Meet 8 of the top cars seen at the Chicago Auto Show and the best electric options
Alexa St. John
- Car companies historically use auto shows as opportunities to show off new vehicles.
- Automakers debuted a pile of new vehicles, many electric, at the Chicago Auto Show this year.
At the Chicago Auto Show this year, car companies revamped some of their most popular nameplates. But they also showcased a slew of the electric options that they're spending billions of dollars developing and plan to have on the roads in the coming years.
The auto industry is in the midst of a massive transition and is steadily accelerating its shift to electric power. Almost all of the industry's major legacy players are rolling out scads of EV models over the next decade, and amping up their manufacturing capacity and talent with massive investments to do so. They're navigating an entirely new supply chain. They're having to pivot their retail strategies and educate consumers about the nuances of driving electric. At the same time, new players are entering the scene, some proving to be strong competition and reinventing the traditional industry's playbook.
At this year's Chicago show, car companies had debuts, and many outlined — to no surprise — the electric future of their lineups. Not only are automakers launching vehicles to try to rattle Tesla's hold on the US EV market share, but they're also competing with one another, especially in electric trucks and crossovers.
You can see the future of autos from makers like Ford, GM, and Subaru, at the Chicago Auto Show. Here's eight cars-to-see:
2023 Ford Bronco Raptor
In January, Ford unveiled its new Bronco SUV and chose Chicago for its auto show debut.
The 400-horsepower Raptor, the higher-performance version of the Bronco, can tow 4,500 pounds. Ford says it has greater off-road performance and larger tires and is part of the automaker's bid to compete with the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender. The vehicle is expected to go on sale later this year at around $70,000. The base version of the Bronco starts at $30,800.
2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV
The full-size electric pickup truck is GM's competitor to the Ford F-150 Lightning, the GMC Hummer, and the Rivian R1T.
The truck is expected to have 400 miles of range and 664-horsepower on two of its trims, the WT, for commercial fleets only, and RST. It will be able to tow 10,000 pounds on the RST trim. (A third trim, the Trail Boss, will also be offered.)
Pricing for the car, expected to reach customers next year, ranges from $45,000 to $105,000.
2022 GMC Sierra 1500
The full-size pickup received a styling and equipment overhaul this year. It has a new front-end design and offers GM's Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system along with a higher towing capacity of 13,200 pounds.
The Sierra is looking to compete with the Silverado, F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan. Vehicle pricing ranges from $31,000 to $68,000.
2022 Hyundai Kona EV
The popular subcompact crossover competes with the likes of the Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-30, and Jeep Renegade. This year's refresh includes new lighting, wheel designs, and dashboard features.
The Kona has been available as an electric version since 2019 and has a range of 258 miles. The vehicle ranges from $21,000 to $36,000.
2023 Nissan Ariya EV
The all-new electric crossover will take some of Nissan's learnings from the Leaf electric hatchback and is expected to begin initial deliveries this fall. It was first unveiled in July 2020. The car could be seen in a 2022 Super Bowl ad.
The midsize vehicle will offer up to 300 miles of range and will compete with popular EVs like the Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Tesla Model Y. The Ariya will have two battery sizes, one good for 238 horsepower and the other for 389 horsepower.
It's currently available to reserve for a $500 refundable deposit and will range from $47,000 to $60,000 in price.
2023 Kia Sportage
Kia refreshed the interior and exterior of the Sportage compact crossover for 2023 and is now offering it as a hybrid model for the first time.
The automaker hasn't announced pricing for the Sportage but is looking to compete with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4.
Gas-powered models offer 187-horsepower while hybrid models hit 226-horsepower.
Two of the seven trims that will be available will be capable of driving on mild trails and be more rugged.
2023 Subaru Solterra EV
The automaker unveiled its first fully electric vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2021, and the Solterra made its debut in Chicago this month.
Popular among outdoor enthusiasts, the brand is making a sensible pivot into EVs and is designing the Solterra to tackle rugged terrain.
The vehicle is expected to have more than 220 miles of range and 215 horsepower.
It is expected to hit dealerships mid-2022. Pricing has not yet been released.
2023 Toyota bz4X EV
The all-new compact electric crossover is Toyota's competitor to the Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y, Nissan Ariya, and Subaru Solterra.
Toyota first unveiled the vehicle at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, the first of 15 fully-electric cars the company plans to make by 2025. It's also the first of its cars built on Toyota's jointly developed EV platform with Subaru.
The automaker hasn't provided many details since then, but says the car will have up to 250 miles of range and 201 horsepower.
The vehicle is expected to go on sale later this year. Pricing has not been released.
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