Los Angeles (LA) is known for many things. It’s the second most populous city in the United States, behind only New York City. LA is also widely dubbed the creative capital of the world, as it serves as home to numerous artists, writers, filmmakers, actors, dancers and musicians alike. However, people tend to disregard LA’s thriving automotive scene. LA is home to a couple race tracks, including Irwindale Speedway and Fast Toys Club race track situated in the Pacific Palisades. More so, the World of Racing, a virtual simulation of real life racing, is located in Pasadena, California. A little outside California is also the famous Willow Spring Raceway. So, you can see that in addition to media and entertainment, LA is also quite a big deal when it comes to automobiles.
The Los Angeles Auto Show, also known as the LA Auto Show, is held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Centre. It is one of the four major auto shows in North America, together with those of Detroit, Chicago and New York. The first ever LA Auto Show was held from 21 – 27 January, 1907 with 46 manufacturers and only 99 vehicles on display at the Morley’s Skating Rink. Today, the LA Auto Show hosts more than a thousand plus cars from nearly every motor vehicle manufacturer.
2024 LA Auto Show Breakdown
For the year 2024, the LA Auto Show was held from November 22 to December 1, 2024. In that time frame, it welcomed hundreds of thousands of attendees on its over 1,000,000 square feet (23 acres) land at the Los Angeles Convention Centre. The show kicked off with AutoMobility LA, an event that is exclusive to the big dogs and influencers of the automotive industry. Afterwards, the show was open to the general public for car shoppers and automotive enthusiasts like me and you.
Word on the automotive streets is that the future is electric and this year’s LA Auto Show simply reiterated this fact. A number of vehicles that were unveiled were electric vehicles. As a fan of the V8 engines from General Motors and the V12 engines from Ferrari, this discovery is heart-breaking, but it is the reality of things.
So, let us begin the 234Drive Auto Show with the new cars slated for 2025. The new vehicles that made their public debuts include the next-generation Honda Passport TrailSport and Volkswagen Tiguan, as well as the new Acura ADX and Hyundai Ioniq 9.
KIA Steals the Show
Firstly, KIA automobile company seemingly stole the LA Auto Show as they unveiled three new cars. These vehicles include the 2025 KIA EV6, 2026 KIA EV9 GT and the 2026 KIA Sportage. The EV6 and EV9 are both fully electric, while the Sportage is endowed with a hybrid powertrain system. The EV6 electric crossover gets a significant update for 2025 in both its exterior and interior components. Most notable are its new headlight designs, however, the EV6’s overall shape is maintained. As for the interior, Kia’s latest tech interface has been inculcated and a new steering wheel has also been added.
The news that would interest most potential 2025 EV6 buyers is that Kia has installed Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge ports on all except the EV6 GT trim level. The Tesla NACS charge ports are faster and more compact, so the addition makes sense. More so, the charge spot has been relocated to the left rear fender to match Tesla’s location. This would make it easier to position the car at Superchargers. It is indeed a beautiful day to own an EV6.
2026 KIA EV9
The 2026 KIA EV9 on the other hand now comes with a high-performance GT trim level for 2026. Visually, the GT trim is differentiated with neon green brake calipers, unique 21-inch wheels and special accent lighting up front. It also comes with a feature that I am personally not a big fan of, a Virtual Gear Shift function. Basically, the Virtual Gear Shift system uses software to simulate gear changes. It may also include a change in the car’s sound. This feature is intended to enhance the driving experience of the GT trim which is performance-oriented. The EV9 GT also comes with the Tesla NACS charge port for Tesla Supercharger access. A GT mode has been added to the usual selection of Normal, Eco, Sport and My Drive settings. The EV9 GT is slated to go on sale by the second half of next year.
2026 Kia Sportage
Last but not least of the Kia reveals is the 2026 Sportage. The KIA Sportage is in no shape or form a new vehicle, as its first generation was launched in 1993. However, the Sportage has now morphed into a hybrid vehicle with electric motors alongside a combustion engine. The front end of the vehicle has been reworked to be a bit boxy with a new LED lighting signature, while the tail end gets subtler tweaks. The Sportage also receives Kia’s new tech interface and a slightly redesigned instrument/touchscreen housing. The Sportage Hybrid gains a pair of new trim levels: the S and X-Line. A 10-inch head-up display now comes standard with Kia’s more advanced Highway Driving Assist 2 adaptive cruise control system. The 2026 Sportage should arrive at dealerships by the second quarter of 2025.
Hyundai with Two New Reveals For 2026
Another automaker that turned heads was Hyundai with the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9. The Ioniq 9 is built to be a direct competitor to the already reviewed Kia EV9 in the three-row electric SUV category. The Ioniq 9 now has a newer, more energy-dense battery: a 110.3-kWh pack that gives a 10% bump over the one in the Kia EV9. The goal for Hyundai is 335 miles of range for the rear-wheel-drive version of the Ioniq 9 and a minimum of 300 miles on a full charge for all trim levels. In comparison, the Kia EV9 manages only about 304 miles . You can clearly see that Hyundai has it out for Kia. More so, all Ioniq 9s will come standard with the Tesla NACS charging port. The Ioniq 9 will be built in Georgia, USA and it should qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit.
Genesis G70
The second reveal from Hyundai is the Genesis G70. I bet you are wondering why I referred to Genesis as a Hyundai. Just like Toyota is synonymous with Lexus and Honda to Acura, Genesis is the luxury vehicle division of the South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company. The GV70 compact luxury SUV gets a subtle refreshed exterior for its 2026 model. The interior changes are however more obvious, all thanks to an enormous 27-inch expanse of touchscreen that blends instruments and infotainment functions. The interface that operates that touchscreen is also new. Genesis also improved on the car’s voice recognition software. Unfortunately, there are no mechanical changes to the G70 from the previous generation.
Genesis G70 (Electric)
Genesis also unveiled a fully-electric version of the GV70 and it encompasses all the interior changes in the gas-powered GV70. There are a few trim/detail differences but aside from those, the electric version is a copy and paste of the gas-powered version, but with electric motors. Unlike the standard GV70, however, the fully electric version does get some notable mechanical changes. The GV70’s battery now has a battery capacity of 84 kWh from the previous 77.4 kWh. The 2026 Electrified GV70 also gets the Tesla NACS charging port. The port itself has a heating element for improved charging in cold weather.
The 2024 LA Auto Show was truly packed and this is just a tip of the iceberg for the reveals. The next feature will encompass reveals from Nigerian-friendly automotive brands like Volkswagen and Honda. Until then, which of today’s reveals appeals more to you?
