014 | LA Auto Show 2025: EV Test Drives, Movie Cars & JDM Icons
About this episode
A detailed recount of a visit to the massive LA Auto Show, highlighting the scale difference from the San Diego show, the presence of EV test drives including drifting Ioniq models, and a special JDM and movie car display featuring iconic vehicles like the Fast and Furious Supra and Need for Speed M3 GTR. The hosts discuss the absence of Tesla, the rise of brands like Lucid and Scout, and the evolving auto show experience with more digital engagement and family-friendly activities. They also touch on notable vehicles like the Corvette ZR1X and Charger EV, and share personal impressions and logistical tips for attending.
This week on Cool Cars with Chris, we’re going full throttle into the LA Auto Show 2025 — and you won’t believe what Courage saw.
From drifting electric Hyundais indoors to spotting movie cars from Fast & Furious and JDM legends, this episode is packed with everything you’d want from one of the biggest auto shows in the U.S.
We also compare it to the San Diego Auto Show, talk about family-friendly features, hidden rooms, million-dollar cars, and why Tesla didn’t show up.
🎟️ Ticket prices, discounts & insider tips
🏙️ LA Convention Center layout vs. San Diego
🚗 Why the LA Auto Show is at least twice the size
🧒 Activities for kids (yes, it’s family-friendly!)
🎬 Fast & Furious Supra, M3 GTR & JDM builds
🔋 Hyundai’s Ioniq 5N indoor drift ride-along
💰 Multi-million dollar exotics: NSX, SLR, Carrera GT
⚡ Lucid, Rivian, Scout EVs — but where’s Tesla?
🏎️ Corvette ZR1X breakdown: hybrid power meets legacy muscle
📸 Behind-the-scenes auto show nostalgia and stories
Get the full breakdown of the LA Auto Show 2025 in this episode of Cool Cars with Chris, where we dive into everything from EV test drives and electric car drift rides to rare JDM icons and movie cars like the Fast and Furious Supra and the M3 GTR from Need for Speed. We explore the all-new Corvette ZR1X hybrid, the powerful Hyundai Ioniq 5N, and emerging electric vehicles from Lucid, Rivian, Scout Motors, and more. Whether you’re into car culture, auto shows, electric sports cars, or comparing the San Diego vs LA Auto Show, this podcast episode has it all. Learn about family-friendly car events, EV performance, and insider tips on auto show parking, ticket discounts, and navigating the LA Convention Center. We also cover the evolution of mid-engine Corvettes, the hype behind electric SUVs, the growing presence of car brands at auto shows, and what it's like attending as a YouTube car content creator. If you're searching for car podcast episodes, EV show coverage, or best cars of 2025, hit play and enjoy the ride.
00:00 – 🎙️ Intro: LA Auto Show Preview & San Diego Connection
00:38 – 👋 Meet Courage: YouTuber & Auto Show Adventurer
01:34 – 🎟️ Ticket Prices & SoCal In-Club Discount
02:00 – 📏 San Diego vs. LA Auto Show Size
02:26 – 🏢 LA Convention Center Layout Explained
03:55 – 🚗 Brand Drop-Offs & Display Quality
05:00 – 📲 No More Swag Bags? Everything’s Digital
06:00 – 🧒 Kid-Friendly Zone: VW Crafts & Mini Racetrack
07:20 – 🚙 Off-Road Test Drives: Toyota Memories
08:30 – 🛣️ Family Road Trip: The Drive from Temecula
09:33 – 🅿️ Parking Problems & LA Sketchy Lots
11:00 – 💡 Ticket Tips & Kids Get in Free!
13:07 – 🗺️ Finding Your Way: Bring a Map!
14:24 – 🔋 GMC, Hummer EVs, and Escalade IQ
15:15 – 🎬 Hidden Room: Fast & Furious & JDM Cars
17:07 – 🔧 Are They Real Builds or Just for Show?
20:23 – 💰 Million-Dollar Room: NSX, SLR, Carrera GT
22:25 – 🖊️ Shelby Signings & Exotic Displays
23:26 – 🧨 ZR1X Corvette: Electric + Flat-Plane Monster
25:09 – 🧠 Why Chevy Went Mid-Engine with the C8
29:15 – 🚫 Tesla Skips the Show: Was That a Mistake?
31:44 – ⚡ EV Overload: Lucid, Rivian, Scout & More
35:04 – 👀 Tesla’s Image & Why People Still Buy Them
38:25 – 🍕 Food, Bathrooms & Family Amenities
40:25 – 👶 No Wagons Allowed? Family Logistics
41:50 – 🎢 Hyundai Drift Ride-Along in the Ioniq 5N
44:12 – 🔄 Indoor Drifting: Safe or Sketchy?
48:07 – 🗓️ Show Runs Through Nov 30th – Plan Your Trip!
49:00 – 🤷♂️ Why San Diego’s Auto Show Feels Smaller
51:00 – 📷 OG Auto Show Memories & Final Thoughts
Toyota FJ Cruiser
"...road course. I did the Toyota truck and I did the FJ cruiser on the on the course. And ever since then they st..."
Land Rover Range Rover
"lots of like Ferraris Lamborghinis and a lot of Range Rover parked down there in like that bottom area. So I ..."
Cadillac Escalade
"I was taking a look at that. We looked at the Escalade IQ and the Hummer EV in person was pretty cool to..."
Toyota Supra
"...y had this, this area where they had the original Supra from the Fast and the Furious."
Nissan Gtr
"but they, they had the M, the M3 GTR from the most wanted series with the big wing, th..."
Lamborghini Huracan
"...ke a big YouTuber. He has this really crazy built Huracan with like, with like these glass panels in the fr..."
Toyota Celica
"What's that? I mean the older Celica or something. I don't know."
Slr Mclaren
"that they displayed. They had a, they had a SLR McLaren, a mick condition NSX, the nineties,"
Porsche 918 Spyder
"...tion too when they had a Carrera GT and a Porsche 918, just like right as you kind of enter to like the..."
Porsche Carrera GT
"...had actually a little section too when they had a Carrera GT and a Porsche 918, just like right as you kind of..."
Porsche 911
"... West Wing. And then they had like a lot of their 911 STs and things like that."
Lamborghini Aventador
"...d, you know, they had some, you know, Lamborghini Aventadors and, you know, F12 Berlinetta Ferraris and things..."
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
"Lamborghini Aventadors and, you know, F12 Berlinetta Ferraris and things on display. And all those car..."
Ford Mustang
"... usually it's like a few Lamborghinis and vintage Mustangs and vintage Corvette things like that."
Chevrolet Corvette
"...few Lamborghinis and vintage Mustangs and vintage Corvette things like that."
Ford Pinto
"...buddy who had one of those and it was basically a Pinto. It was basically a Pinto with a Ford with a Must..."
Chevrolet Camaro
"you know, even like the second gen Camaro, it was the second gen, I believe. Yeah, second g..."
Chevrolet Silverado
"...automakers, and now have their EV lines, like the Silverado EV, the, you know, the,"
Ford F-150 Lightning
"I know Ford is thinking about getting rid of the lightning, surprisingly, but, you know, they were still"
Ford Excursion
"Yeah. So they did have like the Jeep excursion thing that they do where you can ride along and"
Hyundai Ioniq 5
"where they had the Ioniq 5 in and the Ioniq 6 in"
Hyundai Ioniq 6
"the Ioniq 5 in and the Ioniq 6 in on basically on ride alongs"
Toyota Land
"display they had like an old like you know Toyota Land Cruiser like the 80s like the 80"
F-150 Raptor
"...nco I was like the Bronco especially like the the Raptor Bronco the Sasquatch and all that"
Hyundai Genesis
"actually from Hyundai and then the other from Genesis actually which I know you shared"
Hyundai Palisade
"well the Hyundai had the the new Hyundai Palisade but it's the XRT version"
Genesis GV60
"which I forgot exactly what it's called like the GV60 magma I think they're calling it"
Dodge Charger
"...dai side I also will say though I really like the Charger EV I'm just putting it out there"
Dodge Challenger
"than the regular Charger or Challenger EV or Charger EV? Challenger EV"
Chevrolet Silverado EV
"drive a Charger EV when I rented the Silverado EV was because it was in the shop and"
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