125th New York International Auto Show

Thursday, May 1, 2025

The 10-day anniversary 125th New York International Auto Show, the oldest American auto show and the largest event of its kind in the United States, took place on April 18, 2025 in Javits Center.

The exhibition featured the latest models of sedans, trucks, SUVs and vans that are already available at dealerships, as well as a number of notable concept cars. New developments were demonstrated by 34 companies: Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, Ford, Genesis, GTO Engineering, Honda, Hyundai, INEOS, Kia, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Lotus, Lucid, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Sacrilege Motors, Subaru, Porsche, RAM, Rimac, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo.

In addition to new models, the show also featured vintage historical cars. At the entrance, visitors were greeted by a 1910 Ford Model T, a yellow 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow sports coupe (only three examples remain), a 1947 Mercury Eight convertible, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" coupe, a 1958 Buick Limited convertible, the iconic 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (starring in the film "Back to the Future"), and a 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4.

There were also special exhibits, such as New York Police Department (NYPD) vehicles from the past decades. The Golden Era exhibit showcased automotive highlights from the 1950s, including a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado, a 1958 Buick Limited, and a 1955 Packard Caribbean.

The lower level featured a special display of off-road vehicles and RVs called the R2X Rides & Rigs Expo, as well as unique modified aftermarket vehicles.

Many of the cars could be seen from the inside, while sitting in the showroom. Visitors could try driving and racing simulators, ride with a professional driver in a Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 5 N, Ioniq 6 or Kona Electric, making sharp turns at high speed, drive up a 28-foot “Jeep mountain”, and climb and slide down steep hills in a Ford Bronco SUV.

The American auto industry has only introduced one innovative Jeep Wagoneer Overland Special Edition (2025 model) this year. But Korean, Japanese and German manufacturers have shown several notable updates. The Korean conglomerate Kia-Hyundai has been particularly prolific, owning more than half of the new products. The Korean Genesis car, created by the Hyundai plant in 2008, became an independent luxury brand in 2015, and now competes very successfully with new cars from BMW and Mercedes.

The following seven 2026 models saw their world debut at the exhibition: Kia EV9 Nightfall Edition, Subaru Outback, Subaru Solterra, Subaru Trailseeker, Toyota GR86 Yuzu Special Edition, Toyota GR Supra MkV Final Edition and Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Turbo. Three 2026 models were presented for the first time in North America: Hyundai Palisade, Kia EV4, Kia K4 Hatchback. The Genesis X Gran Equator concept was presented for the first time.

Oleg Yunakov has chosen five notable new automobiles:

⑤ Chevrolet С8 Corvette ZR1

Chevrolet C8 Corvette ZR1 and car engine (Image: Oleg Yunakov)

The eighth-generation Corvette combines elegance and speed with a glossy black exterior framed by racing stripes. The car is equipped with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 1,064 horsepower. In terms of performance, the production model is close to hypercars.

④ Kia PV5 WKNDR EV VAN Concept

Kia PV5 WKNDR EV VAN Concept (Image: Oleg Yunakov)

Kia may not be the first name that comes to mind for American car enthusiasts, but the Korean manufacturer surprised with one of the most striking concepts presented at the show. The car looks provocative and gives the feeling that you can safely drive it to a campsite during a zombie apocalypse. The solar panel on top will help charge the batteries a little even without a charging station. The interesting shape of the body combined with an interesting tire solution makes the car memorable. But even more remarkable is the structure of the interior, which allows, despite the external ostentatious roughness of the facade, to create coziness.

③ Fiat Topolino

Fiat Topolino (Image: Oleg Yunakov)

This unique car attracted the largest number of visitors to the exhibition. "Topolino" in Italian means "little mouse" and proves that small Fiat cars can be even smaller.

Despite its dwarf size and the ability to park the car in the tightest space, the interior turned out to be surprisingly spacious against the background of the overall dimensions of the electric quad bike. The seats are plastic with several soft cushions.

Such cars may be familiar to Europe, but for America and Canada this is a great rarity, since the model is not sold in the USA. By a unique coincidence, the author of these lines Oleg Yunakov saw a Fiat 500 Abarth|Fiat 500 Abarth on the street for the first time before visiting the exhibition, which he photographed, and this "Fiat Topolino" model is inspired by the solutions of the Fiat 500 "Topolino" of the 1930s. The priority for the car was efficiency, not speed.

② Genesis GMR-001 Concept

Genesis GMR-001 Concept (Image: Oleg Yunakov)

The Genesis GMR-001 is a sports prototype conceived and developed by Genesis in collaboration with Oreca, and with advice from former FIA WEC Champion André Lotterer and IMSA Champion Pipo Derani. The model will feature a twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid engine.

Two weeks before the US show, a half-scale model of the Genesis GMR-001 hypercar was shown at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show in Korea (April 3–13, 2025). The full-scale prototype was unveiled at the US show, and will be exhibited in Dubai in December 2024.

The Genesis GMR-001 will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar category in 2026, and in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in the GTP category in 2027.

① Genesis X Gran Equator Concept

Genesis GMR-001 Concept (Image: Oleg Yunakov)

The Genesis X Gran Equator concept car is the most interesting exhibit at the show. It is Genesis’ attempt to carve out a niche in the luxury SUV market that is geared toward overlanding. It combines exterior futurism with an interior retro feel. The sleek, futuristic SUV has a long hood, a two-tone interior, and Genesis’ signature dual-row headlights that are integrated into the body rather than “glued on” like many other cars. It is a strong competitor to the Range Rover Defender and other luxury SUVs.

The name is not inspired by the Earth’s equator, but by the best Arabian stallion. The company alludes to the horse’s endurance and elegance, which may be hinted at by the muscular bulge of the fenders. There is no grille, which may imply that the car is planned to be electric. The overly long front end may indicate a hybrid, which is also hinted at by the two charging ports on either side.

The front of the car looks a bit boring, and the lower round headlights do not quite match the square headlights placed inside the circle, and under the horizontal strip headlights higher. Instead of one window on the roof, there are four separate individual hatches.

In the four-seater cabin, in place of the touch screen, there are round digital indicators made to look like old analog ones - three by the steering wheel and four more on the dashboard between the driver and passenger. There are two boxes on the right, and the gear shifter has the shape of a signature crystal ball. The interior is implemented in a pastel blue and beige color scheme, includes an original seat design with a backrest made of two separate parts, there are headrests and wide armrests between the seats with space for two bottles.

The elegant retro-futuristic image of the SUV is completed by enlarged 24-inch wheels with high-cross-country tires. The tires are unbranded, meaning Genesis hasn't yet determined what tires will be used if the concept goes into production. The prototype stands out from the crowd so effectively that it was worth visiting the show.

Gallery

And here is a number of other cars from the exhibition: