“The buzz on the show floor this year was palpable,” said 2023 Chicago Auto Show Chairman Kevin Keefe. “You could just feel the energy and excitement from everyone that the Chicago Auto Show is not only back, but back in a big way. We have kept our eye on the consumer since day one to ensure this show remains a high-quality, fun event for attendees of all ages, and we’re proud to see this strategy paid off,” Keefe continued.

“Not missing a show during the pandemic has proven critical to the momentum we’re enjoying now,” said Chicago Auto Show Co-General Manager Dave Sloan. “The goodwill we generated from the Special Edition Chicago Auto Show we staged in the summer of 2021 continues to pay dividends.”

The longest-running auto show in North America returned to a two-hall footprint this year filled with top-tier exhibits by global automakers, new vehicle introductions that made worldwide or national debuts, a host of interactive exhibits, and indoor test tracks and outdoor test drive opportunities.

The 2023 show received significant vehicle introductions, including the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 20th Anniversary editions, 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Notable new vehicles at the show included the BMW XM, Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Trax, Dodge Hornet, Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Honda Accord, Honda Civic Type R, Honda CR-V, Honda Pilot, Hyundai IONIQ 6, Lamborghini Countach, Lexus RX, Lexus RZ, Maserati MC20 and Toyota Prius. In addition, concept cars were prominently on display and included the Buick Wildcat, Chrysler Airflow, Dodge Charger Daytona SRT and Ram Revolution.

The show saw strong support from new and returning sponsors. 2023 premier partners included Autel, Cars.com and Powering Chicago. Official sponsors included ComEd, NASCAR and Wintrust.

Whether it’s having fun with an off-road experience, learning about the capabilities of a pickup truck or taking an EV for a test drive for the first time, the show’s seven indoor test tracks and four outdoor test drive experiences offered more opportunities than ever before for consumers to shop, learn and play. Across the 11 ride-and-drive opportunities, the show produced nearly 150,550 in-vehicle driving experiences.

“In speaking with the manufacturers that participated in an indoor test track and/or outdoor test drive, they noted that the total number of rides during our show far exceeded brand expectations,” said Jennifer Morand, Chicago Auto Show co-general manager.

The 2023 show also marked the return of fan-favorite specialty events on the show floor. The Toyota Miles Per Hour run hosted more than 500 runners on opening weekend for a 60-minute, 2.4-mile loop through the show floor — even on the Chicago Drives Electric EV track — where participants could record their own miles per hour. Toyota awarded the top three winners for men’s and women’s times at its post-run celebration in its display; winners clocked in at more than nine miles. Chicago Friday Night Flights, a craft beer sampling event within the show, returned for another round with a total of 10 local breweries on hand. More than 650 attendees purchased tickets to sample craft beers as they took in the show. 2023 marked the third year of the beer sampling event, drawing more than double the crowd from 2020.

The Chicago Auto Show is already underway, with plans to return to McCormick Place in February 2024. The Media Preview will be February 8-9; First Look for Charity will be on the evening of February 9; and the public show will be Feb. 10-19, 2024.