Pyke: Hot cars, cheap gas, high energy at Chicago Auto Show
Let's face it: A gallon of regular won't cost $1.50 forever. All the more reason to seize the day and revel in cheap gas euphoria at the Chicago Auto Show.
The annual car-palooza running Saturday through Feb. 21 at McCormick Place channels some of that low-gas giddiness with a muscular lineup, auto expert Don Hillebrand thinks.
“Welcome back to the 1990s. What strikes me just looking at Detroit and Chicago (auto shows) is the sway back to SUVs and trucks with super-high horsepower,” said Hillebrand, director of Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research.
Heavy hitters on display will include Kia's luxury SUV concept, the Telluride, the Ford 2017 Raptor pickup - described as “hulking” - and Honda's 2017 Ridgeline pickup that can haul up to 1,600 pounds and fit golf clubs under the rear seat.
And for a 1980s touch, fans of Marty McFly can check out a re-creation of his beloved 4X4 truck, the “Back to the Future” Tacoma.
But car buyers who don't trust $1.50-a-gallon prices or who want to be eco-friendly will find plenty of fuel-efficient tires to kick including two must-sees - the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which goes into production at the end of 2016, and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan.
“This is the electric car,” Hillebrand said of the Bolt EV, adding he thinks Chevrolet will threaten competitors such as the Nissan Leaf and Tesla with its 200-mile range and $30,000 MRSP after tax credits.
The Pacifica Hybrid is a plug-in minivan with a 30-mile range before the gas tank kicks in that seats seven. It should be available midyear.
“The Pacifica plug-in hybrid will be the first of its kind,” said Andrew Krok, the associate auto news editor for CNET, a consumer information website, and an Elk Grove Village native. “Right now, every minivan on the market is powered by a V-6 (engine) and its fuel economy is not so hot.”
Buyers on a budget can browse sans sticker-shock with debuts such as the 2017 Kia Sportage and 2017 Ford Fusion, starting in the low $20,000s. The Fusion offers a pedestrian-detection system and the Sportage has autonomous emergency braking.
They point to a positive trend of safety technology such as rearview cameras and collision avoidance warnings becoming standard in lower-cost vehicles, said auto show Chairman Colin Wickstrom of Wickstrom Auto Group in Barrington.
“The technology and safety (features) going into cars is so exciting. People will be surprised at the content they're getting,” Wickstrom said.
But if you hear the phrase “driverless car” thrown around at the auto show, be a little skeptical, Hillebrand cautioned.
The federal government has created a scale of 0 to 4, with 4 being “a fully automated robotic car where you climb inside, go to sleep and wake up where you want to be,” he explained.
“There's a long way to go before we get there.”
One other caveat for consumers. Enjoy the 500- to 600-horsepower hype, but stay real. Hillebrand, a former Chrysler engineer and self-confessed gear head, advises drivers in the Chicago region that “200 horsepower is all anybody needs.”
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One more thing
Hillebrand's top picks of the show are Mazda's SEMA MX-5 Speedster and Spyder concepts, both straight out of a James Bond film. Krok can't wait for the “out of this world” Buick Avista crossover. And, Wickstrom is hot for the “gorgeous” Lexus LC 500 sports coupe.
<h3 class="leadin">What else?
Toyota's offering a “Blizzard to Beach” test drive, Jeep's got its death-defying indoor track, Lexus is promising a Listening Lounge with live R&B music, and Ford's got Hank the Interactive Robot. Little drivers bored with sheet metal will enjoy shooting pucks at the Blackhawks Family Fun Zone and grown-ups can grab autographs from current and retired stars.
For more information, go to www.chicagoautoshow.com.
<h3 class="leadin">Your voice
Thanks to the readers who emailed their must-sees and won auto show tickets.
Tim Kontek of Itasca wants to know if the “Buick Avista looks as good in person as it does in photos.”
Subaru owner Ann MacDonald of Batavia wants to see “what the new Outbacks have to offer.”
Eileen Skiba of Arlington Heights will be eyeing Corvettes and Camaros with her husband, who's up for a retirement “reward.”
And, Chris Ellis of Palatine would “particularly like to check out electric and hybrid engine cars for their price and style.”
Got an opinion or comment on the auto show or anything transportation? Drop me an email at mpyke@dailyherald.com.
Chicago Auto Show
When: Saturday through Feb. 21.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, through Feb. 20; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.
Where: McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago.
Tickets: $12, seniors 62 and older and children ages 7 through 12 are $7, children 6 years old and younger are free.
Special dates: First Look for Charity gala is Feb. 12; Family Day is Feb. 15; Women's Day is Feb. 16; Hispanic Day is Feb. 19; and the annual food drive with half-price admission for three cans of food is Feb. 17 through Feb. 19.
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