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Originally published March 17, 2012

One of the hot, new midsize sedans in the spotlight when the 2012 Denver Auto Show opens Wednesday evening will be the Volkswagen Passat.

The stylish, roomy ’12 Passat, equipped with a TDI diesel engine, carries an EPA highway rating of 43 miles per gallon of fuel.

The five-day car show will run Wednesday through Sunday, March 25, at the Colorado Convention Center.

Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. on 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 7 through 12; those 6 and younger are admitted free. Military in uniform will be admitted free Wednesday. Thursday evening’s show will be Senior Day; those 65 and older will be admitted free.

Preceding the official opening Wednesday will be the Charity Preview Party by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and presentation of Rocky Mountain Vehicle of the Year awards by the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press.

“This will be our biggest show ever, matching up very well with last year’s spectacular presentation,” said Tim Jackson, president of the CADA, sponsor of the Denver Auto Show. The show is under direction of the Paragon Group.

Colorado dealers, in helping to promote the car show, have staged the fifth annual Green Car Convoy and Parade. New fuel-efficient cars have been shown off in Montrose, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Vail and Frisco on Monday, in Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins and Greeley on Wednesday and in Colorado Springs and Pueblo on Friday.

Cars will be displayed beginning at 1 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday) at the Colorado State Capitol Circle Drive, then, shortly after 3 p.m. will be driven in a parade through downtown Denver to the Colorado Convention Center.

The Denver Auto Show was launched in 1902; only Chicago and New York had staged shows prior to that. In its first 75 years the show was held on an irregular basis. It wasn’t until 1978, when, under direction of Bill Barrow, the show was resurrected. Barrow, newly hired head of the Denver and Colorado auto dealers associations, joined with Hugh Tighe, president of the Denver car dealers, and Bruce Kenyon, of the George P. Johnson company in Detroit, in planning the ’78 event. That effort directed the Denver Auto Show back to yearly prominence.

Tim Jackson, who succeeded Barrow on his retirement seven years ago, has earned national attention as one of the most active automotive dealer association executives in the country, and the importance of the Denver Auto Show continues to grow. Herm Brocksmith is chairman of this year’s Denver Auto Show Committee and Don Hicks heads the Colorado Auto Dealers Association.

Attaining the 43 mpg mark for highway travel is impressive for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI Premium SEL diesel sedan, a 3,400-pound four-door. With its 18.5-gallon fuel tank, its highway range is almost 800 miles. I averaged 40.7 mpg with the Passat in a 70/30 split of highway driving.

The new Passat, stretched a bit this year, exceeds most other midsize competitors in rear-seat legroom. It is dressed up with soft suede inserts in its leather seats.

Passat acceleration, after a low-range lag, comes on strong through mid-range torque. Tied to its 2.0-liter, clean-diesel engine is a 6-speed direct-shift automatic gearbox (DSG), employing a dual-clutch system than instantly engages and disengages gears without the need for a clutch pedal.

A highlight of its navigation/entertainment center is the Fender premium audio system. Sticker price on the Passat was $32,965.

Sidebar: Be prepared

An emergency situation on the road can arise at any time and you must be prepared, especially during the winter months.

In addition to making sure your car is in proper working order, has a full tank of gas and fresh antifreeze, you should carry the following items: