Best Cars of the 2019 Chicago Auto Show: MotorTrend Favorites

The Chicago Auto Show, in the massive McCormick Center, was once again the place with the space to show big trucks and commercial vehicles outfitted in every way. It’s also a show where automakers like to introduce special editions, anniversary models, and performance variants. The 2019 show followed suit with heavy-duty trucks from Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, and Ram, all boasting big-time power, towing, and payload numbers.

And there were anniversaries to celebrate: Acura was popping champagne to mark 30 years since the NSX concept (then spelled NS-X) debuted in the Windy City. Over at Mazda the celebration surrounded the 30th anniversary of the MX-5 Miata and introduction of a Racing Orange limited edition to mark the occasion. FCA had the original Plymouth Voyager minivan alongside the Chrysler Pacifica 35th Anniversary Edition.

Here are the vehicles that caught our eye in Chicago.

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata 30th Anniversary Edition
























Racing Orange is a first for the popular sports car offered with soft or hardtop, manual or automatic transmission. Mazda is only making 3,000 of these special editions and the 500 allocated for the U.S. were sold out within hours of announcing orders were being taken on the Mazda website. If you got one, the serial number will be on the 30th Anniversary badge. Upgrades include the Club trim’s limited-slip differential, Bilstein shocks with the manual, and Recaro seats of Alcantara and leather. Orange piping and stitching match the trim encircling the air vents as well as the color of the brake calipers. Yum. -Alisa Priddle

2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
































The Jetta is a conservatively styled sedan, but add the letters GLI and there is a big jump in power with the 2.0-liter turbo-four engine from the Golf GTI, producing 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. That is a big jump from the 147-hp, 1.4-liter turbo-four in a regular Jetta. The GLI goes on sale this spring with a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission. In addition to the GTI engine, the hot sedan gets a limited-slip differential, 18-inch wheels, and the requisite red accent stripe across the grille. There will be 2,400 Limited Edition 35th anniversary models with a black roof, black spoiler, and unique wheels. -Alisa Priddle



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