SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Syracuse Auto Expo opened for its 2026 run Thursday, showcasing a number of cars, trucks, and SUVs. The Oncenter in downtown Syracuse saw hundreds of vehicles spread out across 135,000 square feet. Many visitors to the event told NCC News it wasn’t their first time.
“I’ve been coming here for the last 15 years”, expo visitor Angelo Martyn said. “I come for my own enjoyment, by myself”.
The event brought in a variety of brands, like Audi, GMC, BMW, Chevrolet, Buick, Jeep, Subaru, and more. Some visitors attended in search of a new car, while others just came to browse. One of these visitors was Logan Bolognone, a soon-to-be-driver.
“The interest of cars piques me a bit more because it’ll be what I’ll be driving soon”.
A common theme amongst the dealers at the expo was the fact that there were electric cars on display. Both the Chevrolet Equinox EV and the Chevrolet Blazer EV were among some of those cars. Visitors at the expo appeared to have varying opinions- some gravitating towards the cars and talking with employees from the brands, while others expressed their distaste against them.
“I will never buy an electric vehicle. That’s because I speed on the highway, and I don’t want to be stopping every 30-45 minutes to charge my car”, said Martyn, when asked how he felt about electric vehicles.
The vehicles on display were placed in 3 different sections, including an array of luxury vehicles at Upstate Medical Arena at the Oncenter War Memorial.
Another notable feature of the are the 10+ charities sponsored, including AccessCNY, Crouse Health Foundation, and Make-a-Wish CNY, to name a few. The charities are showcased at the annual Charity Preview, which happened just last night. In its tenure, the event has raised over 5 million dollars for Central New York Charities.
The charities that will actually be in attendance to the event include Friends of Second Chance, CNY Cat Coalition, and Seventh Heaven Rescue. Subaru has a display set up at the expo supporting these local dog rescues. Visitors are encouraged to either donate, or even adopt one of the dogs in person.
New this year is the Wine Tasting and Vendor showcase. This features local wineries, distilleries, and vendors. It is set to happen on Saturday from 2-6pm. Also on Saturday, the expo will be visited by the Twin Magicians, from 12-4pm.
The event costs $11 for adults, and is set to run until Sunday.