How to make the most of the auto show

TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

With more than 1,000 vehicles on display, the annual Toronto auto show is the largest consumer event in Canada.

Jil McIntosh

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

New cars, old cars, live entertainment and stuff for sale.

Unlike many events of its type, the Canadian International AutoShow offers numerous extras along with its new-car displays. The show is open to the public tomorrow and runs to Feb. 22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Rogers Centre. While you could just head down there and look around, planning ahead will make it easier and ensure you don't miss anything.

The first rule: wear comfortable shoes. The auto show is spread out over three venues (the North and South buildings of the Convention Centre, and the field and 100 level of the Rogers Centre) and while there are free shuttles running continuously between the three, including a wheelchair-accessible one, you can also walk between them without having to go outside.

Why not hold it someplace where it can all be on one floor? Well, for one thing, show organizers say it won't easily fit anywhere else, but more importantly, it's Toronto's best location for public transit. With Union Station right next door, connected by the climate-controlled Skywalk, it makes sense to leave the car at home (oh, the irony!) and take TTC or GO Transit.

The show is laid out in a giant loop encompassing the three venues, so don't worry about finding the "best" place to start – each venue works equally well. Follow the signs at each entrance and they'll point you in the right direction. It's completely accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, but you'll have to supply your own.

In addition to the manufacturers' displays, the 2009 show will feature: the Classics Concourse, consisting of the Cruise Nationals car show and a special historical Corvette display; the NASCAR Pavilion, where you can test your skills at changing tires, drive a race car simulator, or watch Sunday's Daytona 500 on the big screen; GTA In Motion – The Future Is Electric, which explores battery-powered vehicles; and Leisure In Motion, which covers motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, snow machines and boats.

The Red Zone, on the 100 level of the Rogers Centre, focuses on sport compacts, and will include an initial look at Scion, a brand that Toyota will bring to Canada in 2010. The Zone also includes a fashion show, martial arts exhibition, and vendors offering a huge variety of car parts, memorabilia and auto-related items. If you can't afford a real Audi R8 or Nissan GT-R, you can at least take home a model of one.

And, of course, there will be new cars, crossovers, trucks and SUVs, hundreds of them, along with several concept cars on display. With a few exceptions among the high-priced marques, most of the vehicles will be open for you to get inside and take a look, and if they're not, you can usually get a company rep to unlock it for you.

Bring a bag to carry home your brochures and a couple of elastic bands to roll up any posters.

For more information, visit autoshow.ca, or call the show's info line at 416-585-3660.

TICKETS: It's quicker and cheaper to buy your tickets online in advance; go to autoshow.ca to buy and print them at home. Tickets can also be purchased at the entrance to any of the three venues. Prices are $20 for adults, $7 for children ages 7 to 12, and free for children 6 and under. A $40 family pass admits two adults and two children, while a $30 multi-day adult pass is good for two visits. Online ticket purchases save 10 per cent. The show is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and to 6 p.m. on the final Sunday. Show organizers say crowds are thinnest on weekdays after 5 p.m., while the busiest times are weekends and Family Day, which falls on Monday.

FREE PARKING: You can park for free from 6-11 p.m. on weekdays, and all day Saturday, Sunday and Family Day, but only in specially marked lots at Harbourfront Centre on Queens Quay. A free shuttle will take you to the show. Public parking lots, at various prices, are located on Front St., or off Blue Jays Way or Bremner Blvd.

VENUE SHUTTLES: Free shuttles run every few minutes during show hours between the North and South Metro Convention Centre buildings, and the Rogers Centre. View Point Mobility/Freedom Motors will also operate a free wheelchair-accessible shuttle.

CHILD CARE: Volkswagen sponsors the Children's Playcare Centre on the 600 Level of the South Building each day during show hours. It's free and staffed by professional caregivers.

More videos from Wheels.ca and our partners