Hyundai and Lucid Target Tesla at Los Angeles Auto Show

While it’s not entirely a return to the glory days, Los Angeles has a much longer parade of vehicles rolling out. A few of them even qualify as exciting.

The Los Angeles Auto Show
The Los Angeles Auto Show. The Los Angeles Auto Show

There’s something novel at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. Autos.

Car companies have been shying away from the traditional big shows in recent years, opting instead to use standalone events for the debuts of many of their most important new models.

Long gone are the lavish, multi-day cavalcades with dozens of major unveilings that sometimes got lost in the press shuffle. The iconic Detroit Auto Show only had four this year.

Yet, while it’s not entirely a return to the glory days, Los Angeles has a much longer parade of vehicles rolling out. A few of them even qualify as exciting, including two electric vehicles aimed at Tesla.

Honda Prelude

The Honda Prelude. Honda

The Honda Prelude is being resurrected for the first time since 2001 as a hybrid sports coupe. Details remain under wraps, but a concept that made a surprise U.S. appearance at Los Angeles previews was a production car that could be on sale as soon as 2025. It’s not at all retro and offers an idea where Honda styling is heading in the coming years.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Hyundai

Hyundai has created a very hot hatchback. The Ioniq 5 N is a new high-performance version of the 2022 World Car of the Year. The electric sports car has an all-wheel-drive system rated at 641 hp, which is nearly 200 hp more than the top Tesla Model Y. Some V8 American muscle cars even pale in comparison. Hyundai says it can accelerate to 60 mph in a blistering 3.25 seconds when its special “Grin Boost” mode is engaged and reach a top speed of 162 mph. Just how far you can drive it at that, or any speed, will be announced closer to when it goes on sale next spring.

Hyundai Santa Fe

The Hyundai Santa Fe. Hyundai

The all-new Hyundai Santa Fe looks like something out of an old video game. The three-row, Alabama-built SUV’s very boxy styling is accented with pixelated head and tail lights. Larger and roomier than the current midsize model, it will be available with both conventional gas and hybrid powertrains. There’s also a new off-road XRT trim with all-terrain tires and extra ground clearance that helps the Santa Fe better live up to its wild west-inspired name.

Kia Sorento

The Kia Sorento. Kia

Hyundai’s corporate cousin Kia builds its Sorento on the same platform as the Santa Fe but only gives it a mild refresh this time around rather than a full redesign. The midsize SUV’s fresh styling is accompanied by the addition of a rugged X-Pro model similar to the Santa Fe XRT. The Sorento is launching with the choice of a 191 hp four-cylinder engine or 281 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will be added to the lineup next year.

Lucid Gravity

The Lucid Gravity. Lucid

Lucid is coming after Tesla in a very big way. The new American electric car company’s Gravity is its first SUV and is positioned as a serious competitor to the Tesla Model X. The three-row, Arizona-built Gravity will have a starting price below $80,000, an estimated driving range of 440 miles a charge, and the ability to accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds so you can get ahead of those Teslas in the middle school drop-off line.

Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester. Subaru

The Subaru Forester is all-new for the first time in six years. It follows the familiar compact SUV formula with standard all-wheel-drive and one of Subaru’s signature flat-four-cylinder engines, but it also gets some new high-tech tricks to make it safer. It has a facial recognition system that can detect if a driver has become inattentive. If the driver fails to respond to alerts while cruise control is engaged, the Forester will slowly bring itself to a stop within a lane, turn on the hazard lights, unlock the doors, and request help with a phone call.

Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry. Toyota

Toyota has been getting a lot of criticism from electric evangelists lately for not fully committing to EVs, but the world’s largest automaker keeps cranking out more fuel-efficient hybrids than any other brand. In fact, the redesigned 2025 Toyota Camry, which remains the best-selling “car” — not pickup or SUV — in America, will only be offered with hybrid power in both front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive versions.

Toyota Crown Signia

The Toyota Crown Signia. Toyota

Toyota launched an upscale sub-brand this year with the full-size Crown sedan and is following it up next summer with the Crown Signia SUV. The five-seat model is as long as the popular seven-seat Toyota Highlander but puts a premium on passenger comfort. As with the Camry, it will only be offered with a hybrid powertrain that Toyota expects to deliver 36 mpg.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use