The 2024 North Texas Auto Expo is a car shopper’s wonderland.
From February 22 to 25, hundreds of vehicles from more than 17 leading domestic and foreign brands were on display in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
And even if a visitor was there just to window shop, there was enough to keep him or her busy for hours. With gas, hybrid and electric varieties all represented, it was proof that one of the best ways to get up close with the latest vehicles, is an auto show.
As one of the most anticipated automotive events in the Southwest United States, the North Texas Auto Expo occupied indoor and outdoor exhibit space. The latter reserved for test drives in the Outdoor Ride & Drive area with Stellantis (Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Jeep® Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Grand Wagoneer) vehicles ready to roll.
According to the event organizers, “What sets this auto expo apart is the North Texas Auto Expo is not just about cars; it’s a family-friendly event with plenty of exhibitors and interactive experiences for all ages. Whether you’re an automotive enthusiast or a family looking for a weekend of fun, the expo has something for everyone.”
Special sections
As at last year’s event, a highlight of the 2024 Auto Expo was the EV Test Track powered by TXU Energy. Performance and the power of electric vehicles from top brands such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Nissan let attendees hop in with a professional driver and navigate 200,000 square feet of the convention floor.
In another section of the indoor space, a tribute to the iconic sporty coupe, the Camaro, was traced through an impressive timeline of models. This being the last year of the vehicle’s production, the retrospective look at Camaros past and present included a 1968 SS396, 1969 SS350, 1985 and 1990 IROC-Zs, 2011 SS, 2015 Z/28, 2020 SS and a 2024 ZL1model.
A scavenger hunt for the top picks
To help us navigate through the expansive and jaw-dropping space, we brought along Car and Driver 2024 Editors’ Choice list and were able to see many of those vehicles that made the top grades in person. This included the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the sporty Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 and view the newest design of the Toyota Prius. We also got up close with other winners – Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Maverick and the Toyota Grand Highlander, to name a few on the list.
Making our way across the exhibit space, the fresh 2024 models drew larger and larger crowds as the morning turned to afternoon. It seemed as though everyone wanted to grab some seat time in vehicles of particular interest, such as the INEOS Grenadier. The interior of which reminded several visitors of an airplane cockpit.
Another hit was the just-released Honda Prologue — the latest entrant into the world of EVs for Honda featuring a blue color that shone bright on the showroom floor. (More on the variety of colors to come in a future article.)
As for feedback from those attending, one visitor noted, “The auto show is a great chance to do some side-by-side comparisons and get a feel for how you’ll fit in the vehicle. We’ll still need to do test drives, but this helped us rule out some models.”
More award-winning vehicles
The Texas Auto Writers Association had signage throughout the Expo next to vehicles they voted as their top picks. Attendees were drawn to the awards for Off Road SUV of Texas (Jeep Wrangler), SUV of Texas (Genesis GV70) and Truck of Texas (Toyota Tundra) among others.
Of course, it’s bustling in both buildings between crowd noise and enthusiastic product pitches. And likely remained so as the popular show concluded on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Whether you’re in the market for a new vehicle or not, an auto show is a great way to spend the day checking out the latest and greatest in the world of automobiles.
