"We're always thrilled to have one of the first auto shows in the whole country, right here in Orange County," said John Sackrison, director of the Orange County Auto Show.
The big thing this year is choice, no matter how you want your next car powered. The various Stellantis brands say basically "yes" to the question of what's moving something. Starting with the big Ram 1500, which gets its Hemi V8 back for 2026. It's on display at the show.
"Consumers demanded. They screamed at us. So the Hemi is back in the Ram truck," said Scott Brown, Stellantis spokesperson.
"Dodge Charger Scat Pack, which has been electric, this is one of the first shows that you can see the gas version. Also Jeep Cherokee is back. It's coming back as a hybrid," continued Brown regarding other Stellantis vehicles on display.
And all the way to the cute Fiat 500 EV.
"The perfect city car; 150 miles of range, it charges quickly," noted Brown.
Honda is betting big on hybrids for the near term, as is Kia. A brand that is also offering lots of choice for an often shifting consumer appetite.
"Whether it's (internal combustion), hybrid, plug-in hybrid or EV, we can move things around and turn things up or down as needed," said James Hope with Irvine-based Kia USA.
Nissan is showing off its newest EV, the 2026 Leaf, but also talking low price as well.
"Nissan offers six vehicles that start under $30,000, the new Leaf being one of them," said Carrie Loosenort, a Nissan product specialist attending the show.
And if you need help deciding, this show really pioneered the on-site test drive. No pressure.
"To be able to test drive some of them, or go for an EV thrill ride, it's just a ton of fun," Sackrison said.
So many cars, for so many potential car buyers. Orange County sells more new cars each year than 25 states, according to the organizers. No wonder this show is so popular.
The OC Auto Show is now open, and runs through Sunday.