Welcome To The L.A. Auto Show - Presented By Hyundai
No, That's Not Really The Name
Okay, that’s not the real title, but given Hyundai Motor Group’s dominance at this year’s LA Auto Show, you won’t be faulted for thinking it.
By Roy Nakano
Tue, Nov 19, 2024 06:41 AM PST
Above: Hyundai’s Ioniq7 Concept. The manufacturer is expected to introduce a new three-row all-electric crossover SUV. It will be called the Ioniq9, but its expected to adhere closely to the design of the Ioniq7 Concept (photo courtesy of Hyundai USA).
The Signs Were There
The signs that the Hyundai Motor Group (which consists of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis) would soon dominate the LA Auto Show have been there for close to 15 years. For that many years, Hyundai had been hosting the most dazzling parties for the press at the top of the Hotel Figueroa in Downtown Los Angeles, within walking distance to the Convention Center.
The parties featured first class concerts, and the names of the musical groups would be kept a secret right up to the beginning of the performance. In past years, they included Alanis Morissette, John Legend, Kool and the Gang, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (I can trace the origin of my tinnitus to the Hyundai concert featuring Joan Jett).
Sometimes the concerts had a more light-hearted atmosphere, like when Jack Black performed in his Tenacious D persona, or when Jeff Bridges and T. Bone Burnett performed songs from the movie Crazy Heart. All the while, mermaids would be swimming below the plexiglass floors under your feet. We could always count on Hyundai to have the best entertainment.
From Show and Shine to Ride and Drive
You don’t need to go back 15 years to notice that the traditional auto show has been going through some major changes. Just six years ago, the LA Auto Show was boasting of 60 debut vehicles to be introduced during its three-day press preview.
Today, the press preview has been reduced to one day and the number of debut vehicles looks to be about a cool dozen (more on this later). Last year, the LA Auto Show made the news as much for its “no shows” as it had for what was shown (see LA Car’s article The 2023 Car(pet) and Vacuum Show). There were so many no shows from manufacturers that the organizers used the space to create giant ride-and-drive opportunities inside the LA Convention Center.
This year, the LA Auto Show will take up the same amount of real estate as the previous show. This means huge ride-and-drive opportunities again. Like it or not, king-size ride-and-drive opportunities is the new norm for the LA Auto Show. For those considering the purchase of a new car, the LA Auto Show is now the best venue to test drive a car without the traditional pressures of a dealership. To see what the show has planned for this year’s ride-and-drive events, click here.
The Dirty Dozen Debuts
Back to the dozen debuts expected for this year’s LA Auto Show: The Hyundai Motor Group dominates the list with no less than half of the total debuts. Here are the new cars you can expect to find at the show:
Acura – Based off of the Honda HR-V platform, the ADX is Acura’s first venture into the subcompact SUV crossover field.
Fiat – Stellantis has announced a new Fiat to be introduced at the LA Auto Show. No word yet on which model will be showcased.
Honda – A new Passport, including two new Trailsport editions, will be showcased at the show. Some sneak preview videos are already viewable online.
Hyundai – The three-row all electric Ioniq9 crossover SUV will be unveiled. It looks to be Hyundai’s answer to the Kia EX9.
Kia – The manufacturer announced that five new vehicles will be shown at the LA Auto Show. Word on the street indicates they are the 2026 Sportage, the EV9 GT, the newly facelifted EV6, the K4 hatchback, and the production version of the K4.
Nilu – This car company is set to present former Koenigsegg, Lamborghini and Bugatti designer Sasha Selipanov’s new Nilu27 hypercar. The track version was previously unveiled. The road version of the Nilu27 has been promised.
Volkswagen – last, but not least, VW will introduce the latest version of the Tiguan for the US market. Volkswagen appears to be pivoting to a different design direction with the new Tiguan.
The LA Auto Show Wish List
We polled the LA Car staff about what they would like to see at the LA Auto Show that no longer exists or never existed but wishes it did. The most frequently asked request? Reasonably priced parking. Said one, “if they really wanted some semi-spectacular attendance, they’d validate parking.” Until that happens, read this: Where, Oh Where to Park at the LA Auto Show.
Some other wishes: The return of the car companies and two days of press conferences. Foot massages. Free food. Souvenir logo keychains. And then there was this one: “Guided tours by vetted auto authorities. Added fee, of course. We do it in museums and European historical sites. Why not auto shows?”
As it turns out, the LA Auto Show does have guided tours. It’s called (and this time I kid you not) “VIP Guided Tours Presented by Hyundai.”
The LA Auto Show runs from November 22nd through December 1st at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For more information, go to laautoshow.com.
About The Author
Roy Nakano gave birth to LACar in the late '90s, having previously delivered LA Audio File back in the '80s. Aside from the occasional review, Roy likes to stray off the beaten automotive path: "Six Degrees of Reparations" reflected on the regretful ethical paths taken by car companies throughout history. "Traveling Through the Past and Present of the Green Book" looked at businesses that took a stand against racism and the man that wrote the book on where to find them. "Best Cars to Drive in Rush Hour Traffic" was an LACar guide published in the pre-GPS era. "In Search of the First Datsun 510 Tuner" looked at one of the milestones in the origin of import tuners.
