2019 Providence Auto Show: 5 Things You Can't Miss

The 2019 Northeastern International Auto Show in Providence is set to happen this weekend, and the auto show in the biggest little state in the union is a great chance to do some low-pressure vehicle testing and comparisons. The show takes place in the Rhode Island Convention Center. (Fun fact: that’s just a short distance from where I was born, in Women & Infants Hospital.)

Related: Video: How to Shop at an Auto Show

The show runs from Friday to Sunday at 1 Sabin St. in downtown Providence. Hours of operation are noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $9 for senior citizens 62 or older, $8 for students with I.D. younger than 21, and children 12 and under get in for free; tickets for adults and seniors are also available online at a $1 discount for adult tickets. For more info, visit the show’s website.

Headed to the Providence auto show this weekend? Here are five things you should check out:

1. All-New SUVs

Fresh off being awarded Cars.com’s Best in Show for the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the new-for-2020 Kia Telluride three-row SUV is one you should track down on the exhibit floor for a once-over. Other new SUVs and crossovers worth seeing include the Telluride’s sibling, the 2020 Hyundai Palisade, and smaller entries like the new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer and updated Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. If SUVs are your thing — and at this moment in automotive history, they’re everyone‘s thing — you shouldn’t have any trouble finding plenty of new and current models to compare.

2. Pickups Aplenty

With displays from Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Jeep and Ram, expect to check out all the new pickup trucks that have entered or are going to enter the market soon. We’ve already compared new full-size half-ton trucks, and we just named the 2019 Ram 1500 the Best Pickup Truck of 2019. If you’re thinking smaller, you might want to see if a mid-size 2020 Jeep Gladiator or 2019 Ford Ranger is on display and compare the two. But if you’re shopping for a pickup at the Providence show, you may not want to make your final decision just yet, as the 2019 Chicago Auto Show will be running simultaneously — that’s where the 2020 Toyota Tacoma will first be seen, along with heavy-duty versions of GM and Ford trucks.

3. Test Drives

While there aren’t multiple automakers offering test drives at the Providence auto show, several of the brands that make up Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will be providing test drives of some of their products from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. While the vehicles available are subject to change, currently expected models include:

• Chrysler Pacifica minivan and 300 sedan
• Dodge Challenger coupe, Charger sedan and Durango SUV
• Fiat 124 Spider roadster, 500 hatchback and 500X SUV
• Jeep Compass, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SUVs
• Ram 1500 pickup truck

4. Exotic Cars

The DuPont Registry Live display will stoke the embers of your opulent aspirations with exotic cars provided by Ferrari-Maserati of New England — you can view their inventory here — including a Ferrari 812 Superfast, 488 GTB and F12, as well as a Maserati Levante and GranTurismo convertible.

5. Museum-Worthy Classics

The Audrain Automobile Museum will be bringing some of its works of automotive art to the show. Exhibitions at the museum currently include a retrospective on muscle cars, convertibles and grand touring cars through the years. While the auto show will only have a small taste of its collection, you can visit the museum in Newport to see more once it reopens Friday Feb. 8 following an exhibition change.

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