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2019 Dallas-Fort Worth Auto Show: 6 Things You Can't Miss

img 414481111 1553613630466 jpg Cars.com illustration by Paul Dolan

With the spring season of renewal upon us, it’s the perfect time for Texans in need of a new set of wheels to start shopping for a new pickup truck. And while the Lone Star State’s favorite vehicle type will be well-represented at the 2019 Dallas Fort-Worth Auto Show, the event will have much more to offer than just pickup trucks when it rolls into the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Wednesday. But we know how much Texans love their tow ratings, payload capacities and various cab configurations, so we’re highlighting the newest, most exciting 2020 offerings below.

Related: Video: How to Shop at an Auto Show

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The auto show kicks off at 4 p.m. Wednesday and runs through Sunday. From Thursday on, the show floor opens daily at 10 a.m. and stays open until 9 p.m. daily except Sunday, when it closes at 7 p.m. Admission is $14 for visitors age 13 or older, $7 for senior citizens age 65 or older, and $7 for children age 6-12; military service members with a valid military I.D. get a discounted rate of $10; and kids age 5 or younger get in free. Coupons good for a $1 discount are available at participating franchised new-car dealerships. The convention center is located at 650 S. Griffin St. in downtown Dallas. For more info, go to the show’s website.

Texas may be known for yee-haw-yellin’, rodeo-ridin’ cowboys, but this week, the bucking broncos will have to compete with the horsepower packed by all the new trucks, SUVs, sedans and hybrids taking the reins of the 2019 DFW Auto Show. Here are six things you can’t miss:

1. 2020 Jeep Gladiator

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After the Gladiator debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show back in November, the automaker’s first pickup truck in roughly a quarter-century has been making waves at auto shows across the U.S. — and we can hardly think of a better city for the Gladiator to stop through than Dallas. With towing capacity of 7,650 pounds, Jeep re-engineered the frame of the Jeep Wrangler and lengthened the wheelbase to accommodate the 5-foot bed that defines the look of the Gladiator. Touted as the “most capable mid-size truck ever” by Tim Kuniskis, head of Jeep North America, Kuniskis promised the Gladiator will deliver “rugged utility, versatility and functionality” when it hits dealership sales floors this spring.

Read more about the 2020 Jeep Gladiator here.

2. 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty

img952452047 1553615100995 jpg 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty | Manufacturer image

Under the hood of Ford’s new heavy-duty pickup will be a choice of three engines: a 7.3-liter V-8, a turbo-diesel 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 and the base 6.2-liter gasoline V-8. The all-new-for-2020 Super Duty is self-described by Ford in a press release as a model that no longer makes buyers “choose between a truck that doesn’t have enough payload to carry all the tools they need to a job site and a truck that’s too big.” The 2020 F-Series Super Duty will arrive at dealerships in the fall. (Oh, and if you’re more of a Bow-Tie brand shopper than an admirer of the Blue Oval, the all-new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500 pickup will also be on hand.)

Read more about the 2020 Ford Super Duty here.

3. SUVs ‘N’ Sports Coupes

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If you’ve been watching all the big debuts happen at the big-name auto exhibitions in L.A., Detroit and Chicago in recent months and champing at the bit for your turn to get up close to those shows’ major debuts, now’s your chance. If you’re interested in SUVs (and these days, ain’t everybody?), the all-new 2020 Kia Telluride and Lincoln Aviator are down for DFW, as is the 2019 Lamborghini Urus, the first SUV from the iconic exotic sports car maker — because even Lambo needed to get in on the SUV renaissance. Meanwhile, the long-defunct, recently resurrected 2020 Toyota Supra sports coupe will angle for enthusiasts in Dallas, as will the 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and McLaren 600LT.

Read more about the 2020 Kia Telluride here.

4. Test Drives

img1630948824 1542125961748 jpg 2019 Ford Ranger | Cars.com photo by Mark Williams

If you’re an in-market car shopper, one of the best parts of an auto show is being able to cross-shop literally dozens of different models in any given class under one roof, climb inside those vehicles, get a feel for them and poke around the cabin — and even better if you can actually get behind the wheel and drive. The DFW Auto Show will let you do just that. An outdoor ride-and-drive event will feature models from these 13 brands: 

  • Acura
  • Ford
  • Chevrolet
  • Chrysler
  • Dodge
  • Fiat
  • Honda
  • Jeep
  • Mazda
  • Nissan
  • Ram
  • Toyota
  • Volkswagen

Test-drive times vary by automaker and day, so be sure to check here for availability before you plan your trip to the show. (Specific models available for test drives weren’t immediately available.)

5. Learn to Ride a Motorcycle

The Big D’s subtropical climate means motorcycles can cruise the highways year-round. Progressive International Motorcycle Shows is bringing the Discover the Ride program to the auto show to teach people how to operate motor vehicles of the two-wheel variety. Yamaha power-assist bicycles will be on hand to serve as a sort of training wheels for wannabe bikers. After mastering the Yamaha, riders graduate to an electric Zero motorcycle, which is modified for new riders. Kids can get in on the fun by hopping on a two-wheel Stacyc electric bike, and experienced motorcyclists will teach new riders everything they need to know before they attempt the open road.

6. Classic Cars

A replica of the black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am that Burt Reynolds drove in “Smokey and the Bandit” is part of the fleet of cool classic beauties show guests can take in at the Classic Car Corral. The exhibit will deliver style, innovation and power spanning multiple decades. This year’s display spotlights the evolution of all-American cars through the years, such as the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar and Chevrolet Corvette.

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

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