2026 New York International Auto Show Recap -- Busy In The Big City

I don't want to oversell it. One auto-show media day is not a good barometer for industry health. It's too small of a sample size. New-car reveals also have to lineup with product cycles and launch timing.

So I won't try to tell you that the auto-show media day is back -- I think the glory days are over, killed by Zoom and the need to be budget conscious. I still worry about the future of Chicago and Detroit -- NYC has an advantage in that the non-automotive business press has a huge presence in Midtown. You can see the New York Times building from the Javits Center.

But I can say that, regardless of whether it has any deeper meaning for the long term, this year's NYIAS press day, held on April Fool's Day, was a busy one. Well, at least until lunch time. Given the relaxed vibes of recent shows, that's progress.

(Full disclosure: Subaru paid for my flights, hotel, and a couple of meals, so that I could cover the show.)

Let's break it down. By my count, there were six new or refreshed vehicles slated for production -- the Volkswagen Atlas, the Kia EV3, the Kia Seltos, the Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid, the Subaru Getaway EV, and the Chrysler Pacifica. If you count the Hyundai Boulder, which is a concept, and the special-edition Dodge Durango, you have eight vehicles getting the spotlight.

A far cry from the old days, yes, but better than nothing. And Hyundai actually took things back to the salad days with an old-fashioned surprise.

There's still the usual whiff of disappointment when it comes to vehicles that don't appear majorly made over. The Atlas looks a little too familiar, and the Pacifica's reskin seems mostly confined to the fascias. At least the Atlas will get a hybrid powertrain soon enough, and at least the Pacifica offers some new features.

That's why the Hyundai Boulder caught my eye. It's just that it looks kind of cool -- it's because the practice of showing design-study concepts is on life support. I understand why -- the bottom line is the top priority -- but it's nice to see a sad trend bucked.

Hopefully, myself and the contributors here can answer those questions this year as first drives roll out. Until then, I will remember this year's New York Auto Show as one that reminded me of what a media day can be.

[Images © 2026 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]

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