It was hard to miss the SpongeBob SquarePants minivan from across the room. The custom Toyota Sienna was painted in the Nickelodeon character’s signature yellow and his goofy grin adorned the hood. The 2015 Chicago Auto Show has a little something for everyone, whether you are a family looking for your next vehicle or an auto enthusiast salivating over the $2.6 million Bugatti Veyron in the supercar section.
As a first time visitor, I was blown away by the size of the Chicago Auto Show. It spans more than 1 million square feet of floor space and has hundreds of different vehicles on display: domestic and imported passenger cars, trucks, sport-utility vehicles, minivans and concept cars.
Most of the major auto manufacturers unveiled new vehicles at the show. My favorite was Kia’s Trailster concept vehicle, which is an AWD electric version of the Soul. Fingers crossed that they eventually make this car a reality.
As I explored the show floor, I kept thinking about how much my son would have loved the interactive experiences. Jeep had a monster sized off-road course where a driver takes you up and over a 24 foot hill, negotiates a 30 degree bank (where they drive on three wheels), and then drives over logs and rocks to demonstrate the vehicle’s suspension system. It was really impressive!
Fiat, Chrysler Vehicles, and Toyota had tracks where a driver would take you for a spin while demonstrating the vehicles’ safety features and handling. One of my favorite parts was the straightaway where the driver could rev the Dodge Challenger’s engine before making it leap from the starting line. The roar could be heard throughout the South Hall.
Dodge and Ford had some of the most family friendly exhibits at the Chicago Auto Show. Dodge has a few simulators where you can sit inside a full-sized vehicle and take a virtual test drive. The vehicles bounce and shake as you drive along the virtual course displayed on the large screens in front. For families with children who can’t wait to drive, this is a must see attraction.
Ford has a mini off-road course with several child-sized F-150s. Whomever thought of this off-road course deserves a big raise. It was a great concept for the younger attendees. Ford also had a simulator ride that felt like something you would find at a theme park. I tried it out and scored a horrible lap time. But I have to admit, I really didn’t care. Much of my drive time was spent doing doughnuts, which was a lot of fun to do in the simulator.
Auto shows are one of the best ways to shop for a new vehicle in a hassle free place. The representatives on the show floor are very knowledgeable and seemed happy to answer whatever questions I had – no matter if I was inuring about Chevy’s Onstar with 4G LTE or asking about the horsepower in the Maserati GranTurismo MC.
Instead of having to drive from one dealership to another, the Chicago Auto Show allows you to see all of the vehicles from the major manufacturers under one roof. You can start off the day by climbing inside the new Ford F-150, see how your family looks inside a 2016 Kia Sorrento, and then see how the other half lives by slipping into the plush leather seat of a Mercedes that costs more than your house.
I spent two days exploring the Chicago Auto Show and never managed to see it all. The auto show is great place to take the family and it is relatively inexpensive – only $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 7 – 12. Children age 0 – 6 are free. The show is open to the public Saturday, Feb. 14 – Sunday, Feb. 22.
Thank you to the Chicago auto Show for the opportunity to visit! #CAS15
