Autos on the road to smaller improvements

Really bad new cars mostly disappeared about a decade ago.

But if last week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit is any indicator — and it usually is — lots of compact and midsize cars that once lacked content or character will soon be headed to dealerships with impressive new levels of refinement and style.

Vehicles known mostly for economy and reliability are getting sharp styling, good handling and the high-tech goodies that allow buyers to remain connected to their personal digital devices.

Features once reserved for higher-end vehicles, such as direct fuel injection and turbocharging, dual-clutch six-speed automatics, multiple airbags and greater choices in exterior colours and interior appointments, will be available on vehicles costing less than $30,000.

The reasons are pretty obvious: With stringent new fuel-economy standards looming in just a few years, automakers need to get more American consumers into smaller, more-efficient vehicles.

One way to do that is to offer stylish new sedans like the 2013 Ford Fusion and Dodge Dart that look good, drive well and are equipped with big-car amenities.

Appealing sedans like the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra, the Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze, and Ford’s Focus and Fiesta gave the trend momentum. But a major reason it will continue is the restructuring of Detroit that began five years ago.

In the recent past, domestic automakers relied almost solely on pickups and large SUVS for their profits. They expected to lose money on small and midsize cars, so they built them as basic as they could.

Today, many of the domestics’ small and midsize cars are among the segments’ leaders in content and style.

While the domestics still rely heavily on truck profits, they finally see the potential for big business in smaller cars.

And that competition should make consumers’ choices a lot more interesting.