2024 Chicago Auto Show: Everything You Missed
The Chicago Auto Show is back again for another year, giving us the opportunity to get our hands on all manner of new cars and finally see some of the most interesting new models in the sheet metal. Kia unveiled refreshed versions of its K5 sedan and Carnival minivan; Tesla brought its revised Model 3 sedan and the new Cybertruck; and we got to see hotly awaited new models ranging from the Toyota Land Cruiser to the Cadillac Escalade IQ SUVs.
Related: More 2024 Chicago Auto Show Coverage
Cars.com’s Editorial team got a sneak peek of the 2024 show during media preview days ahead of the public show that kicks off on Saturday and runs through Feb. 19. Here are the highlights from our coverage.
One More Hybrid Minivan
Shoppers looking for a fuel-sipping hybrid minivan now have one more option: the 2025 Kia Carnival. Kia unveiled the 2025 Carnival at the Chicago Auto Show with refreshed looks inside and out, plus more standard tech across the board. It still looks like a minivan wearing a chunky SUV costume, but the refreshed version makes one of our favorite minivans an even more compelling package. Now, buyers will have a choice between the Carnival’s existing 3.5-liter V6 engine or a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder mated to a 54-kilowatt electric motor. Check out our up-close walk-around here for a full rundown of all of the Carnival’s added technology and neat features.
Kia’s Not-a-Blazer Gets Definitely-an-Update
The angular Kia K5 is a breath of fresh air among mid-size sedans, which sometimes feel like they’re styled as plainly as possible so rental car customers won’t be too upset that their car doesn’t look like the photo. For 2025, the K5 gets a sharp redesign with more standard tech features, cool new lighting designs and a more powerful base engine (which is really just an unturbocharged version of the hot K5 GT’s engine). Inside is a new screen layout that combines the driver’s instrument panel with a new standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen in one attractive curved bezel, and we’re glad to see climate and some stereo functions keep their own dedicated controls underneath. Check out our up-close look here to see everything that’s changed.
The Land Cruiser Is Back!
While we had a ton of fun with the new Lexus GX, checking out the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser in person convinced us that this might just be the version to get for dedicated off-roaders. Toyota’s beloved SUV is back with a chunky, retro-inspired design and a smaller footprint that should be nimbler on the trail. The base 1958 trim at the auto show had durable-feeling materials inside that looked a lot easier to clean than those found in the luxe GX, plus sturdy-looking underpinnings that look fit for the job. Check out our full walk-around of the new Land Cruiser that shows what’s great and what might send the hardest-core crawlers shopping for a new bumper.
Our First Real Look at Some Hot New EVs
We finally got up close and personal with a few of the most anticipated electric vehicles of the year, too. Tesla brought its recently refreshed Model 3 as well as the Cybertruck to the show. The Model 3’s update looks sharp but also further simplifies the interior by ditching all of the stalks behind the steering wheel. Meanwhile, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ impressed us with luxe features that made it feel like a budget Rolls-Royce. While we were left with some concerns as to whether taller occupants would have enough headroom, its incredible Executive Seating Package for the second row made it the car we’d most like to be chauffeured in.
Hyundai’s Refreshed Sedans Continue to Impress
We finally got up-close looks at Hyundai’s refreshed 2024 Sonata and 2024 Elantra at the auto show, as well, and came away impressed. The Sonata’s aggressive new redesign looks sharp, with a big curved bezel for the instrument panel and infotainment screen dominating the dashboard. Meanwhile, the Elantra’s refresh is far more subtle, tweaking the exterior just a bit and adding a lot of new standard features, particularly when it comes to safety.
See our coverage that you might’ve missed from the 2024 Chicago Auto Show below:
- 2025 Kia Carnival: Now With Optional Hybrid Power
- 2025 Kia K5 Gets More Power, More Tech, Sharp New Looks
- 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Up Close: More Lyriq XL Than Escalade EV
- 2024 Hyundai Sonata Up Close: The Family Sedan, Sportified
- 2024 Hyundai Elantra Up Close: Hey, We’ve Seen This One
- 2025 Kia Carnival Up Close: Now Hybrid in Another Way
- 2025 Kia K5 Up Close: Mid-Size Master
- 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Up Close: An Off-Road Hero Gets Modernized
- 2024 Tesla Model 3 Up Close: Refined and Renewed
- Auto Show Faceoff: 2024 Chevrolet Traverse Vs. 2025 Ford Explorer
- 2024 Hyundai Sonata Vs. 2025 Kia K5 Vs. 2025 Toyota Camry: Auto Show Faceoff
- Which Electric Pickup Truck Has the Most Useful Bed: Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning or Chevrolet Silverado EV RST?
Chicago Auto Show Dates and Tickets
The 2024 Chicago Auto Show opens to the public Saturday at McCormick Place, 2301 S. King Drive. The show runs through Feb. 19, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 12-18; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 19. Tickets are available on the show’s website. Adult admission is $17; seniors age 62 or older, as well as children age 4-12, are $12; and children 3 years old or under get in free when accompanied by a paying adult.
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