2022 Los Angeles Auto Show: Everything You Missed
The Los Angeles metropolitan area houses movie stars, sprawling beaches, Disneyland … and some of the worst traffic in the country. As most big-city dwellers can attest, if you’re going to be sitting in hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic, you better love what you’re sitting in. To kick off the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, our team of automotive journalists got an early look at the roster of all-new and refreshed vehicles during the show’s media preview day to see what Angelinos and Americans elsewhere might be stuck in as the new year turns over and such cars hit dealer lots.
Related: More 2022 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
While many auto shows have been dominated by all-electric vehicles, large SUVs and pickup trucks recently, a healthy mix of pure EVs, hybrids and gas-powered cars of all sizes are making their grand entrance in La La Land this year. Get the full rundown below, and make sure to dig into the vehicles that catch your attention with our impressions and videos straight from the show floor.
Compact Cars Take the Big Stage
Even as big SUVs and pickups continue to outsell their smaller counterparts, most of the new vehicles showcased in L.A. are compact or subcompact cars that easily accommodate city life and offer generous fuel efficiency.
The Toyota Prius’ claim to fame has always been its eco-friendliness, but with a full redesign for the 2023 model year, the Prius hybrid and Prius Prime plug-in hybrid now have even more to offer. The compact car’s new exterior is sleeker, more aerodynamic and more muscular — but even in L.A.,the Prius makes the case that looks aren’t everything: The hybrid promises a significant performance and efficiency boost to go along with its exterior makeover. Inside, the Prius goes big on tech with an available 12.3-inch touchscreen; unfortunately, it also gets tighter headroom due to the lower roof.
Changes for the 2024 Subaru Impreza are less dramatic but still significant. The new Impreza is available exclusively as a compact hatchback with an updated grille, headlights and taillights. It also sees the return of the sportier RS trim with darkened exterior accents, black 18-inch wheels and a more powerful 2.5-liter boxer engine under the hood. While the updates promise more fun behind the wheel, enthusiasts will likely mourn the loss of the car’s manual transmission option.
The 2024 Kia Seltos small SUV gets a refreshed front and rear end, plus a new X-Line trim. It also sees a 20-horsepower jump for its available turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and a new eight-speed automatic transmission that promises smoother power delivery for the engine. Inside, a new panoramic dashboard display merges two 10.25-inch screens for the infotainment and digital gauge cluster, respectively.
New EVs Charge In
Electric vehicles may have been forced to share the spotlight this year, but one in particular still managed to steal the show. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 was revealed in early 2022 and made its U.S. auto show debut in L.A. The Ioniq 6 shares a platform with the Ioniq 5 SUV, and it sports a slightly shorter wheelbase and sleeker exterior with a dramatic swooping roofline. Hyundai also promises a more generous range but has yet to disclose those figures.
Another battery-powered vehicle that made its debut is the reintroduction of the all-electric Fiat 500e. Fiat says the subcompact car will be making its way to the U.S., though not for a while. The European version was unveiled in L.A. with three special-edition variants based on prominent Italian designers; however, the U.S. version won’t make its debut until the 2023 L.A. show and is only expected to arrive at dealerships in 2024. For now, only the gas-powered 500X SUV represents the brand stateside.
Concepts Cars Go Back to the Future
For the “less realistic, but still awesome” category, a trio of alternative-fuel concept cars took their bows. A sleek Genesis X Convertible caps off the automaker’s all-electric X concept series that includes the Genesis X grand tourer and X Speedium Coupe. Toyota debuted its bZ Compact SUV Concept following the larger bZ4X SUV in the automaker’s all-electric bZ sub-brand. Finally, the retro-inspired Hyundai N Vision 74 channels the original 1974 Pony Coupe concept and employs a unique hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid powertrain with up to 671 hp.
L.A. Auto Show Dates and Tickets
The 2022 L.A. auto show opens to the public today and runs through Nov. 27; hours are listed below. Tickets can be purchased on the show’s website and cost $22 for adults ages 13-64, $12 for seniors age 65 or older, and $6 for children ages 6-12; kids 5 or younger are free. Early admission and group discounts are also available. Hours are as follows:
- Nov. 18-19: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Nov. 20: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Nov. 21-23: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Nov. 24: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Nov. 25-26: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Nov. 27: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Here’s everything you missed in full from the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show:
● 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show: Best in Show
● 2024 Kia Seltos Brings More Power, Fresh Face, X-Line to L.A.
● 2024 Subaru Impreza Sheds the Sedan, Leaving a Sportier, Techier Hatchback
● All-Electric Fiat 500e Debuts in L.A., U.S. Arrival Slated for 2024
● Alternative Vibes: 3 New Concept Cars Debut in L.A.
● Porsche Hits the Sand With 2023 911 Dakar, Only 2,500 to Be Built
● Redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius Ramps Up Efficiency, Safety Tech
● Toyota bZ Compact SUV Concept: A Cross Between the bZ4X and C-HR
● Up Close With the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6: The Latest Ioniq Swoops In
● Up Close With the 2023 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime: Function Finally Meets Form
● Up Close With the 2024 Kia Seltos: Subtle Corrections
● Up Close With the 2024 Subaru Impreza: Hatchbacks Are More Fun
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