#LosAngelesAutoShow

It was gloomy when I landed in Los Angeles last week. Gloomy enough that it put me in a sour mood -- despite living in the Midwest, I like sun.

The same cloud cover that prevented me from getting a view of the city upon approach to LAX painted downtown in a shade of grey that would be right at home in some depressing movie about urban malaise.

Then, on Thursday, the sun came out. Just in time for this year's sole media day.

Showing up at the sixth-generation of this long running nameplate, the 2025 Subaru Forester adds a yaffle of technology whilst smoothing out some of the old car’s odd styling choices.

LOS ANGELES -- In addition to the updated 2024 Sorento, Kia has unveiled two concepts today at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show -- the EV3 and EV4.

LOS ANGELES -- Boxes are in these days, it seems.

OK, that's probably a bit of an overstatement -- there are plenty of crossovers on the market with swoopy styling -- but the facelifted 2024 Kia Sorento is definitely following the rugged/boxy trend.

LOS ANGELES -- No, we haven't turned into a late-night infomercial, saying "but wait, there's more!"

We're quoting the tagline from the press release for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: "Open for More." So tagged because the liftgate opening is larger.

And, well, there's more. Read on.

LOS ANGELES -- High performance isn't just limited to vehicles that burn dead dinos in some way, shape, or form. EVs can get in on the fun, too.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N isn't the first high-performance EV -- there are several examples on the market. Instead, it's another reminder that EVs don't have to be boring commuter machines.

Stellantis will not be at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show. Nor will it be at the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. This is due to the ongoing United Auto Workers' strike.

The latest episode of the TTAC podcast is here!

Auto shows aren't all a grind of bad food, bad lighting, and too much coffee. Sometimes, one gets to have a little fun.

I often, though not always, write a quick recap of each auto show I attend. I try to see if there's a theme or pattern to what was shown, or at least talk about the vibe. The 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show defies easy characterization, however.

Kia’s had a great run the past few years. The Telluride was a hit when it landed, and the new EV6 is selling out all over the place, and the automaker has established itself as a forward-looking company that has outgrown its budget-friendly beginnings. Kia took the opportunity to unveil a revised Seltos crossover and brag about its recent accomplishments at this year’s LA Auto Show.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza debuted in L.A., and after wandering over to the brand's floor stand -- and nearly getting sick due to the psychedelic floors -- I gotta say, Subie's little inexpensive hatch looks good up close.

The on-paper specs look pretty good, too.

Hello from sunny Southern California. You may notice a later-than-usual posting schedule today and tomorrow as we work our way through the LA Auto Show -- we're sorta working on West Coast time.

Which brings me to the QOTD -- what debut from this show has you perking up?

LOS ANGELES – Lost in all the Prius hoopla is the Toyota bZ SUV concept.

The brand chose the show as a prime (get it?) opportunity to show a batter-electric SUV that could, and almost certainly does, preview a future vehicle for its lineup. Building off the bZ4X EV, this concept also showcases the use of “green” materials. The seats are made from plant-based materials, for example, and recycled materials are also used.

LOS ANGELES – Like a lot of automotive enthusiasts, I’ve always been a little derisive towards Toyota’s Prius, mostly because the car has always been a bit lacking in guts. In fact, a running joke I have with a few other automotive journalists I know involves uttering the words “it’s always a f*cking Prius” when we come upon slower traffic during press drives. That’s because it often actually is a Prius holding up the works. I’ve dropped this line on many a California freeway, from Sacramento on down to San Diego. And, of course, I’ve said plenty of times bopping around my home base of Chicago.