New York Auto Show Debuts Fewer Trucks But More SUVs And EVs

Forbes

22-04-2025

The new Kia EV4
In today's automotive climate where everything seems to be going against Tesla—like multiple recalls, boycotts, plummeting sales and even uncontrollable rust—while a large slice of the car-buying public are progressively turning to SUVs, let's have a look at the latest offerings at the New York International Auto Show, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary.
Unlike auto shows of the past, at which basically every manufacturer felt it imperative to have a stand and reveal new and future product, many automakers these days are using their advertising budgets in new and different ways—like sponsoring sporting events or debuting new product at bespoke events—and staying away from motor shows.
This year, carmakers including Cadillac, Ferrari, Lexus, BMW, Buick and Mazda were absent, and in the whole scheme of things, that's a huge shame as potential customers won't be able to see them and compare. Ah, yes, and one other thing that did stand out was the fact that almost no pricing was to be seen anywhere thanks to the government's unsure on-again, off-again, on-again tariff measures.
Of the carmakers that were in New York, here are the highlights.
The Jeep Wagoneer Special Edition
Jeep fans were drooling at the all-new but conservatively restyled Jeep Wagoneer Special Edition that looks neat and ready for the road or dirt trail. Riding on all-terrain 32-inch tires, it comes powered by a 420-hp twin-turbo inline six engine boasting an electronic LSD and a two-speed transfer case. Priced at around $75,000, it also gets fancy air suspension that provides up to 10 inches of ground clearance and a healthy 10,000 lbs of towing capacity.
Ford Maverick Lobo
Strangely though, few new trucks were either unveiled or even displayed. In addition to the new Jeep, Ford showed its new Maverick Lobo which is kind of like a GTI in pick-up trim as well as its special edition Bronco decked out in obvious patriotic colors. Nissan also revealed its new Armada truck with funky revised styling, which is currently selling well in the U.S. Acura also unveiled its new ADX crossover while Toyota showed us their next-gen Land Cruiser and new 4Runner. One car gaining lots of attention was the fully electric Lucid Gravity which delivers copious amounts of luxury, range and performance, and the fastest charge speed on the planet. It can charge at speeds of up to 400 kW on DC chargers with a 1000-volt architecture.
The new Outback
Who can ignore Subaru's mainstay in the U.S.—the chunky Outback? Slated to go on sale at the end of 2025, the new crossover is certainly not pretty, in stead adopting a new edgier, more functional off-road SUV-styled exterior. The nearly 4-foot wide blocky Subaru logo imprinted across the grille is employed to further strengthen brand presence. With a more rugged Wilderness spec arriving in 2026, the new Outback range will come with standard AWD and a 2.5-liter boxer engine while a turbocharged version is also available.
Subaru also unveiled its all-new Trailseeker EV, based on the current model Solterra—which was of course co-developed with Toyota. Looking more like an electric version of the outgoing Outback, the Trailseeker is conservative but looks sleeker than the Solterra. Fitted with a 75kWh battery, dual-motor AWD, and a NACS (Tesla) charging port, the wagon generates 375 hp and offers 260 miles of range.
In New York, the wraps came off the Kia EV4, yet another similarly named fully electric vehicle—it also has EV5, EV6 and EV9—from the company that seems to keep winning the World Car of the Year. Boasting an estimated range of around 300 miles and an affordable price tag, or so says Kia, this EV comes with rear-wheel-drive only. As with most of its siblings, the Kia EV4 is a pretty machine, with sexy lines, eye-pleasing proportions and an expected debut on early 2026. Kia also launched the K4 hatchback to join its sedan sibling. It's one of the most practical cars on show in New York and has a nice wagon vibe to it. The K4 gets either a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 190-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter option.
The new Palisade.
The new 2nd-gen luxury Hyundai Palisade is sharp and beautiful proportioned. It is a backbone of the Korean company's lineup in the U.S. Rumored to be at the end of its life-cycle, sales of the full-size 8-seater SUV up to 110,000 units in 2024 from their 2023 figure of 89,000. It comes with either a new 3.5-litre V6 or a more frugal hybrid.
There were numerous concept cars revealed in the Big Apple last week and they include the Genesis GMR 001 hypercar that's destined to compete in the 24-hours of Le Mans race ion France in 2026.
Meanwhile, Chrysler unveiled their low-slung Halcyon supercar concept with its glass-domed cockpit. Obviously not destined for the showroom, this bullet-shaped concept is especially pleasing on the optic nerve. Parent company Stellantis tell us that there is a vehicle in the pipeline that will share some of the Halcyon's parts, but let's wait to see if that ever happens.
Other concepts launched include the silky smooth Genesis X Gran Equator SUV, the bespoke Kia EV9 Adventure, and the Kia Weekender based on the PV5 van that the carmaker will build in South Korea. Looking like an off-roader that a SWAT team might want to use, the EV incorporates special wheel fins that supposedly generate electricity in a strong wind or a 1-2 foot deep stream, while a solar panel on the roof develops even more juice.
The funky Kia Weekender.
Vehicles worth a look at include the new bold Volkswagen Tiguan Turbo, the new practical-looking Honda Passport crossover, and the new gorgeous Genesis GV80. Cars that will land in showrooms this year and that won't break the bank include the new sub-$30,000 Nissan Kicks, the Nissan Sentra sedan and the Versa.
So if you are in the NYC area and you have a spare half day or more, why not get down to the Javits Center because, to be honest, motor shows are truly the best place to research your next car.