New York Auto Show Roundup
 

Tbh, I went in expecting insane cost cutting and cookie cutter V6 SUVs everywhere but there's actually a lot to be excited about right now

The fun stuff

https://i.imgur.com/nX3y1cH.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/v7C6cpp.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/TEBrKbR.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/kaGafBA.jpeg

Shitboxes are less shitty

Yes, the Corolla Cross hybrid has the old 2000s mouse fur toyota headliner that you can't "unscratch" once you scratch it.

Chevy Trailblazer has a surprisingly nice interior with contrast piping, and the front passenger seat folds flat

https://i.imgur.com/1dRfDJ6.jpeg.

HR-V continues to work packaging magic with a see-through center console that makes it feel way more open inside.

VW is also un-cost cutting themselves - new Tiguan has a beautiful interior ... perfect for my mom: she thinks the RAV4 is too loud and plasticky but doesn't want a Lexus/MB/Audi.

https://i.imgur.com/ElCDBKw.jpeg

Controversy - not so controversial irl

Chevy's removal of Carplay/Android Auto makes the easiest experience. They have the FASTEST screens, Google Play apps and the EV route planning actually works — which is more than I can say for Hyundai (slow) or Jeep (hopeless). Not sure what people are mad about.

Volvo EX90: Once a mom sees a built-in booster seat she doesn't have to climb over and gets the best massage seats I've tried, it's game over. With Zeekr battery tech coming, it's also going to fast charge in 9 minutes compared to 35 on a Tesla.

The giant Escalade / Navigator and Nautilus screens let passengers put Netflix, Prime, YouTube up there ... no more holding your phone. Add in Lincoln's 10 minute meditation with aromatherapy and massage seats? Game over.

https://i.imgur.com/TUC9yXE.jpeg

Low key, I actually really like the way the Challenger looks and its interior. Fuck the EV stuff, the gas versions are gonna be great.

https://i.imgur.com/U6XsdSU.jpeg

Toyota .... what happened?

The Land Cruiser, 4Runner, and Tacoma all feel smaller inside than a Corolla. I wish I was kidding, you can’t even fit a tissue box in the LC’s center console.

Half the Tacoma TRD Pro’s controls are already broken, and we’ve seen this before with Tundra seat bases cracking within a year. The hybrid system better be its saving grace.

Meanwhile, everyone else has stepped up: RAM’s console fits a 12-pack, Chevy’s EV has an 11 foot bed and Ford’s got tailgates with built-in steps.

The Crown Signia is small and cheap - hard plastic at the top of the door panel right in your sight line looks super non premium.

Toyota feels retro and rugged the way old Italian cars do — charming, but kind of a mess.

https://i.imgur.com/caDukVP.jpeg

Lifestyle cars are back baby

boxy offroaders take me back to the early 2000s: the Honda Passport has 50 cupholders for all your gear, humongous cargo bins in the wheel wells, aggressive tires and a locking/torque vectoring diff.

https://i.imgur.com/sl6qUzN.jpeg

santa fe also cool - the little handle to reach the roof rack with and power folding 2nd/3rd row seats are a hit.

forester will move units with the new hybrid but it's a miss for me - looks like the hunchback of notre dame and has the terrible touchscreen.

outback will also move units because it now looks a lil bit more like an suv... but nowhere near as tall as the pictures make it look - just an inch or two. the 50000 buttons on the steering feel, door cards that flex 3 inches, and ports/heated seat buttons that are stuck on are what makes a subaru, a subaru.

https://i.imgur.com/ot4iIQu.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/ev7zeGB.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/CNGCZQD.jpeg

Bring back the Honda element, and Mitsubishi delica

Lifted ID Buzz when?

The only thing that caught my attention was the blue Panasonic battery in the AE86.

Looks like the exciting part is the cars from 30 years ago...

The rest is all a bunch of SUV's. Yay.

I think Lincoln is hilarious with their features though... I'm not sure where my life would have to be that I'd want to do aromatherapy and meditation in my fucking car... but points for effort!

You're looking for one to order for your Scion right now aren't you?

Personally, I’d sooner drop dead than become a road warrior shuttling kids around suburban Texas hellscapes for endless activities. I get the Lincoln stuff's probably for them… but still.

Those Volvo massage seats tho.........

And my Beetle! :thumbs:

Yours is more Ladybug than Beetle

Fuck me those 86s look gorgeous. I'm a sucker for ITBs.

The first thing I thought of with those Lincoln options was those obscenely long school pickup lines some US schools have that take like 45 minutes to get through.

Personally I'd just move rather than buy a car with aromatherapy to try and make that crap tolerable but different strokes for different folks.

the surf looks good

For the off road guys, how important is approach vs break over vs break over angles?

2026 Passport TrailSport: 23°/??/23.1°, 8.3” clearance, 265/60R18 Grabbers, AWD w/ torque vectoring (up to 100% rear torque to one wheel).

2025 4Runner SR5: 18°/22°/23°, 8.1”, 265/70R17 Duelers, part-time 4WD w/ low range (no locker).

2025 4Runner TRD Off-Road: 19°/24°/24°, 9.1”, 33” Terra Grapplers, part-time 4WD w/ low range + rear locker. Optional disconnecting from ARB.

Depends on the terrain, but in BC they're all pretty important. Approach gets your front tires onto something, break over gets your belly over it, and departure gets your rear tires away from it. If any of them is poor you're going to get hung up on things that other people don't. A 2 door Wrangler, a 4 door Wrangler, and a Gladiator are the same vehicle up front but have very different capabilities offroad. The 2 door will out wheel a 4 door because of the shorter wheelbase giving the 2 door a better break over angle (25* vs 20*). Both will out do a Gladiator because its long bed hurts departure angle (26* vs 36*).

Without doing a ton of research those numbers look okay for modern vehicles but IFS will hurt them just like the Bronco. With that I'd rather have a front locker than a rear one since you're going to lift a front tire more easily, and when you do you're functionally just RWD.

All of those except the 2 door Wrangler will end up left behind by someone in a clapped out XJ Cherokee with a junkyard lift and some used tires. Those are 38*/22*/32*, 8.3" stock.