DETROIT – The Detroit Auto Show is back, and whether you’re into muscle cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, or the tech surrounding cars, Huntington Place is where you need to be.
“I think there’s just more this year,” Sam Klement, the Auto Show’s executive director, said on Wednesday. “There will be a lot more content, and a lot more things for people to engage with.”
This is the second straight year the Auto Show, which formally opens to the public on Saturday (Jan 17), will be held in January, after briefly moving to June during the Pandemic.
Klement says that there’s a new feel to the Auto Show, with an extra emphasis on social media content production
“People here are sharing their story on social media through their phones, which connects throughout the world,” said Klement. “So, not only that story being told here in Detroit and being seen here in Detroit, but it’s being shared with the world.
“I think to engage people in social media and have the content that’s available here at the show, it’s really big for getting a global reach,” Klement added.
One of the first orders of business on Jan. 14 was the announcement of the 2026 North American car, truck, and utility vehicles of the year.
It’s one of the biggest prizes in the industry.
This year’s winners are:
- Car of the Year: 2025 Dodge Charger
- Truck of the Year: 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo
- Utility Vehicle of the Year: 2025 Hyundai Palisade
The Lobos’ win was another proud moment for Ford, which has one of the largest presences at the Auto Show.
“We always want to show up, and I think it’s all of the local OEMs, we really want to support Detroit and this show,” Shawn Strain, a Ford spokeswoman, said. “It’s really important that we come out, and we come out strong.”
The auto show is one of the city’s signature events, and the safety of the public is also at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
The police and fire departments say they are well-prepared to cover the event.
“We work with our partners here at the Auto Show to ensure that they have enough crowd managers and assistance to be able to guide people to the proper exits and make sure that they get out safely,” Fire Marshal Don Thomas said.
“Our strategic plan includes an increased presence of men and women from the police department that you can see, but also those that you can’t,” Asst. police Chief Franklin Hayes said.
Another safety aspect Hayes mentioned was that people need to make sure they aren’t getting scammed about parking.
Haynes noted that the city of Detroit does not make you pay to park on a public street – unless there’s a meter.
The Auto Show is the culmination of a year of planning, and the hope is that the new approach will help bring in even more people as the event fully returns to winter.
“The exciting part for me is when people walk into the building to see eyes get wide and to feel that excitement that comes with it” Klement said.