An auto show is like a big event where car companies bring their newest cars to show off. The New York Auto Show is one of the bigger ones, so it’s where you’ll hear about new models and updates first.
A press pass is permission for media people to get into the event early or in special areas. It usually means you can attend briefings and see things before the general public.
Before the public can go, auto shows often have special early days for the press. Those days can include extra events and previews that regular visitors don’t see right away.
The Genesis G90 is a luxury car (a sedan) made by Genesis. It’s designed to feel comfortable and upscale, especially for long drives. It’s mentioned because it’s one of the brand’s top models and can come in different body styles.
Genesis is a luxury car brand that started as part of Hyundai. When people say “Hyundai Genesis,” they usually mean the Genesis line of upscale cars. The G90 is one of the models people reference from that lineup.
A two-door convertible is a car with two doors where the roof can be opened up. It’s the kind of car you buy for open-air driving, but it can be harder and cost more to build and maintain.
In automotive retail, “inventory” refers to the cars a dealer or manufacturer has on hand to sell. When sales are slow, dealers may hold more inventory than they want, which can lead to discounting or less aggressive marketing.
GM stands for General Motors, the big company behind brands like Chevrolet and Cadillac. They’re mentioned because the speaker felt GM’s presence was focused on certain vehicle types and brands.
Brand
VW
VW (Volkswagen) is a car brand. The speaker is saying they didn’t see enough interesting new stuff from VW at the show.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a tough SUV that’s built for off-roading and long-term reliability. The host is saying Hyundai wants to compete in that same “serious SUV” category.
Body-on-frame means the car’s body sits on a separate heavy-duty frame underneath. Trucks and many off-road SUVs use this because it’s strong for towing and rough terrain.
The Jeep Cherokee is an SUV from Jeep. They’re talking about what the inside looks and feels like, and whether the interior quality seems good or cheap.
An auto show is an event where car companies bring cars and show them off to the public and the media. The hosts are debating whether these events still matter and how they could be made more engaging.
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He is Robin Leach. He is Jada Markin. This is Car Keys.
Well, good morning to this week's audience for Car Keys with Robin Leach and Jada Markin. This week's show will
detail some things about the recent
New York auto show that both of us got to this year in different days and different things were going on, but
J is gonna start us out because
he and I agree with a lot of what he has said in the foreground before we got on the air that
the show was sort of a disappointment from many aspects of what we used to see or
Like would think we would like to have seen and maybe the public too. So Jay, go ahead. Yeah, Robin
I just want to ask you about your experience. You got the royal treatment
We both had
Press passes to attend the show this year. Unfortunately, I was not able to go on one of the two press days
but you did so tell us a little bit about
Well
And and and what what?
How was that experience different and did you learn anything that we're still waiting to learn from
from the press corps
you know and and I
I got to the first day of the two-day press days
Before which occurred before the show opened to the public and so I got the full Monty of
Things starting from a very nicely laid-out breakfast for everybody who showed up
And then I got to go to a couple of
Opening semi well not seminars, but speakers who wanted to tell us about the best world cars the best
The most sporting world cars that were chosen by press
Excluding you and I J which was probably have changed some of the outcomes. Maybe but maybe not
And I don't have a list of them, so I'm not going to relay them to our listeners, but I
Was absolutely amazed. I loved going to the press days first of all how many people how many avoid it was it was very busy
I was surprised at the number of
Alleged press people that were there. I certainly don't think that everybody that
Gained access through the press pass
acquisition
Was really doing anything much about being very press interested about the vehicles and why they were there
But it was a way to get around the public
Days which are fine, but you have a different kind of person looking at the cars
I think doing press days and you do during the public days
All in all it was much nicer on the floor
Moving around getting to see the displays that some of which were probably incompletely set up
But you watched some of the
Events unfold at the various displays like Subaru, Hyundai, Kia
Ford and the like all of which were timed on a schedule that we had
So we can move around in time to get the various display
Presentations that the public was going to see when they were there
The best part for me was that it was sort of a much easier to move around
There were a lot of people there, but it wasn't clogged and
Different displays except when the print when the when the presentations were going on they had seedings seedings
Seats set up for many and many had to stand because there were more people there than the seats there to hold them in
In some of the displays other than that it was just another
Event that I have been going to for many years
with some of you Jay and you and some others and
But it was done in a different venue
Set out and
More pleasant as a result. No, let me let me let me ask you
These presentations that we'll get to talk about cars in the cars themselves in a few minutes, but the the
presentations were made by
manufacturer
executives
Were there any CEOs big top guns there or yes, but I don't recognize it so I can't
You know, I didn't engage with any of them. I had no interest in talking to the
bosses of the displays or the people who set them up
Because there was there was clearly a very much
Knowledgeed part of our group who knew all the important people
But when they had the interest the beginning
presentations about the world cars and they had a you know video displays and and and
Executives came up to do presentations or to receive their trophies so to speak
I I can't say that I knew who they were or did I want to talk to them aside after they
Came up to the podium and then left the podium with their trophy if they were the winning
trophy holder for the let's say they
Fastest car of the world or whatever
No, so I found that so the group moved from one display from one show from one area
Okay, I had a pretty schedule
you know it started out for me with
Key I believe and then there was a Hyundai one an hour
You know 45 minutes later and then there was a Ford one later on and Toyota one so on down the line of
Some of the major displayers
So, you know as you know, I was anticipating a
Lot before going to the show and I think the press did a great job in
Promoting the show beforehand
During the show and after the show so we we you know
We see the the big
Features of the show are I think yeah, and you I think you'll agree with me is the Hyundai
Boulder concept, which is a body on frame
SUV
Yes, yeah, there was the Genesis G90 shooting break
So there are a few a few vehicles that were interesting
But they there was a lot of hype built around these vehicles and to be honest when when when as a general public
We got to the show
some of these were pretty pretty just pretty underwhelming
And and I do I do think I've come to realize I'm just realizing this right now that it seems like the show and the
manufacturers put on this display
Primarily for the press and then they they you know, the press goes out and and you know
Talk about them promote them
Yeah, but really it's like they don't really care who comes in and sees the vehicles at the show and to be quite frank
I
Don't I don't get it after all these years. I'm more and more convinced that this New York auto show is
You know it should be
Targeted at the New York City market and one of the richest markets in the world if not the
Concentration of the most disposable income to buy vehicles and yet there was not a single
Luxury car manufacturer
Officially not officially that was the disappointing part to me and we get to the the major ones like
Jaguar
Well, Jaguar doesn't make any cars anymore, so they do they do sell cars
They've got a few cars. I do agree with you Jaguar name to
Well the two-door convertible and
They don't make it anymore
Well, I didn't know they didn't make it anymore
But they've got inventory around the cell because it's sales are so slow, but but it's a car show. It's not a used car lot
You know, but they don't think we agree
I mean there was no Cadillacs
BMW Mercedes and Audi were all represented by
four cars each somewhere in a corner by by by groups of dealers of regional dealers
The the the displays were pretty lame. There was no lighting on the cars. It was no background. Yeah, you're right
You're right the dealers provided the cars for pretty much all the displays the manufacturers
I think as you said said started out provided the setups for the display errors
Kia and Hyundai were the two major ones and Subaru as well that I noted and they were they were significant in in way how they
have their presentations and
They were more more impressive. I must say I'm afraid and then I felt that the main the American manufacturers displays were
In terms and in terms of the visuals that they had along with the cars
They certainly had more cars in their lines and anybody else that I could decide had their cars presented
Well, although I had a fairly large display
Yeah, but no cars. I mean, this is this is where it
You come to the realization that none of these American manufacturers are producing any cars anymore
Ford take the case of Ford pick up traction. Oh, yeah, you had pick up much bang dark course
Okay, so you had you had Mustangs like you had the five or six variations of the Mustang and that's great
The Mustang is a great car
You know the dark horse edition all these GTs. They're great vehicles, but they sell in very very small numbers
Of course and and and the own and that's it
That's the only car and you know the Mustang EV which is another pretty dumb marketing
Let's let's talk about let me interrupt you and say let's talk about the word car versus the vehicles that were there
You're right if you're talking about cars meaning mostly sedans and non SUVs or crossovers or that kind of thing
You're correct, but Kia had all their vehicles
Hyundai had all their vehicles
Toyota had I think many if not all their vehicles
But but Ford and GM were limited to all to crossovers and SUVs and a few electric options
Still there and VW and VW was very disappointing to me
They don't have anything to really offer that's new and exciting
And as you said earlier Audi as well
And there were no executives there that I could see from those particular manufacturers to to try to get anybody of interest
anybody interested in
Commenting to them about their displays or their vehicles
So let me keep going on my my quote-unquote rant and I'm going to try to be somewhat positive in all my comments
You take GM for instance. There was a there was a pretty substantial display of Chevrolet's
But no Cadillacs, I don't think there were any Buick's I think there was a Cadillac
I believe I saw a Cadillac. Okay. Oh, that was like yes a Cadillac one one of them
World the one of the main cars and they were up in the press room, which is maybe why you didn't see them
Along with a few others Bentley
You're making my point again the show is is is aimed at the press of course it is of course it is and
And with good reason because they write later on you'll see some of the stuff in like a automotive news
They came out
April 6th
Has the boulder as the main picture on the front page of it
Okay, and I really thought that car was that vehicle was a very interesting vehicle and it's going to give a
Major comp come, you know be a major competing vehicle of people who want to buy in a us in a house
Range Rovers Land Rovers
Toyota cruises, etc
So let's let's re-explain this again for for people who may not be familiar with the boulder concept. So it's a Hyundai
Chassis on
on frame
Very rough looking off-roader and very tough looking off-roader
So when you see the concept vehicle you think of Jeep Wrangler
You think of
Right, but also Toyota Land Cruiser Toyota forerunner
And also the pickup trucks right and and and so Hyundai with that concept I think is is
You know getting ready to to invade
Invade is the correct word. I'm afraid invade the market of
Medium to full-size pickup trucks or a body on frame
SUVs
That would that would target again the Land Cruiser, but also the Tahoe from GM
Or even the suburban
So it is a very interesting concept. It looked good
But
That is the one vehicle that I is probably the star of the show and also the most important because it
really forced
You know
Displays what what what's to come with Hyundai? Well, and again the US manufacturers
I mean look at look at look at again look at GM look at Ford
So no Ford Ford had nine bra. Oh, I don't know six or seven or eight or nine Broncos
Correct and and the no two doors. No, exactly. That was not a two-door Bronco there in the course that
Alice favorite. Why are guy? I was with at the show wanted to see a
Two-door Bronco that were no no two-door Broncos. I mean, it's just
You wonder who's in charge of marketing
That's that Jay and it's kind of
And sometimes we'll discuss it because I agree with you totally
I don't know what is going on in the marketing world for these manufacturers
You look at the and let's go to Jaguar for a minute
There was there was a horrible absolutely horrible display on them on somebody's design idea for Jaguar
And I don't know how the marketing department ever let that first design come out before they fired that designer and
And I'm trying to they'll never recover probably but
You know, I don't know I get to the Jeep
But
Cherokee before we show is through because as a what I've discovered it with the newest models out there
There are a couple of things that are that have been
discontinued as
Interior components, okay? Hey, Cherokee. Let's go Robin. Let me interrupt you because you're gonna you're gonna
You're gonna be happy to hear what I have to say for once
I
Saw both. I sat in the Jeep Cherokee, which is a new vehicle. Yeah, and I found it to be very nicely
Finished inside I also sat in the new Toyota RAV4 and
it just looks like a piece of junk on the inside it looks like a
Plastic garbage can and that's very interesting. I did that shit in in many if any cars other than I
Dose but let's get to the cars right now because this is an interesting comment that you and I are in agreement on
From a number of different sides, but let me go back to the Cherokee. I agree with you
I think the Cherokee which I slammed in an earlier show because I'd read the motor trend
Oh, I'm just slamming it but and motor trend didn't like it and I thought I wasn't gonna like it
I know have one in my family not me specifically who got picked up one
Loaded a limited edition, but let me tell you what it doesn't have that that the older versions have there is no power
There is no power
Portal in the front dashboard of the Jeep Cherokee now anybody that the power portal
I'm talking about is what we used to call cigar and cigarette lighters which are electrical
But they they provide electricity for plug-in componentry which you can buy at its stores and they are there's no power port
They've got two C component only plug-ins for the newest
Cell phones that use the C cord attachments
In the front, but no power portal to put in something else you might want to run or for old people with older phones
Who don't want to have to go buy a new phone to get a new power cord?
Thing and there's no rear light in the in the luggage compartment in the new Jeep Cherokee
There's no battery in the front under the front hood
So if you have a dead battery
I have yet to find out where they have put the battery if you had to plug it in and I had but the hood open on my family's
Cherokee over this weekend before this show was done and I looked for five minutes
And I could not find a positive
But what an easily easy to find positive and negative
Connection for jumper cables should that vehicle have a dead battery?
so I
You know I bashed the interior of the RAV4 the Toyota the new Toyota RAV4
It's still gonna outsell the Jeep Cherokee
I don't know two or three to one five to one and it's still probably gonna end up being the
best-selling vehicle in the world or in the top three or five anyway and
It feels like you know cheap plastic, but don't get me wrong those cars are well-built
I
Want to get back to the the a few of the cars at the show
You know that that may have struck us
Well, can we talk about designs of the new cars yes, but Genesis G 90
The touch screens across the front driver and past your seat have become huge
I did think about you when I was going through the show because they all look like there's
strings
Attached to a skateboard that's in front of you
They all look cheesy plastic key
They all look the same and and we're all tired of them already
Well, not to mention they're distracting if you want to find what you want to do
We're in your car and you've got to take your eyes off the road to find the place to touch on that screen to get the heating
controls set up properly or the fan speeds or whatever else
So I don't know where that's gonna go. I know there's some some
Outcries starting to show up in the press about the public's opinion about what we're talking about
And the manufacturer you got you said what we don't know what's going on the marketing department of these
Manufacturers, and I don't know what's going on design department of these manufacturers related to well
Comment in all fairness. I think that you know all these
Commands can be voice activated nowadays. That's true if you yes
That is there that's the yeah, I mean give me when you ask why why they've gone away from knobs and stuff
And and only are giving us touch touch screens to to access the radio the heating systems the
Heating seats and all the other things. Yes, they say well you can you could call up
Google voice and and ask what will happen and and you can get anything you want to happen in your car
Let me let's talk. Let's you mentioned the word design. Let's talk outside design for for a minute or two
I think the the the star of the show was undoubtedly the Genesis G90 wingback concept. So
Well, it's a it's a station wagon it's a shooting break as the Brits would call it
It was in British Racing Green for that matter metallic British Racing Green, and it was just absolutely beautiful
and
It's interesting because it is a wagon and and I talked with one of the
with with a t.s. Slash Genesis rep and and she was saying that they were getting a lot of positive feedback from that
and you know, I you know, you're always skeptical because they're salespeople but
this person did seem to know her stuff and cars and and
The the response and the conversation seemed genuine
And I would like it to be true. I would like to see wagons come on the market and you know
Okay, okay. Okay. I agree with you about wagons coming on the market the back design factor of that car that struck me
Was how low it was?
It was not upright like the old wagons of old and I'm not saying now or like the new let's say Hyundai Santa Fe
Which is a square-back
Thing go like a box. That's an SUV. But yeah, I know and that's a more low wagon look than than that the
Car you're looking at in my viewpoint, but but back to a wagon look
Volvo has still got
Volvo I you know sort of has wagon look more of a wagon look through than this car you're talking about
But it is a beautiful car. Don't get me wrong. I agree with you. The car is beautiful
I just didn't think of it as being wagon like going from the most the best-looking car to the ugliest car
Okay, Subaru never was
Never championed
aesthetic
Interesting you cars but
They are coming out with some of the ugliest things I've ever seen on wheels. I mean the new outback is just
Yeah, I think plain ugly. I think the cladding is has these little
little
Dents in it. The proportions are just all wrong. I just think it's an ugly vehicle
But again, you know, we know
beauties in the
Beholder and I don't I just agree with you about my about the new
Outback I happen to like the front end of the Subaru outback much better than the old one
I think it's modern but not ugly. I think the the vehicle itself. It looks pretty good also
So, you know, I'm not gonna agree totally with your ugliness level of your feeling for the Subaru
Back to and wrapping it up about the show
I
Think there's just a missed opportunity
At this show, I mean if you know, we go down the main displays are on the on the
First level and then if you go down in the basement
You have the EV test track the thrill ride and then you have all this collection of old vintage
And cars that you know, and some things are pretty cool
But some things are just getting old in more ways than one first of all
We've seen the same cars year after year after year and I just think the the overall the manufacturers in the show
Are just missing the opportunity to present
displays about the future of
Of cars and mobility in general
You know, there was no technical explanation on any booth about
Electric vehicles about hybrids about powertrains about safety features
I'm not sure the public has the time to to see those kinds of things at the displays
Jay you're right about
Okay, let me tell you something there were enough that there were enough
Dumb down displays and shows going on like Toyota had this annoying very loud little animation with two or three
Quote-unquote actors that was pretty pathetic
Another manufacturer had a dancing robots and that entertained the crowds and then others had these lame
Gamey
Simulators and people waited in line. So people are willing to spend time
Yeah to be entertained and I just think it's a missed opportunity
On educate educating people if you will I don't know
Do you think the days of auto shows are numbered? Well, yeah, we've had this conversation absolutely
I know but completely because they're still going on in Europe
I'll be it maybe in a different way
Again, it's an it's an opportunity to bring the cars together and bring the press there and the press does its job
I mean I again after going to the show I saw these
YouTube clips that were four or five minutes long
That made you really want to go and see the auto show. So
That's their goal. Yeah, that is their goal. I guess. Yeah, that is that was their goal
And if they're successful at that, that's what they want because it costs money to go in
So they and and and the people love to just wander around you were in the public part of it
I was in the press part of it and
the press went around but they were far more determined to to
Get to all the all the places
Then maybe the public is you know depends
Just
Another and things are just popping in and out of my mind here
The Ram had their new
Small van
Utility that I liked it. I liked it. I liked it a lot too. So but it was just there
It was bland. It was just like one white refrigerator standing in the middle of no
They didn't have the passenger version of it, which I would have been nice to see so well not only that
But like how about bringing in, you know
Camp
Camping
Camping version. I mean all I not they don't there wasn't any energy in that display
Exactly. They just bought the vehicles that they've got a lot of Ram pickups were all over the place and
Then they had that one white new van or return of the van
I mean you can deck it out to have as a work van as a
as a
EMS vehicle as a
As a camping van. I mean, there's so many things you can do with it
Well, there's so many things you could display and yet it's just like one vehicle just dropped their boom
That's right. So the energy was within the foreign manufacturers
I found wouldn't you agree there was much higher level of energy for presentation of vehicles with flexible uses
Subaru's one
You know, they had they had I think they had a camper they might have had a camper outback there or something
But yeah, they had the fact is it had those exactly what you're saying that the Ram
Stellantis didn't do for their display
So there was nothing to compare to what was there from other manufacturers
Yeah, again the big three if we can still call them that GM Ford and Stellantis. It was Stellantis was pretty pretty lame
Yeah, but they don't have much in the cars part. So I'd eat it, right?
No, the new Dodge Chargers
Which you know, I can go two ways on that I don't quite get the new Dodge logo
I think Stellantis has a huge branding issue, but that's a subject for another show
But that you know to wrap it up, I'm happy I went
You know, we keep saying we don't need to go again
but we keep going every year or every other year and
We will keep going to the auto show as long as it's doing what it's doing. That's right. And you know during this
mix of
As electric still viable or not
We're gonna follow that in our shows going forward Robin Leach and Jada Markin and car key
Car keys with Robin Leach and Jada Markin is produced at the facilities of
WHDD 91.9 FM Robin Hood radio comm Sharon Connecticut
About this episode
Press-day access at the New York auto show sets the stage for a debate: Robin Leech and Jay de Marcken both found the overall event underwhelming, even with a few standout concepts. They praise the Hyundai Boulder body-on-frame SUV concept and the Genesis G90 shooting break’s styling, but criticize dealer-heavy displays, missing luxury brands, and a lack of future-focused tech education (EVs, hybrids, safety). They also clash on interiors and gripe about touchscreens replacing physical controls, plus marketing missteps like bland Stellantis/Ram presentations and questionable design choices.
