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2025 Chicago Auto Show
Shifting gears
By Larry Nutson
Executive Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
THE AUTO CHANNEL
The Chicago Auto Show returned again this year to McCormick Place in its traditional February time slot for its 117th edition! As North America’s longest running and one of the largest auto shows, it provides car, truck and SUV shoppers the chance to explore the latest vehicles, test tracks, EVs, interactive displays, and new attractions like Overlanding Chicago and the Family Zone.
Stellantis has returned for 2025 as an exhibitor with all their brands—Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram. New to the show this year are Rivian, Polestar and Vinfast, following on the heels of Tesla and Lucid who joined last year.
A year ago, auto show General Manager Jennifer Morand noted in her remarks that “the Chicago Auto Show is THE February Tradition for Chicagoans and those from the surrounding area.” And that continues. The number one focus of the Chicago auto show is the consumer. The show is about allowing car shoppers to see, touch, experience and compare what’s new in the car market in a relaxed and yet fun and entertaining atmosphere. There’s something for everyone.
Some automotive media continue to voice that auto shows are not what they once were. In part, this has come about due to incorrect comparisons to industry conventions and trade shows like CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) that are not open to the public.
Just as the auto industry is experiencing a generational change in the transition from internal combustion vehicles to electrified vehicles, auto shows are also going through a generational change. In part, this has come about due to the internet we now all use in our daily lives. The same internet that has facilitated the existence of automotive influencers, bloggers and YouTubers has allowed auto makers to use this digital tool to “Zoom” their product news directly to our desktops.
Auto show event producers from across the country joined forces to launch the Automotive Experience Alliance (AEA), a coalition of auto shows with a common interest in driving innovation and standardization throughout the auto show industry. Auto shows have been a staple for more than a century and remain one of the most influential channels in consumer automotive marketing, even in today’s digital world. To date, 26 auto shows have joined the alliance.
At the opening breakfast for the media preview days at this year’s show we heard Jamie Gladstone, who is Executive Creative Director at Czarnowski Collective, share his role in leading the development of innovative ideas, storytelling and immersive experiences in auto show exhibits for 14 different auto brands. Gladstone said, “Auto shows are the only marketing tool where you can change someone’s mind.”
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Partnering with local electric utility supplier ComEd, there now are two Chicago Drives Electric indoor EV test tracks providing attendees the opportunity to get inside the latest EVs to experience the power of electrified vehicles.
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The auto show producers have taken it on themselves to develop new activations for car shoppers. Partnering with the local Toyota dealer group and using privately-owned vehicles from the Illinois Overlanding Club, the new Overlanding Chicago exhibit is a space dedicated to overlanding and outdoor lifestyle. This new area on the show floor will draw a unique crowd of show goers looking to explore a life outside the urban jungle with their vehicles.
Another new space is the Family Fun Zone, an exciting, dedicated area on the show floor designed for families and aimed at entertaining children aged 2-16. Also, there are exclusive VIP Tours of the show floor led in-person by the best and brightest in the automotive industry. Four specialty tours are being offered, allowing guests to find a tour that matches their preferred interests. The 60-minute tours will be focused on family vehicles, SUV and outdoor vehicles, electrified vehicles and auto enthusiasts.
My annual visits to the Chicago Auto Show began when it was a part of my job during the time I was working for an automaker…Volkswagen. Some years later I found myself taking in the show simply as an interested consumer. The show’s timing is right around Valentine’s Day. I often said to my wife “Let’s spend a weekend in Chicago. I’ll go to the auto show and you can go shopping.” She always said yes. In later years our younger daughter completed her university studies in Chicago and she enjoyed touring the auto show floor with me.
Today, I’ve still got my fingers in the automotive world and still find myself at the Chicago Auto Show. It’s nice to be able to view a new vehicle in on-line digital imagery.
The ultimate test is to see a car out on the street. An auto show is a good step in that process. Ultimately, a vehicle buyer needs to see and drive any potential purchase.
The Chicago Auto Show remains true to its brand heritage as the nation’s largest customer-focused auto show. After all, it is about the customer and that’s the point of an auto show.
© 2025 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
