Payne: The good, the bad and the chilly of the 2025 Detroit Auto Show

Posted by Talbot Payne on January 11, 2025

Detroit — If the 2025 Detroit Auto Show were a car, it would be a mainstream Jeep Grand Cherokee, not the luxurious Audi Q8 of yesteryear.

The show has shed its international name and much of the media and big stage glitz that fueled the North American International Auto Show from 1989-2019. Gone are European and most Asian automakers. Reveals like the Audi Q8 SUV at NAIAS 2017? Fuhgeddaboudit. Audi doesn’t even have a display at this year’s show.

The all-electric Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept vehicle drew a crowd Friday at the Detroit Auto Show's Media Day in Huntington Place. General Motors Co. is among a reduced group of automakers with displays at this year's show.

The all-electric Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept vehicle drew a crowd Friday at the Detroit Auto Show’s Media Day in Huntington Place. General Motors Co. is among a reduced group of automakers with displays at this year’s show. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Detroit Three (and Toyota) displays anchor the show and European and Asian automakers have been replaced by dealer displays, specialty brands and tracks. Lots of tracks. Detroit is not alone. Auto shows like New York and Los Angels are shadows of their former selves as a new media age has allowed automakers to reveal cars whenever and wherever they want.

Just this week, for example, Honda showed its new Honda Salon and SV 0 Series models at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and Tesla unveiled its new Model Y SUV on. . . its Chinese customer website.

Detroit is a meat-and-potatoes show for shoppers who want to see lots of vehicles in one place, then take a short ride. The show has also shed its premium, “educational” electric vehicle vibe and now offers attendees rides in internal-combustion and EV vehicles alike on the show floor.

There are glaring holes, however, including no vehicles from popular brands like the aforementioned Audi, Hyundai, Subaru, and Mini Cooper. Eye candy still exists with goodies like the exotic Gallery display and a robust Detroit Grand Prix stand showcasing race cars for this year’s race — and even Corvette rides with IndyCar winner Josef Newgarden. Sure, the show is back in frigid January with the mercury in the (brrrr) teens, but downtown is also more welcoming today compared to 2019 with lots of restaurants to visit after your day at the auto circus, and three Pistons and three Red Wings games to attend at Little Caesars Arena during the show’s Jan. 11-20 public days.

“I love the new show,” said Detroiter Rosemary Allen, 35, who came with her friend, Betty Davis, 71, to Huntington Place on Friday as jurors for The Detroit News Reader’s Choice Awards. “It’s so interactive so that you can actually get into the cars and ride them. It’s not as spectacular as it once was, but I will keep coming back. I like the Cadillac Opulent Velocity”

Here are the good, bad and chilly of the 2025 Detroit Auto Show.

Concepts and new cars

The gorgeous, scissor-door, boat-tail Caddy EV was one of a handful of daring concepts on the floor that elevated the show beyond a dealer showroom.

The stunning Velocity is joined on the floor by Chrysler Halcyon and Buick Wildcat concepts. All three are battery-powered, showcasing where (think fully-autonomous, Level 4 driving) the brands want to go. Indeed, the Wildcat’s influence is already readily apparent in the production cars around it. The Buick Envista, Encore, Envision and Enclave all share the Wildcat’s design cures.

The Chrysler Halcyon EV concept vehicle sits on display during the Detroit Auto Show, at Huntington Place, in Detroit, January 10, 2025.The Chrysler Halcyon EV concept vehicle sits on display during the Detroit Auto Show, at Huntington Place, in Detroit, January 10, 2025. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

As for new cars, shows now present the opportunity for one automaker to dominate. With few new reveals at last November’s LA Show, for example, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 got lots of ink.

Ford is the standout of the 2025 Detroit Show.

The newly revealed "Spirit of America" Mustang GTD is among the Ford models showgoers can peruse, as the Dearborn automaker brought its full lineup to Huntington Place.

The newly revealed "Spirit of America" Mustang GTD is among the Ford models showgoers can peruse, as the Dearborn automaker brought its full lineup to Huntington Place. Daniel Mears, The Detroit News

At a special event on the Huntington Place floor Thursday night, the brand revealed the Mustang GTD Spirit of America Special Editon, Musang RTR, and Ford F-150 Lions Special Edition — the latter complete with Lions’ superstar quarterback Jared Goff hopping out of the cab in front of a cheering grandstand of Detroit faithful.

It’s the Mustang RTR, however, that should be most impactful. Still dressed in prototype camouflage, the RTR is the product of drift racing star Vaughn Gittin, Jr’s mod shop and promises to be the sequel to the last-gen ‘Stang’s EcoBoost High Performance model — a performance upgrade for the pony car’s 2.3-liter turbo-4 engine and suspension. Huzzah.

You can get a look at Rivian's new R2 SUV, a smaller offering from the EV startup to go along with the R1T pickup and the full-size R1S SUV.
You can get a look at Rivian’s new R2 SUV, a smaller offering from the EV startup to go along with the R1T pickup and the full-size R1S SUV. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

All the new Fords are on the show floor. As is a less conspicuous debut from Rivian — its medium-size R2 SUV is making its show debut here. Secreted in the northeast corner of the convention floor, it is the third model in the EV maker’s lineup.

EVs and AWOLs

Notably, EVs have taken a step back for the 2025 show. Once exclusive to Huntington Place’s test tracks, EVs (Cadillac Escalade IQ, Rivian R1S/R1T, GMC Sierra EV) now share the floor with an ICE track (Mazda MX5 Miata, Buick Envista, Ford Bronco Sport).

Shoppers like Reaja Richardson, 37, of Detroit reveal why EVs have limited appeal: the extra time it takes to recharge versus filling a gas tank. “I’m looking to replace my Ford Fusion and I prefer a gas car because when I take a road trip, an EV will take too long to get there.”

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, displayed on the show floor beneath a Ram 1500 pickup, caught the eye of visitor Reaja Richardson on Friday.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, displayed on the show floor beneath a Ram 1500 pickup, caught the eye of visitor Reaja Richardson on Friday. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Shopping with her son, Dexter, 7, Richardson wants an SUV. “I like the Alfa Stelvio and Dodge Hornet, but I really like the Jeep Wagoneer — it has more room for Dexter.” Dexter likes the Wagoneer, too — it has entertainment screens in the back seat.

Richardson enjoyed the show and the chance to shop multiple vehicles. But Detroit 2025 limits her choices by failing to attract major brands like Hyundai and Subaru. Most manufacturers have pulled out of the show (save GM, Ford, Stellantis and Toyota), but dealers have plugged most gaps. Shoring up brands like Audi, Subaru, Hyundai, Mini and others is a must for future Januarys.

Detroit Grand Prix, Hagerty

These two Michigan brands have stepped up in a big way to fill the gaps. Tickets for the Grand Prix go on sale this week, and the IndyCar race has embraced the show by branding the ICE track and stocking a display with IndyCars and IMSA cars that will compete in the June race. On Friday, Jan. 17, the Detroit GP will entertain showgoers with a group of race stars — including Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and local Indy NXT talent Nolan Allaer. The drivers will give test drives to showgoers in 2025 Corvette E-Rays.

Hagerty also stepped up by bringing to the show some of Hollywood’s most famous movie cars — or infamous, in the case of the pea-green Queen Wagon Family Truckster wagon from “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” Other notables include the Ferrari Modena California Spyder from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off “and a Jeep Wrangler used in “Jurassic Park.”

Muscle cars

No Detroit show would be complete without Detroit muscle. The winged 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 hypercar anchors the Chevrolet display with its 1,064-horsepower V-8 and 233-mph top speed.

Senator Gary Peters checks out the Corvette ZR1 during the Detroit Auto Show, at Huntington Place, in Detroit, January 10, 2025.

Senator Gary Peters checks out the Corvette ZR1 during the Detroit Auto Show, at Huntington Place, in Detroit, January 10, 2025. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Not to be outdone, Ford is showcasing the winged 1,600-horsepower Ford F-150 Lighting EV hypertruck — the fastest vehicle up the hill in last year’s Pikes Peak competition.

The Gallery

There’s more muscle in The Gallery, an exotic showcase in the southwest corner of the floor. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Ford GTs, Lotuses — as well as rare birds like the electric Rolls Royce Specter and Ferrari Purosangue SUV.

Alas, The Gallery looks like a valet carpark, with the cars jammed together. Future shows would benefit if banners were hung behind the cars with brand logos or pictures from their storied past.

Though diminished, the show feels at home in January. “I like that the show is back in winter,” said Richardson as snow began to fall outside. “What else are you going to do in Detroit in January?”

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

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