TTAC Podcast: 2023 Chicago Auto Show

As February ends, we look back a couple of weeks to the 2023 Chicago Auto Show on our latest podcast.

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Shameless Self Promotion: TTAC at the Chicago Auto Show

It's shameless self-promotion time! I will be doing a Facebook Live with ABC 7 Chicago Eyewitness News from the Chicago Auto Show at noon Central time today.

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2023 Chicago Auto Show Recap/Gallery: Step in the Right Direction

The Chicago Auto Show has often been a dreary event from a new-vehicle launch perspective. A fun event for consumers, sure, but often overshadowed in terms of vehicle debuts by the shows in Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles.

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2023 Chicago Auto Show: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Revealed; Both Puppies And Indiana Rejoice

Amid a digital backdrop showing stark b-roll scenes from various National Parks, under a cloud of smoke haze and inexplicable soap bubbles, and flanked by a booth filled with rescue puppies, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek compact crossover was revealed today at the Chicago Auto Show. While this third-generation crossover does not look markedly different from the prior model, perhaps the most notable announcement was that production of some Crosstrek models will be shifted from Japan to the venerable Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Indiana.

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QOTD: Star of the Show

Today's QOTD is pretty self-explanatory. What vehicle that debuted here in Chicago caused you to sit up and take notice?

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  • JMII I had the sedan version of this same car... same engine, same tranny. I have NO idea how this owner managed to keep it looking so good. The interior on ours literally fell apart after about 4 years: I'm talking about peeling plastic and fabric sagging on the door trim and roof, while various parts simply broke off with no warning - including the glove box handle and the power window regulators failed multiple times (a typical VW problem as noted in the listing). I've never seen an interior disintegrate like this, parts snapped or scratched like they were made out of cheapest, thinnest plastic on the planet. Not just interior parts either: the left turn signal housing just feel off one day and the windshield wipers gave up the ghost. It leaked coolant and any parts/service for it were way overpriced, a prime example was a replacement antenna cost $300! WTF? Guess that was one of those high end Audi parts! At around the 8 year mark the trip computer display faded to point where you could only read it at night which was a real shame. Then the tie rods and suspension gave out along with the ABS system. It was almost like the car was only designed to survive for 60K miles. With each passing mile more random parts broke, for example one day a spring fell out from under the drivers seat. How does that even happen? By 80K (in 9 years) this car was a complete mess, it looked like it had been trashed on the inside despite being garage kept and only driven my wife (no kids either). Since there was nothing wrong with the engine I drove it to 100K but the last year of ownership was down right painful as the car shook and squealed constantly as it crumbled to pieces. I refused to put any money into it, I just kept driving it. On the way to trade it in (for my Nissan 350Z) the cruise control stopped working and the sunroof controls fell off in my hand! I've never been so happy to get rid of a car in my entire life! Don't walk RUN AWAY.
  • Analoggrotto Just what the Teslarati need to keep things exciting in bed.
  • Mike Beranek If the service records are as complete as the seller implies, then this puppy is worth it.
  • SCE to AUX My 02 B5.5 Passat had a bunch of 'infant mortality' issues through its brief 3-year stay with me. High oil consumption on its V6 was the last straw. The fact that this B5 has gone 23 years without someone shooting it is remarkable."the window regulator on the left rear door is broken"Curiously, a recurring bug in my car was the electrics in the left rear door failed a few times.
  • Tassos You should call your columns "EXHUMATION OF THE DAY". FIts perfectly with this 'find'. How deep did you have to dig to exhume it? Let rotting carcasses lie!