Highlights from the 2024 Utah Auto Expo

The Utah International Auto Expo is the only place you get to sit in dozens of new vehicles within a short space of time and compare notes. For anyone who drives a car, visiting the Auto Expo is a must.

We loved this year’s show so much, we went three times. We were impressed with the number of vehicles, as well as several exciting up-and-coming vehicles that were on display. We picked out a few crowd favorites we observed. 

Photo by Jason Bell

Kia EV9

Without a doubt, one of the coolest looking and most popular vehicles at this year’s show was the Kia EV9. Its boxy, unique styling and bright blue paint set it apart from the crowd in some very eye-catching ways. The EV9 is Kia’s electric three-row SUV, complete with an ultra-luxurious interior, ultra-fast charging and a significant amount of power and technology. With four trim levels to choose from, there’s sure to be one that fits your family’s needs. If an SUV has been on your list, it’ll be hard to beat the new EV9. View all Kia EV9 listings on KSL Cars.

Photo by Jason Bell

Toyota Land Cruiser

Few new cars for 2024 have generated as much anticipation as the return of the Land Cruiser to the United States. Absent from our shores for three years now, Toyota is bringing back this beloved nameplate with two iterations: the Land Cruiser and the Land Cruiser 1958. The latter is a more stripped-down off-road focused rig, eschewing luxury features like ventilated seats found on the 1958 variant.

Photo by Jason Bell

Seeing the new Cruiser in person was awesome, and surprising. It’s much smaller than the 200-series generation and in some ways looked smaller than its off-road counterpart, the 4Runner. It’ll make plenty of power, though, as every new Land Cruiser will utilize Toyota’s 2.4-liter i-Force Max hybrid motor that generates 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. How it compares to other off-road-focused offerings, including the brand’s in-house rival, remains to be seen. Shop Toyota Land Cruiser listings.

Photo by Jason Bell

Nissan Frontier Hardbody Edition

If you remember the ‘80s Nissan Hardbody trucks, you know how cool they were. Now for 2024, Nissan is offering a Hardbody Edition of the Frontier and after seeing it in person, we can confirm it looks every bit as cool as you’d hope. 

The Hardbody package is largely cosmetic and builds upon the already well-equipped crew cab SV four-wheel drive trim. It includes aluminum skid plates, a black side rail, mud flaps, black over fenders, all-terrain tires, a bed-mounted sport bar, and, of course, the iconic three-spoke heritage-styled 17-inch alloy wheels. 

There are also black-painted mirrors, bumpers, door handles and grille. To complete the package, Nissan threw on several retro black graphics, including “4x4” logos on the front doors and a cool Nissan logo graphic on the tailgate.

Photo by Jason Bell

We’ve extensively tested the new Frontier in the past and found it to be an excellent rig — and one that’s underrated in the segment. This new Hardbody Edition ups the cool factor and is sure to conjure up nostalgic dreams of days gone by. See all 2022 and newer Nissan Frontier listings on KSL Cars.

Photo by Jason Bell

Volkswagen ID.Buzz

It’s been about 20 years since the last Volkswagen Bus (aka Vanagon or EuroVan), and the new ID.Buzz looks to be every bit as cool as it used to be, and even more useful. The new VW ID.Buzz will be electric only, with a wide-open interior and plenty of room for passengers. 

It was a genuine surprise to see the concept at the show and we have to say, it’s the most interesting thing Volkswagen has produced in years. It’s the perfect modern update to a quintessential part of automotive history, and it promises to be a stylish value for the family-hauling electric crowd; it's projected to start around $40,000.

Photo by Jason Bell

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

Perhaps no other midsize truck has been as highly anticipated as the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. The Tacoma is a beloved nameplate, with legions of loyal enthusiasts that will drive one to their grave. In other words, the pressure for Toyota to do the next Tacoma right, especially the TRD Pro trim, couldn’t have been higher. 

Our take? It looks awesome. It’s larger than you expect, and wider, too. It was locked, but the new interior looks sharp, especially with the special TRD Pro seats — though they did make rear seat legroom almost nonexistent. From our first look, it appears Toyota nailed it. View all Toyota Tacoma listings on KSL Cars.

Photo by Jason Bell

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Another midsize truck getting a lot of attention was the new Colorado ZR2. We’ve tested the 2024 Colorado ZR2 on- and off-road and found it to be magnificent. It’s a great daily driver and very capable off-road. The interior is a huge step up from the previous generation, and the new turbocharged 4-cylinder puts out a potent 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. 

Photo by Jason Bell

We did overhear several gawkers bemoaning the loss of a V6, but those power numbers should assuage anyone’s hesitations, as should the abundance of off-road goodies like Chevy’s Multimatic DSSV dampers. See all 2023 and newer Chevrolet Colorado listings on KSL Cars.

Full house

Overall, we thought the 2024 Utah Auto Expo was the best it’s ever been. There were a lot of cars and pretty much the entire space was taken up with something worth looking at — and we can’t wait until next year. There are a lot of great cars out there; find yours on KSL Cars. 

*The makes and models mentioned in this article are not placed in any particular order, nor intended to be viewed as a ranked list. KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.

About the author: Having owned everything from a DeLorean to an E46 BMW M3 and a Toyota Land Cruiser, Jason Bell is a lifelong car enthusiast who loves sharing his passions as a teacher, automotive journalist and social media manager. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press where he serves on the Board of Directors. Contact him at jasonbellcars@gmail.com.