I have a confession to make….it’s been just about 20 years, since I’ve last attended a Detroit Auto Show.  Don’t get me wrong.  From as far back as I could remember to my early teenage years, we would go every single year.  As I have said, I’m a Big 3 Baby.  My dad worked for GM, so cars were always in my consciousness.  However, I arrived to some invisible, unwritten point, where I just quit going.

Fast forward to 2012, just last Saturday, which was the NAIAS opening day for the public. I had the opportunity to walk around and check out some vehicles.  The vehicle that I’m currently driving is 10 years old and, while still drivable, is starting to give me issues.  I’m not a huge car guy that’s all into the intricacies of  what’s going on under the hood.  I’m a “lay” consumer that knows what they’re looking for in a vehicle.  The NAIAS was a great opportunity to see what new stuff is out there—all under one roof.

While I stepped into a lot of vehicles, I ended up really digging two: the Jeep Compass and the Dodge Dart.  I want something smaller than the Saturn Vue that I’m driving with better fuel economy and the connectivity and GPS options that seem to come standard with newer vehicles.  I liked the Compass’ 4×4 capabilities, which can come in handy in our icy Michigan roads.  As for the Dart, I liked its styling, better fuel economy and reasonable starting price point.

All in all, I’m glad that I went back.  It had a great mix of spectacle while keeping the focus on the vehicles.  After all, this show is about showcasing vehicles to the public that would buy them.  I was really happy to see a lot of the stuff coming out of the Big 3 on par with what the foreign companies are producing.  The quality of the styling has gone up.  Fuel efficiency has increased.  Also, the amount of technology integrated into the vehicles is positively mind-boggling.

I’m glad that I went back and can’t wait for next year’s NAIAS.  I wish that it hadn’t taken me 20 years to return.  However, I think that now, as a future consumer, I have more of an interest.  Where before the fun was in getting in all sorts of fancy cars, now the fun is in seeing what’s out there and weighing my options to buy.

It’s a great time to return to the Detroit Auto Show!

Author: José A. Rodríguez