This year’s themed days and special events drew large crowds and attracted new audiences to the show. The Toyota Miles Per Hour run once again provided a unique twist for a winter race. Held indoors at the Chicago Auto Show and organized by the Chicago Area Runners Association, more than 700 runners paced a 60-minute run through the show floor for participants to record their own miles per hour. Toyota awarded the top three winners for men’s and women’s times at its post-run celebration. Over the course of four years, Miles Per Hour logged more than 15,000 miles indoors at the Chicago Auto Show. Also returning to the show was the popular Chicago Friday Night Flights craft beer sampling event. This one-of-a-kind indoor event drew nearly 400 attendees who sampled different craft beers from more than 20 local breweries as they took in the show. Presented by Powering Chicago, Rivian and the U.S. Army, the second annual Automotive Career Day hosted more than 700 students for a lively morning filled with educational panels, networking and a career fair featuring local automotive employers and student-led engineering organizations. Moderated by ABC 7 Chicago’s Diane Pathieu, students heard from a range of speakers from manufacturers, such as BMW and Rivian, to local universities featuring the Illini Solar Car Team, Illini EV Concept and UIC Society of Engineers. The 2025 show saw the success of two new exhibit additions to the show floor. Overlanding Chicago drew consumers into a specialized space focusing on overlanding vehicles and an outdoors adventure-seeking lifestyle. Plus, the Family Zone garnered high foot traffic, offering families a safe and fun environment that allowed kids to enjoy themselves while being immersed in the auto show experience. “What’s unique about the Chicago Auto Show is its ability to draw audiences spanning a variety of backgrounds, whether or not they are in the market to purchase a new vehicle,” said 2025 Chicago Auto Show Chairwoman Kelly Webb Roberts. “The Chicago Auto Show is much more than a showcase of vehicles; it’s a dynamic experience that brings together automotive enthusiasts, industry professionals and everyday consumers, creating a space where innovation, passion and curiosity collide.” Fans’ engagement translated to social media as well. Initial Meltwater data reports the Chicago Auto Show’s message reached more than 93 million over the last 90 days, with more than 600 YouTube videos produced to date. The Chicago Auto Show’s social channels alone generated more than seven million impressions, with the overall sentiment being positive. Many fans have been excited about the return of manufacturers and new spaces at the show across all social platforms. Finally, the show saw support from new and returning sponsors. 2025 premier partners included Cars.com and ComEd, along with supporting sponsorships from NASCAR Chicago, AT&T, Shell Recharge and the U.S. Army. Joining the sponsorship line-up in 2025 were Drive Chicago, Bally’s Chicago and the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. The Chicago Auto Show is already gearing up to return to McCormick Place in February 2026. Dates for the 2026 show are Feb. 5-6 (Media Preview), Feb. 6 (First Look for Charity) and Feb. 7-16, 2026 (public show). For more information on the Chicago Auto Show, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com. 43
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