.m. today (Sunday) at the Colorado Convention Center for final viewing of the 2014 Denver Auto Show. More than 500 new cars, trucks and SUVs are on display.

The five-day attendance count is expected to surpass 100,000 by the time the doors close at 6 p.m. today.

The auto show is owned by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, coloradodealers.org, and produced by the Paragon Group, paragoneexpo.com.

WHAT: The Denver Auto Show

WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Colorado Convention Center

HOW MUCH: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6 through 12 (those younger are admitted free).

Inside the Showroom can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.

Cherokee Limited 4×4 : Up to date, but not quite up to speed

The Jeep Cherokee, absent from the U.S. auto market since 2001, is back. But it is a more luxurious, fuel-efficient version of its former self. You can boo, or celebrate the changes.

If you are a devotee of the original Cherokee, introduced in 1974 as a sportier version of the truck-based Jeep Wagoneer, you might boo. That is especially true if you are comparing the subject of this week’s column the Cherokee Limited 4×4 equipped with Chrysler/Fiat’s Active Drive I all-wheel-drive system and a base 2.4-liter, inline four-cylinder gasoline engine (184 horsepower, 171 pound-feet of torque).

Booing is in order. The thing is a slug, afflicted with egregious downshifting when instant acceleration, as when changing highway lanes, is demanded. That engine performs better with gradual acceleration. It even feels smooth and likable when treated gently. But such behavior is more wimp than Cherokee.

You give up power in return for fuel economy with the four-cylinder model, which, even with four-wheel drive, gives you a respectable (for a sport-utility vehicle) 21 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Going with available front-wheel drive gives you more miles per gallon 22 in the city and 30 on the highway.

But who buys an SUV, one with the rugged heritage of the Jeep Cherokee, with the primary objective of saving fuel? Most people buy that kind of vehicle for power and, at least, moderate off-road prowess. If you are in that group, you should order the Cherokee with the optional 3.2-liter gasoline V-6 engine (271 horsepower, 239 pound-feet of torque).

Both the V-6 and four-cylinder engines are linked to Chrysler/Fiat’s all-new nine-speed that is correct, nine-speed automatic transmission. But the V-6 works much better than its four-cylinder sibling with that arrangement.

An advisory: If you live in a moderate climate, one usually free of snow and “wintry mix,” and if you seldom venture off-road, it makes more sense to buy the front-wheel-drive version of any selected sport-utility brand. Front-wheel-drive models are usually less costly to buy and operate than those with all-wheel drive or dedicated four-wheel drive, which means you save money both on the purchase and at the pump.

But if you are looking for a compact luxury SUV with moderate off-road capability and good power, consider the new Cherokee Limited 4×4 but with the V-6 engine and Chrysler/Fiat’s Trail Rated four-wheel-drive system, replete with a rock-climbing and hill-descent modes. The best of the four-wheel-drive arrangements offered for the new Cherokee, it is recommended here for folks who intend to explore beyond pavement.

Otherwise, the front-wheel-drive and Active Drive I systems the latter especially useful in rain or snow on paved roads are just fine.

Active Drive I easily moved me through the final tantrums of winter 2014 that is, through what I hope are its last fits of wind, sleet and snow. The Cherokee handled with mind-calming confidence in that mess. I would have no complaints about it at all were it not for the disconcerting behavior of its four-cylinder engine in attempting highway acceleration and climbing uphill.

Instant-acceleration problems aside, the Cherokee Limited 4×4 was comfortable to be in and mostly pleasant to drive. The new interior, featuring premium leather-covered seats and faux-wood accents, all expertly put together, is attractive. There are multiple storage units including a covered binnacle atop the instrument panel and hidden compartment for valuable items in an optionally equipped fold-flat front passenger seat.

But the crowning glory of the new Cherokee’s cabin is the 8.4-inch touch screen used to operate Chrysler/Fiat’s Uconnect infotainment system. I fell in love with this option the common-sense design and usefulness of its onboard navigation system, the clarity of its rearview camera, its ability to facilitate the use of everything from cellphones to seat heat.

Ah, yes, this Cherokee also came with a bevy of advanced safety options blind-side warning, lane-departure monitoring, rear parking proximity and forward crash-proximity warning all of which I find increasingly useful the older I get.

I like this new Cherokee. It just makes better sense with a V-6.

Last Corvette retrieved from sinkhole at Kentucky museum

The mangled remains of a powerful Corvette barely recognizable to its former owner were pulled from the depths of a sinkhole at a Kentucky museum Wednesday, completing weeks of painstaking work to retrieve eight classic cars that were gobbled up by the gaping hole.

The 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette was buried in dirt and rocks, deep beneath the surface of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. The mood was somber as the crumpled car, which boasted 700 horsepower thanks to performance enhancements, was pulled to the surface.

“It looks like a piece of tin foil,” said Kevin Helmintoller, of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., who donated the car to the museum last December. “I’m still glad I’m here, because I would have never believed it was this bad. I’m not positive I would have recognized it.”

At around the time it was donated, the car was appraised at $125,000 because of the performance modifications, said museum spokeswoman Katie Frassinelli.

The cars looked like toys piled in a heap amid dirt and concrete fragments after the 40-foot-wide-by-60-foot-deep sinkhole opened beneath a museum display area in mid-February. It happened when the museum was closed, and no one was injured.

The other cars that took the plunge were a 1962 black Corvette, a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder, a 1984 PPG Pace Car, a 1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette, a 2009 white 1.5 Millionth Corvette, a 2009 ZR1 Blue Devil and a 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette. The eight cars are widely believed to have a total value exceeding $1 million, the museum said.

The museum owned six of the cars, and the other two the ZR-1 Spyder and ZR1 Blue Devil were on loan from General Motors.

Sinkholes are common in the Bowling Green area, which is located amid a large region of bedrock known as karst where many of Kentucky’s largest and deepest caves run underground.

With the retrieval now complete, the next task is to assess which cars are repairable.

“They seem to run the gamut from very minor or superficial damage to catastrophic damage,” said Monte Doran, a spokesman for Chevrolet, which will oversee restoration of the cars in Michigan.

The first car hoisted out in early March the ZR1 Blue Devil suffered only minor damage that included cracks on lower door panels, a busted window and a ruptured oil line. Workers got that car running, and cheers went up as the engine revved.

The mood turned more dour as the damage became progressively worse as each car was pulled out.

The white 1.5 Millionth Corvette recovered recently was flattened by the weight of debris. The ZR-1 Spyder and the PPG Pace Car, also among the final cars retrieved, sustained considerable damage as well, Frassinelli said.

All eight cars will be on display at the museum through August.

The decisions about which ones to repair and which are too damaged to fix will be heart-wrenching.

“That’s going to be a fairly difficult discussion,” Doran said.

Whether repair crews can retain the authenticity of each classic car will be a big factor, officials said.

“It would be fairly easy to go find another white 2009 Corvette and take as many parts off that car and put them onto a new structure with the VIN number of this (original) car,” Doran said. “You start splitting the line of did we restore the 1.5 millionth car or did we build an all-new car.”

Cars considered too badly damaged won’t go on the scrap heap.

“I’m sure that we’ll continue to display them as is. It’s now a part of museum and Corvette history,” Frassinelli said. “It’s interesting to people. They aren’t going into storage somewhere.”

The museum has remained open, except for the area where the sinkhole occurred, and the publicity has led to an attendance boost. Attendance in March was up 56 percent from the same month a year ago, Frassinelli said.

Publicity surrounding the massive sinkhole has led to an attendance boost at the museum.

Repairs to the museum, which is near the factory where the iconic Corvettes are made, are expected to be completed by early August, ahead of the museum’s late summer Corvette Caravan a celebration marking the museum’s 20th anniversary. Thousands of Corvette enthusiasts are expected to converge in their models of the classic American sports car.

Toyota recalls about 6.4 million vehicles globally

TOKYO Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 6.39 million vehicles globally for a variety of problems spanning nearly 30 models in Japan, the U.S., Europe and other places.

No injuries or crashes have been reported related to the recalls announced Wednesday. But two reports of fires are linked to one of the problems, a defective engine starter that can keep the motor running.

Some vehicles were recalled for more than one problem. The recall cases total 6.76 million vehicles for 27 Toyota models, the Pontiac Vibe and the Subaru Trezia, produced from April 2004 through August 2013.

The Pontiac Vibe, which is a General Motors Co. model, is also involved because Toyota and GM made cars at the same plant in California and the recalled model is the same as the Toyota Matrix. It was recalled for a problem with a spiral cable attached to an air-bag. It is unrelated to a separate GM recall over ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths.

Subaru is partly owned by Toyota, and the model was the same as the Toyota Ractis.

For the recall, Toyota also reported problems with seat rails, the bracket holding the steering column in place, the windshield-wiper motor and a cable attached to the air-bag module.

The recalls affect a large range of models, including the Corolla, RAV4, Matrix, Yaris, Highlander, and Tacoma.

By region, the latest recall affects 2.3 million vehicles in North America, 1.09 million vehicles in Japan and 810,000 vehicles in Europe. Other regions affected by the recall include Africa, South America and the Middle East.

Toyota was embroiled in a massive recall crisis in the U.S. starting in late 2009 and continuing through 2010, covering a wide range of problems including faulty floor mats, sticky gas pedals and defective brakes. In response, it has become quicker to recall cars and

Last month, the Japanese automaker reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to pay a $1.2 billion penalty for hiding information about defects in its cars. It earlier paid fines of more than $66 million for delays in reporting unintended acceleration problems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration never found defects in electronics or software in Toyota cars, which had been targeted as a possible cause.

The focus in the U.S. auto industry has recently shifted to another major recall problem, this time with defective ignitions in compact cars made by GM.

Toyota, GM recalls push US to near-record pace

Big U.S. recalls by General Motors and Toyota have put the auto industry on a record pace as companies try to avoid bad publicity and punishment from an increasingly aggressive government.

On Wednesday, Toyota announced it was recalling nearly 1.8 million vehicles in the U.S. to fix a spate of problems, including air bags that might not inflate. It’s part of a worldwide recall of 6.4 million cars and trucks.

So far this year, automakers have recalled about 9 million vehicles in the U.S. If that pace continues, the nation would break the record of 30.8 million recalled vehicles set in 2004.

Most of the recalls are from Toyota and General Motors, two automakers that are under government scrutiny and facing bad publicity and allegations that they concealed safety issues.

Toyota’s latest recalls were announced before the company even developed specific repairs. They come two weeks after the Justice Department skewered the Japanese automaker for covering up problems that caused unintended acceleration in some cars starting in 2009. Toyota agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle that case, but federal prosecutors can resurrect a wire fraud charge if the company fails to comply with the terms of the settlement.

Toyota’s actions come as rival GM recalls 2.6 million small cars for defective ignition switches the company links to at least 13 deaths. Of those, 2.2 million are in the U.S. As that crisis unfolded, GM announced recalls of another 3.4 million U.S. vehicles.

GM is facing a Justice Department investigation, and last week its new CEO was grilled by Congress over its handling of the ignition recalls. It also faces fines of $7,000 per day for missing a deadline to answer questions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said automakers historically have been quick to fix safety problems when faced with government investigations and bad publicity.

“The manufacturers as a whole look through their inventory of defective vehicles and recall some of the ones that they had passed over before,” he said.

After highly publicized cases in the past, such as Toyota’s unintended acceleration problems and Ford’s trouble with Explorers and Firestone tires in the late 1990s, automakers at first quickly issued recalls. But recalls dropped off as the bad publicity faded, Ditlow said.

But this time may be different because of the Justice Department’s investigation of Toyota and the prospect of criminal charges against GM and some of its employees in what lawmakers have called a cover-up of the ignition switch problem.

“That can be a real game-changer,” Ditlow said. “There’s nothing that changes corporate behavior as much as criminal prosecutions.”

Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst for the Edmunds.com auto website, said things changed when NHTSA got more aggressive with fines and enforcement against Toyota in 2009 and 2010. “But the GM recall has compounded the fact that they have to be more proactive,” she said.

The high number of recalls could also be attributed to the use of common parts across an automaker’s entire vehicle lineup, she said. When something goes wrong, more parts have to be replaced.

Through Wednesday, GM had recalled about 5.6 million cars and SUVs in the U.S. this year, while Toyota was at 2.85 million.

Automakers in the U.S. are required to notify NHTSA and recall cars within five days of discovering a safety defect. But corporate committees that govern recalls can take a long time to determine if a faulty part is a safety defect. That means recalls can take longer than the five days, Ditlow said.

But now companies appear to be finding defects and acting faster. Ditlow said he expects smaller recalls in the future as companies move quickly to fix parts and limit the impact of a problem.

Toyota’s U.S. recall announced Wednesday includes the following vehicles in the U.S.:

1.3 million vehicles with faulty electrical connections that could cause air bags to deactivate. Included are the 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Tacoma, 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. If the air bags deactivate, they could fail to deploy after a crash. The Vibe, which is made by General Motors Co., is included in the recall because Toyota designed and engineered it for GM when the two companies shared a factory in California. GM says 40,500 Vibes will be recalled.

472,500 small cars with defective springs in the front seat rails, which could prevent the seats from locking in place. Included are the 2006-2010 Yaris hatchback, 2007-2010 Yaris sedan and the 2008-2010 Scion XD.

Toyota said no injuries or crashes have been reported related to the recalls. The company is working on remedies. Dealers will replace the defective parts for free when parts are available.

The recall is one of Toyota’s largest since 2009 and 2010, when the company issued a series of recalls totaling more than 10 million vehicles for various problems including faulty brakes, sticky gas pedals and ill-fitting floor mats.

The ignition switch recall is GM’s largest individual recall this year. The switches can unexpectedly slip out of the “run” position, shutting down the engine and cutting off power-assisted brakes and steering. They also can deactivate the air bags. Parts are expected to start arriving at dealerships on Friday.

Microsoft preps Windows Phone apps for car dashboards

The battle for the technological car dashboard of the future is about to heat up. Following demos from Android and from Apple, Microsoft is also developing a platform — Windows in the Car — that will put the company’s smartphones, content and apps front and center of the driving experience. But hopefully in a way that isn’t too distracting.

First demonstrated at one of the sessions at its BUILD developers conference, Windows for the Car would use the same customizable tile interface that will be familiar to anyone who owns a Nokia Lumia handset or has recently upgraded to Windows 8/8.1 on their PC.

Just like Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Open Automotive Alliance or OAA (essentially Android for the car), Microsoft’s system would offer drivers access to their music libraries, turn-by-turn directions via Here and Bing maps and search, voice calls and text messaging. Although it is very much a work in progress, Microsoft doesn’t really need to play catch up.

Until this year, Microsoft was the brains behind the Ford Sync — the company’s in-car informatics and telematics system that offered a selection of mirrored ‘car-safe’ versions of smartphone apps and responded to voice commands.

For those worried that competing mobile operating systems are going to become an issue when choosing their next car, there is some good news.

The Microsoft system uses MirrorLink to connect to a car’s screen and for pushing information between connected devices. MirrorLink is an existing technology and one already supported by a host of car companies, from the aforementioned Ford to BMW.

That means that if Microsoft does bring its system to market, it could work with older vehicles, and new cars would be able to support it as well as either Apple or Google’s platform too.

Mercedes boosts horsepower of entry-level roadster

Mercedes has unveiled the SL 400, the new model designed to replace the SL 350 in the brand’s line-up. The entry-level roadster, which will have 27 hp more power than its predecessor, will be available in Germany starting at $133,676.

The Mercedes SL 400 is equipped with a twin turbo V6 engine with 333 hp, compared to 306 hp on the SL 350. The roadster accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and boasts a top speed of 250 km/h. Average fuel consumption is 7.3 L/100 km, or the equivalent of 172 g of CO2 emissions per kilometer.

Unlike on the SL 350, the Frontbass audio system and the Magic Vision Control smart windshield wiper system both come standard on the SL 400.

Plush '15 GMC Yukon restyled

I race into Denver Auto Show Week this morning aboard the redesigned 2015 GMC Yukon.

Few SUVs compare with the plush comfort and cavernous interior of the Yukon. A prominent rear spoiler which houses a relocated rear wiper dominates a more upright back end for the SUV.

The new Yukon’s 5.3-liter V-8 engine, which through cylinder deactivation will cruise the highway and coast in town on four cylinders, received a 10 percent boost to 355 horsepower. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The ’15 Yukon will be among attractions at the Denver Auto Show, which opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Colorado Convention Center. More than 500 cars and trucks of 2014 and 2015 model years and some concepts will be on display.

Show hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, noon to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 through 12; those younger than 6 are admitted free. Active and retired military personnel with appropriate military ID will be admitted free Wednesday evening. Thursday is senior day; those 65 and older will be admitted for $5.

A private-party kickoff and fashion presentation, the sixth annual Charity Preview, is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the convention center.

A prelude today will be the Green Car Parade of hybrids, clean diesels, electrics and natural-gas vehicles at 1 p.m. at the State Capitol Circle Drive. The 20 vehicles will participate in a parade drive to the convention center at 3 p.m. today.

Among the Yukon’s highlights is its next-generation, touch-screen IntelliLink infotainment system with navigation, Bose sound with nine speakers, satellite radio, five USB ports and rear-seat entertainment setup.

The navigation system was consulted as Jan and I, in a 5 p.m. rush hour near DIA, sought a convenient route to an address in Broomfield. As we keyed in the address, the system kept reverting to other Broomfield locations. “Try the voice command,” suggested Jan, and I pushed the voice button, stated very clearly the destination and within 15 seconds the screen lit up with directions.

Safety innovations for the GMC are forward-collision alert, land-departure warning and blind-spot detection which lights up as a tiny car and a star in the side mirrors.

The truck-based Yukon carries outstanding towing credentials, as well as wide cargo space; folding the third row of seats flat into the floor opens 51 cubic feet of space. Both the second and third rows can be power-folded into the floor.

Adding sunroof, 20-inch wheels, trailering package and two-speed transfer case to all the other amenities raised the Yukon SLT’s sticker price to $64,520; that’s right up there with the high-end Denali model.

The Yukon’s EPA fuel-mileage estimate is 16/22; it averaged 19.3 miles per gallon in overall driving.