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For the 114th year, car connoisseurs and admirers alike perused an assortment of new sports cars and luxury vehicles, and even got the opportunity to test drive some new Toyota models. Ken Elander, who’s been going to the Syracuse Auto Expo for over 20 years, was excited to finally see the expo back to where it once was.

“This year felt like a regular old auto show, like back in the day,” Elander said. “The public really came out in force.”

The Syracuse Auto Expo, sponsored by the Syracuse Automobile Dealers Association (SADA), returned to the Oncenter from Thursday to Saturday. 2023 marks the 24th year the expo’s annual charity has been held — they’ve now raised more than $4.3 million since its outset.

With a wide variety of brands — like Chevrolet, JEEP and Subaru — automobile aficionados accumulated a number of options to consider and even potentially purchase.

After buying tickets, visitors could enjoy Toyota’s “Ride and Drive” promotional booth, where they offered test drives of four models located right outside. Once entering, passersby caught a glimpse of Toyota’s GR86 model, distinguished by its all-black, sleek and glossy design.

Central New York car lovers turn out in droves to the Syracuse Auto Expo at the Oncenter. The cars at the expo included new models, sports cars and luxury vehicles alike for patrons to examine, photograph, and in some cases, even test drive.

Maxine Brackbill | Assistant Photo Editor

Syracuse University senior Michael D’Amore loves to drive and has a great affinity for the automobile industry, he said. This was the second year in a row D’Amore had attended the event, and although he drives a Subaru, he said that GR86 model certainly piqued his interest.

“These expos are great because they offer a chance for fans of these cars to pick each other’s brains about the different makes and models,” D’Amore said.

Experimental marketer Monique Valois said some customers bought cars from the expo before it had officially opened up. She expressed that the general availability of new car models in the automobile industry has improved significantly after the decline of COVID-19.

“During the pandemic, from a manufacturer’s point of view, the car selection wasn’t there, but now it’s coming back,” said Valois.

Towards the upper level of the War Memorial, attendees were welcomed with the upscale car selection of the expo. To add to this experience, the expo brought in local pianist Nancy James, the Chorus Master for the Syracuse Opera, for all four days.

Elander said that the Driver’s Village in Cicero actually brings in an abundant amount of inventory to the expo. He added that they intend on keeping the cars on display through the rest of February, offering people the ability to even take the cars for a spin.

Elander, an SU alumnus and the marketing director of Driver’s Village in Cicero, explained how the expo has changed for the better, even in just the last year.

“Frankly, there weren’t nearly as many vehicles at the auto show last year, because dealers were out of stock,” Elander said.

Whether they were automobile aficionados, amateurs or just simply people who wanted to admire some cars, the expo lended a space for everyone to partake in, D’Amore said. He described the opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate their appreciation all in one place.

“Every single conversation is a learning experience. Everybody’s open and inviting,” D’Amore said. “It’s a time where you can actually learn something new — not only about a certain car, and each exact part — but because there’s always somebody who’s been there before you have.”

Published on February 20, 2023 at 10:31 pm