NEW YORK — One of the things I love about New York City — and other big cities, like Chicago or LA — is the constant motion. Yes, sometimes it can overwhelm. But sometimes, it feels like all the motion isn’t just the routine beats of daily life — it feels like some sort of progress.
The 2026 New York International Auto Show gave off that vibe.
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.
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.
The Boulder bears watching — can Hyundai get the truck it previews to market by 2030? I will be interested to find out.
But I am just as curious about the cars launching sooner. Will a thoroughly reworked Seltos become a baby Telluride? Will the EV3 continue Kia’s sharp EV game? How will the Getaway fare as the next Subie EV? Can the Atlas shed a reputation as being a little staid — and can VW finally make haptic touch work?
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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