San Diego International Auto Show 2026
California’s second-largest consumer auto show filled the San Diego Convention Center January 1–4, 2026 — new models, EVs, and Family Day Sunday.
- Jan 1–4, 2026
- San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, CA - paid
This event has moved to the archive. Details below are kept for reference — confirm any future edition on the organizer’s site.
The short version
The San Diego International Auto Show ran Thursday, January 1 through Sunday, January 4, 2026 at the San Diego Convention Center on Harbor Drive. Produced by the New Car Dealers Association of San Diego County, it is routinely billed as California’s second-largest auto show and one of the Convention Center’s biggest public draws — a practical SoCal shopping weekend if LA timing or traffic does not work.
Background
Owned and presented by the county’s new-car dealers association, San Diego’s show has grown into a January fixture for Southern California shoppers who want a full manufacturer floor without flying to Detroit or waiting for LA later in the year.
Verified details
- Dates: January 1–4, 2026.
- Venue: San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Drive.
- Typical public hours published for the edition: 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Thu–Sat; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sunday.
Planning tips
- Sunday, January 4 was Family Day — children 12 and under free with a paid adult; kids 6 and under free any day per show materials.
- Tickets were sold online via the official TicketSpice link — buy only from sdautoshow.com, not secondary resellers.
- Park once near the Convention Center / Seaport Village and walk; Gaslamp lodging is the usual overflow if waterfront hotels are full.
- Pair with a same-trip LA or Long Beach culture weekend only if you want two shows — San Diego is the easier early-year floor walk for many San Diego–Orange County households.
Common questions
- Is San Diego worth it if I can also do LA later?
- Yes if you want an early-January SoCal floor without LA Convention Center week traffic. Treat LA Auto Show (late November) as a separate trip type — longer hours, denser halls, Thanksgiving open day.
- Was Family Day different from other days?
- Sunday, January 4 was Family Day — children 12 and under free with a paid adult in 2026 materials, with kids 6 and under free any day. Confirm youth rules on sdautoshow.com for future editions.
- Where should I buy tickets?
- Only from sdautoshow.com / its official TicketSpice link. Skip secondary resellers for a dealer-association consumer show.
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