These Are the 6 Coolest Cars to See at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show
Despite no new car reveals this year, you can still get an up-close-and-personal look at Ford's freshest Mustang and the Tesla Cybercab.
Let's face it. Auto shows ain't what they used to be, particularly if you're looking for crazy concept cars and big-time reveals. That's also the case for this year's Chicago auto show, which doesn't include anything notable that hasn't already been shown at another show or on the internet. But that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of cool cars to see in person.
While automotive journalists like myself are constantly exposed to the latest and greatest machines, it's easy for my peers and me to forget that a lot of regular folk don't often have the kind of up-close-and-personal access that auto shows provide. So, looking at the Chicago show through that lens, I've compiled a list of the most intriguing cars, truck, and—er—Subaru's latest Travis Pastrana plaything that you can see during the public days that will be held from Saturday, Feb. 7, through Monday, Feb. 16.
Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo
Woo doggy! Would you get a load of this thing? Part Subaru Brat and 100 percent insane, the Brataroo 9500 Turbo is the star of the latest Gymkhana entry, titled Aussie Shred. If you're looking for 11 minutes of Travis Pastrana driving this heavily modified pickup truck like he's Jason Statham in Crank, you can watch the video on YouTube. But if you want to bask in the glory of this 670-hp mini pickup truck, with a pair of jump seats in its bed, a redline that's higher than a kite, and a body kit that looks as wide as Uluru, you can find it at Subaru's outdoorsy booth. Oh, and be sure to check out the puppy pen too.
1986 Toyota Corolla AE86 from 'Drifter'
You might not be familiar with the forthcoming film Drifter, but you probably recognize Sung Kang, who is best known for playing Han in the insanely popular Fast & Furious series. Well, he's also the writer, director, and star of the new live-action movie about—wait for it—drifting! Along with featuring a crew of famous car guys like Brian Scotto and James Pumphrey, the film's hero car is a modified 1986 Toyota AE86 GTS, pictured here as "Lola 2." If you head over to Chi-Town Alley at the auto show, you can better appreciate its Pandem body kit and Watanabe wheels. And here's the best part: It has an LS3 under the hood hooked up to a four-speed manual. To that I say, "Hell yeah!"
Tesla Cybercab (a.k.a. Robotaxi)
If you're not drunk on Hatorade, you might want to stop by the Tesla booth and take a peek at the polarizing Tesla Cybercab—also called the Robotaxi during its reveal in October 2024. A company rep told me it's one of two cars that are currently undergoing testing in the area, with the other spotted driving itself around the streets of Chicago that same day (a colleague showed me a grainy photo). Anyways, regardless of what you think about the Tesla brand and a driverless taxi with butterfly doors, two seats, and no steering wheel, I think it's still worth seeing in person. The rep also told me production is still planned to start in April, with the service likely rolling out in Austin, Texas, later this year.
2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC
I won't lie to you. Ford calling this new Mustang the Dark Horse SC instead of finding a way to slap some Shelby snake badges on it and bring back the GT500 moniker makes me sad. Alas, this pumped-up pony car still looks freakin' sweet, and it should be an animal on the racetrack. Remember, the 815-hp GTD is the mightiest, most track-focused Mustang money can buy—but it also costs $328K-plus. While the DH/SC won't be cheap, it's at least attainable for a wider range of prospective buyers. I dig the funky teal-like brake calipers and its vent-striken face, but the supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 between its front fenders is the pièce de résistance.
2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX
When Ram announced that it was hitting the Hellcat-powered TRX with a metaphorical asteroid, I thought it might be waving the white flag and letting Ford take total control of the horsepower wars. Then Tim Kuniskis came out of retirement to become Ram's CEO, and I realized the supercharged supertruck was likely to do the same. While the new TRX has nearly identical bodywork and a familiar long-travel suspension, its updated 6.2-liter V-8 now pumps out 777 horses, making the F-150 Raptor R seem like a herbivore. What's also noteworthy about the reborn TRX is that it reintroduces the largely dormant SRT performance brand. Recent cryptic hints from Kuniskis also suggest that Ram has more hi-po pickups on the way.
2027 Kia Telluride Family
Who am I kidding? The new Kia Telluride isn't one of the coolest cars at the Chicago auto show. However, as I walked the floor, shaking hands with industry friends and snapping photos for this list, I realized that everything I deemed cool was either really expensive, enthusiast-focused, or unobtainable. I failed to include something that appeals to families and people who enjoy large three-row SUVs, which, if you haven't heard, is a lot. May I present to you the redesigned 2027 Kia Telluride, pictured here with a body wrap and overlandy accessories. Showgoers can actually sit in two other models nearby, and I think that's worth doing. I'm also eager to see if the Telluride, which skipped the 2026 model year, can reclaim its spot on our annual 10Best list. At the very least, that makes it one of the six most anticipated cars at the 2026 Chicago auto show.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
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