2023 Chicago Auto Show Recap/Gallery: Step in the Right Direction

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

The Chicago Auto Show has often been a dreary event from a new-vehicle launch perspective. A fun event for consumers, sure, but often overshadowed in terms of vehicle debuts by the shows in Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles.


This year felt different. While there were only three automakers that had major debuts -- Subaru, Volkswagen, and Toyota -- the show felt quite busy.

Some of that was a bit of catchup as I checked out vehicles that launched between the 2022 L.A. show last November and now. Some of that was related to the drumbeat of the non-show news cycle. But there seemed to be a consensus among attending media and PR professionals that the show seemed to signal better signs to come. Even if the debut schedule was a tad light. There just seemed to be a feeling in the air.

I suppose it helps that the weather was relatively warm for Chicago in early February. I think there's also a sense that while the COVID pandemic is very much not over, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. The world has already mostly returned to pre-pandemic normal (though some of us are still masking. I still mask most of the time but I've been letting my guard down slowly).

Furthermore, there seems to be a sense that maybe the supply chain and chip problems that plagued the auto industry will peter out and maybe the market madness that has sent both new and used-car prices soaring could ease up.

We'll see if I am right -- vibes are subjective, after all, and not a particularly reliable factor in predicting the future. In the meantime, here's a random assortment of vehicles I shot pics of during the media days. Some you may have seen before -- either from our L.A. show coverage or over the past few days -- but I figure a nice photo dump will help you ease into the weekend.

Check 'em out below, after the photo credit tag and newsletter promo.

[Images © 2023 Tim Healey/TTAC]

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Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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4 of 11 comments
  • Aaron Aaron on Feb 12, 2023

    The 300 looks great, but the Ram looks rather odd.

    • Tassos Tassos on Feb 12, 2023


      the 300 always looked good because of its long wheelbase and short overhangs.

  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Feb 12, 2023

    The RAM looks like something from a '90s sci-fi show.


    • Luke42 Luke42 on Feb 28, 2023

      Thata what they want you to think, given the concept they're trying to demonstrate.




  • Golden2husky Tuscadero? Wonder if the interior comes in Leather...
  • Lou_BC I don't like black. I wouldn't want white because that's your standard fleet colour. I lean towards colour's that are less likely to show scratches and dings. The blue on my ZR2 is nice colour but a bad colour for showing up trail rash and dust. It wasn't my 1st choice but at the time it was the only truck I could find at a price I was willing to pay.
  • Michael I don’t have the luxury of choosing the color of my car and even people in my life who have recently purchased relatively expensive new cars are having their choice of what local dealers have or what they’re getting in soon, shades of grey and white. If I had the choice I would have gone with color when I was younger but now would choose a silver, grey, or black. Whatever looked best on the model.
  • CoastieLenn That price seems a bit high for a high mileage mid-tier Accord, especially a coupe whose resale is typically lower than the stalwart sedan. I do like this generation coupe a lot though.
  • La3541 Red is my go-to color. I love candy-apple red (guards red on Porsche). I have had several red cars. Maroon is not good though.I have always loved British racing green and recently got my first one. A British racing green 4-series that I had to special-order.Silver, black, gray, and white are pretty boring. However, as RNA656.. stated, white looks good on some cars. for more boring colors, I also like chalk on porsches. Nardo gray on Audis is pretty nice.
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