NYIAS 2026 Insights with Lauren Fix

Lauren Fix joins Inside Automotive to break down key takeaways from the 2026 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), focusing on how affordability and consumer priorities shape the market. Fix analyzes award-winning vehicles, emerging trends, and the disconnect between automaker innovation and what buyers are actively seeking. She explores how automakers balance electrification, hybrid and traditional powertrains, while addressing rising vehicle prices and evolving consumer expectations. The discussion provides insights for dealers and industry stakeholders navigating a competitive, cost-conscious automotive landscape.

•  Consumer priorities at NYIAS: affordability over advanced features 
•  Trends in hybrid, electric, and gasoline powertrain options 
•  Highlights from the World Car of the Year awards, including BMW iX3 
•  Key vehicle reveals and design trends from Hyundai, Genesis, Volkswagen, Nissan, Kia, Subaru, and Ford 
•  Shifts in consumer preference toward simplicity and smartphone integration 
•  Implications for dealers: aligning inventory, messaging, and pricing strategies 

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Transcript

Welcome And What’s Ahead

Jim Fitzpatrick 0:11

Hey everyone, Jim Fitzpatrick. Thanks so much for joining us this morning on Inside Automotive. The 2026 New York International Auto Show is the place to be for dealers, car enthusiasts, and really industry insiders alike. So Lauren Fix, you know her from CBT News, as well as so many other outlets out there. She's also the founder of Car Coach Reports and the co-host of The Drive with Lauren and Carl. She's here to give us a recap of the show, sharing the latest vehicle, uh, really the latest vehicles uh that are out there and the vehicle unveilings, I should say, and uh some industry trends and key insights. So, Lauren, thank you so much for joining us on the show once again.

World Car Awards And Buyer Trends

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Yeah, I just got back. It's the 125th International Auto Show for New York. Wow. Uh we always start off the show with the World Car of the Year Awards. I'm a juror for the World Car of the Year as well as for the North American car and truck uh and utility vehicle of the year. And so interesting cars. Some we have here in the US, some we will be getting to the US, some we're never gonna see. Uh, but they always start off with an interesting trend. Um, a friend of mine, Byrne, comes out and he does a study across the industry to find out what consumers are looking for, what we as media we're thinking, because there's a hundred uh jurors on the world car juror globally, they're all over the place. Wow. And the number one factor, which is really good for everyone to know, is affordability. So it's an interesting trend because uh that's obvious. Affordability, they want to have flexibility, people want to be able to have gasoline, hybrid, or electric. We kind of know that. We've been reporting on that. Yeah, but when you look at the winners for the world car of the year awards, it doesn't go along with the trend. So what may be cool and fashionable and stand out in the crowd may not be what customers are walking into showrooms asking for. So I'll give you the World Car of the Year winners and some pretty impressive cars. Uh, the big overall winner, I'll tell you last, but that one is available in the US or will be. Um, we started off with the person of the year, which is Oliver Zipsy from BMW. He's the chairman of the board. Um, and obviously BMW has made a big investment here in South Carolina. They're the number one employer, so they've done a lot with design. Um, then we go to the design award, which was the Mazda 6E, which will become the new Mazda 6. So we will be seeing that currently the design that we saw was uh purely that elect of Electric, which I don't think Mazda's gonna go down that road because they're looking at they're reading the tea leaves, which are plately obvious that the sales just aren't there here in the US. Um, urban car the year we will not get here is a Chinese built car called the Neo Firefly. Although there was a representative there, um there's they're never gonna come to the US, they're way too small. Besides, even though President Trump wants tiny cars, I don't think this one's coming.

Jim Fitzpatrick 2:50

Okay.

Biggest New York Auto Show Reveals

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Um Electric Car of the Year is the BMW IX3, which has the completely new cockpit. And if you haven't seen it, it's on their website. It's really interesting that they yeah, they integrated your phone. So when you're looking at information, it's popping up in front of you in a head up display. Yeah, rather than being you look you looking down or you looking to the side that that was just certainly good for safety. For luxury, this vehicle is available here in the US. It's the lucid gravity. Um, it is not through dealers. Obviously, you have to go through, you purchase it online. Uh, it is an SUV. It is a very nice car. I've driven all the lucid lineup, it has a very long uh battery life, but again, it's going to be limited production because you're just not gonna sell a mass market like a Toyota or a Honda. Um, and then the performance car of the year is available. The Hyundai Ionic 6N, which is a fun little performance car. Sure. It has it has the sound that added the sound component in. So when you go into the end mode of the sport mode, you feel like you're driving a sports car. As a sports car person, it's not the same, but it gives people that feeling she can have the best of all worlds. Which brings us to the car of the year, and that was the BMW iX3. It was chosen from 58 contenders from around the world. So that was a big win for BMW that will be built here in South Carolina. It will be in dealers, you can start ordering it in May. So I it's a nice looking car, but it is all electric. So we'll see if they suddenly decide to shift to a little bit of hybrid, maybe plug-in hybrid, because that's what consumers are looking for.

Jim Fitzpatrick 4:18

Yeah, yeah. That makes sense. Yeah, that makes sense. So, what what were some of the unveilings that really stood out and and and made the biggest splash with what maybe with you or consumers?

SPEAKER_00 4:29

I I would say I was surprised first that there was so many reveals because we have not seen reveals at pretty much any auto show in a while. Usually brands will bring us out, we'll go to Toyota, we'll go to Dallas, or we'll we'll go to California. This was a nice surprise starting with Hyundai. Uh, they kept us very tightly under wraps. I was actually impressed with their boulder concept. Uh, and it looks like a uh like a Bronco. And this is their first body on frame, and it looks good. And I talked to a few internals. I said, How close is this to production? And of course, there's no it's a concept. I would say it's pretty darn close. Yeah. So if you haven't seen it, look it up online. It is a really cool looking vehicle. And I think Ford better be concerned because if they're not gonna, we know how Hyundai operates, it's gonna be electric, it's gonna be hot, plug-in, hybrid, hybrid, and gas. And it globally it'll be offered most likely in a diesel platform, but not here in North America, unfortunately.

Jim Fitzpatrick 5:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

But they'll probably have a performance lineup because Genesis is their performance line, their luxury line, and we have seen the Scorpion, which unfortunately couldn't make it. It's sort of tied up in the Middle East. In other words, it wasn't gonna make it. But uh Genesis brought us the G V70, which is their SUV, their entry-level SUV. Okay. Uh the Prestige Graphite. So they've got a higher trim level, um, offering more Napa leather, special stitching, uh, and not more performance necessarily, but more details. Okay. Uh, they all also what I really, really like, and I wouldn't mind, I hope they're gonna build it. I did talk to Ash Carson. I will get you an interview on that. He's in charge of product planning. Um, and Ash told me that the G90 Blackwing concept, which they showcased in Europe, it is on a G90 platform, so it's big, but it's a wagon. Okay, it sounded amazing. So there it has the magma engine in it. Uh, they have put it on the track, they've had it on the Nuremberg ring, and I'm like, okay, this sounds like you're getting close to releasing it. Of course, they all deny, they always deny until we actually see it. Uh, but they do have the G V60 Magma there, which we did see actually last year. It was also at the LA Auto Show. Uh, again, Magma being orange. So that's gonna be their performance color. Um, also, nice reveal. Uh, the evening prior, uh, while you were in the city, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas was shown. That's gonna be built in the Chattanooga plant. Okay. Uh, it's gonna start around$40,000. It'll have the standard two-liter engine they have now with an eight-speed automatic transmission, of course, available, front-wheel driver, all-wheel drive. Okay. Updated completely, interior and exterior, a little bit larger, three-row SUV, very nicely done, and illuminated logos. That's gonna be the trend. The illuminated logos. I'm seeing it everywhere. The Volkswagen logo, everyone wants the illuminated logo. I don't know why. We used to look at headlight configurations, now it's the illuminated logo.

Jim Fitzpatrick 7:14

Right. That's funny.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

Yeah, yeah. Also it's uh Nissan Z. We know the Z car well. They realize there's been a lot of demand asking for a more higher performance level, more um arrow kits on it. And so they're gonna offer it with a manual transmission. Um, and that's certainly something where to see with 420 horsepower. They claim it's track ready, so it'll be called the Nismo Z. Uh, so that'll be coming out for 2027. We also got to see the 2027 Kia Celtos. So you've seen the tell Uride, the dealers call it the Cell Uride because when they hit the lot, they're sold. Um, and this is basically a baby telluride. So it's got all that same look, all that same features, all that same technology. Uh, we'll be test driving those in the very near future. I'll get you a review on that same thing, LED running lights and beautiful car.

Jim Fitzpatrick 8:00

Yeah, we're looking at it right now on on the on the screen, and it's it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

It is, and then he also brought is bringing us the EV3. This is gonna be their entry-level electric vehicle. Um, I don't know how it's gonna do, but I think if you come in low enough price, you're gonna get a lot of interested parties. I know gasoline prices are high now, they may not stay high long. Yeah, it's hard to predict that. Um, but also from other brands, we had uh Subaru showed us uh the getaway, which is their electric vehicle. It's got dual uh powered motors or two electric motors, uh 420 horsepower. That was very nicely done. Wow. Uh Subaru's coming to market with electric. I don't know why they're not doing so great with the Celtera, but people that love Subaru are super loyal to the brand, and they have to be able to offer a selection of different uh power trains to make them happy.

Jim Fitzpatrick 8:49

Yeah, and you also got, you know, uh environmentalists often drive Subarus. So maybe they're thinking that's that's the market, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Well, it's a smart move. Obviously, you make what the customer wants, yeah, but you not what the government pushes on you or what you think you want. It's you know, if you're making uh, like I always say, if you're making coffee, everyone wants tea, then stop making coffee and make tea. That's right. Um, but uh Ford had the 2027 Expeditions, their 30th anniversary. I can't believe it. I think I had one maybe not that long ago, but a while ago. Uh it's gonna have special 22-inch high gloss wheels, uh, a blue ember metallic paint color. Uh and then everyone's kind of doing special editions. That was very common for a lot of these trade shows. Uh the Chrysler Pacifica uh had the 2027. It's the only product that Chrysler has right now. Um, hopefully they'll figure out what they're gonna either expand the line or merge it together. They're gonna have to use something at Stellantis. Uh, sales were up only slightly this year. Yeah. Uh, and and they brought on a Dodge uh Durango GT America 250 edition. So they're gonna have a whole bunch of lineup with that, whether it be the Ram 1500, the Jeep, or the Durango will have a big sticker kitten and it will stand out in the crowd. So if you've got customers or you're thinking about, I need a car that when I drive it, you know I've arrived. That that is one of those.

Jim Fitzpatrick 10:07

That's fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Yeah, there's a lot of interesting vehicles. Of course, you know, the TRX, which they said they weren't going to build anymore, and everyone went and bought one. Well, they're coming back with the TRX because Hemi is smart. I think the big thing is bringing back Tim Caniskis to run Stellantis was the smartest move they could have done. Um, he's a real car guy, he is knows.

Jim Fitzpatrick 10:27

Dealers love him.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Yes, and the truth is that he knows he has his ear to the ground. He understands that customers want trucks, they want vehicles, and I know they want cars. So the rumor has it from a friend of mine who is one of the lead designers there that they're going to be bringing in sedans also because there's a demand for there's no more Chrysler 200 or 300.

Jim Fitzpatrick 10:45

Yeah, right, right.

Affordability Pushback On Car Tech

SPEAKER_00 10:46

You know, you can't rely on everything else that's out there. I know they brought us some fiats and some a new look of the Tonali. Um, I I questioned all the brands that are under this Delantis window, but we'll find out soon. I have friends that own dealerships around the country that are giving some insider information, but they're trying to do some trim level upgrades to entice consumers to get to the cars, drive those cars. There's a lot of great product out there. Yeah. And there's nothing on the market today, which you might have said maybe in the 80s, oh, don't buy that. There's so much good product out there.

Jim Fitzpatrick 11:16

It's so true. It's really nice to see. That's right. Hence the reason you know, people are keeping their cars longer. They're they're the cars are built better. They got the technology that everybody wants in it, maybe even more technology than everybody wants in it. Too much, maybe. Yeah. I mean, and of course, with the average price of a car being over$50,000, uh, you know, even Bernie Barino said, hey, OEMs, you got to dial it back a little bit. You got things in these cars that we don't need 14 different airbags, you know, to save our lives. And uh, you know, it's just like one OEM is trying to outdo the other on all this kind of stuff, but it just keeps adding and adding and adding to the price of the car, you know? It's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

And the technology, just way too much tech. Yeah. Half the time you don't use it like that's right. Yeah, self-parking cars are awesome. Are you really using it?

Jim Fitzpatrick 12:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

And then some people say why I actually like to park my car. You should know how to park a car parallel and perpendicular.

Jim Fitzpatrick 12:06

That's right. And now with everybody walking around with one of these, do you, you know, do you really need for there to be a system, you know, that takes you to your destination that's built in the car? You know, does a GPS? Do you really need that in the car? You know, some people are saying maybe that's something, you know, because everybody's plugging in, you know, and having it right there. So it's yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

You I do see a lot of products that we test drive that don't have navigation systems at all. Yeah. Uh they're saying if you want it, you subscribe. And that can be expensive. So you have, you know, you have to be really aware of some of these subscription fees that you can nickel and dang you to death.

Jim Fitzpatrick 12:37

I know.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

Um but that's why I always say, you know, if you plug in your phone, you've got everything you want. You can listen to audio. The only problem is AM radio, which it looks like we are gonna save AM radio, which is good. Uh, because uh if you don't have two bars on your phone, you're not gonna get AM radio signal, you're not gonna get any signal other than maybe a phone call. So it's important to note the out customers are and consumers are very aware. Uh affordability is still the top factor. I talked to an executive at Honda that we had the interview on your channel, and it's important to note that they're aware that they need to start producing cars under$25,000. And that doesn't mean take away the power windows and give us basically a stripped-down car, but give us something we want. Right. And I'm hearing from consumers, they don't even want center screens. Could you just give me like a radio? And you know, yeah, I I can listen to the to the turn-by-turn directions. I don't need to see them. And and I think there's a lot, a lot of pushback on too much tech. I mean, you see uh vehicles like Slate coming out where there literally is nothing other than you have to connect your phone and you have a speedometer and and a charging gauge, maybe not electric, but if you could come up with something that was more reasonably priced for consumers, I think there'd be a lot more sales.

Jim Fitzpatrick 13:47

Right, right. In our last 60 seconds together, and I appreciate all the time you've given us anything on autonomy uh or autonomous vehicles. Is that is that you know, is that making its way back into the headlines now?

SPEAKER_00 13:59

In the good and the bad. Uh, under the Tesla brandy, he's becoming more of a tech company with robots and robo taxis. But at the same time, while we're at the auto show, and it's not an April Fool's joke, there was a large congestion because of a minor accident from an autonomous vehicle that was in China. Uh so I don't think we're there yet. I know that Bernie Moreno's pushing very hard for this as well, Sean Duffy and everyone, but we have to remember until there are firewalls to protect you, the consumer, which we know is not possible at this time, yeah. It is 100% guaranteed that you're protected. Plus, how do we handle weather? Those are like the two big ones. And the insurance companies don't like it either. Because what ends up happening is if there's an accident, whose fault is? Is it yours? Is it mine? Is a software company? And it gets a little convoluted. So I think we're not there yet. I think you there will be taxis, uber, you know, like an Uber taxi type of thing.

Jim Fitzpatrick 14:50

In Atlanta here, uh every other vehicle's uh, you know, downtown is a driverless Waymo car. That's that's they're at every corner, there's three or four at every stoplight. It's it's really something to see.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

It's kind of scary if you think about it. It's very futuristic. But uh that for those type of drives around town, I think they're fine. I think for the long haul for everyday use, I think people like the control of going where they want.

Jim Fitzpatrick 15:13

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

And be in charge.

Jim Fitzpatrick 15:15

I agree. Lauren Fix, automotive expert and founder of Car Coach Reports. Check this young lady out online. You're gonna love what you see. Nobody does this better than Lauren. So, Lauren, thank you so much for joining us on the show, and thanks for all of the great content that you provide to our audience as well. It's great. Thanks, Jim. Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Thanks for watching Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick.