Subcompact SUV done right for North America BY MARK MAYNARD The new Chevrolet Trailblazer is a social climber in a steep segment of small SUVs that expands the perception and function of a subcompact vehicle. It makes the most of a small space and scoots around on a choice of two turbocharged, three-cylinder engines. It revives the nameplate previously applied to the midsize model discontinued in 2009. But the 2021 Trailblazer is a fresh start...
Mark Maynard on cars
2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid road test
More power, more fuel economy — more fundamental goodness BY MARK MAYNARD The Honda CR-V hits a sweet spot of wholesomeness among compact SUV crossovers. It is poised, comfortable and rich in clever engineering and function. And this year, the automaker raised its relevance with a gasoline-electric hybrid model, making it the most powerful and fuel-efficient CR-V in the lineup. Launched in 1997, the CR-V has brought Honda 5 million sales and is currently the...
Vin Car Pic: Walter P. Chrysler
On this day in automotive history, the founder of the Chrysler Corp., Walter Percy Chrysler, died in 1940 after succumbing to a cerebral hemorrhage. According to AutomotiveHistory.org , Chrysler was born in Kansas in 1875 and began his career as a machinist and mechanic in the railroad industry. His railroad career peaked as works manager of the Allegheny locomotive erecting shops of the American Locomotive Co., also known as Alco. His introduction to the automotive...
2020 Hyundai Venue SEL road test
BY MARK MAYNARD As the Coronavirus sucks the spontaneity out of our daily routines, having to replace anything, especially a vehicle, gets new scrutiny. How much or how little is required? Do we make ourselves happy? Or do we settle? Hyundai’s newest and smallest SUV crossover, the Venue, makes the most of difficult choices. Based on the Hyundai’s subcompact Accent sedan, the Venue is the boxy equivalent, but it’s not a penalty box. It’s a...
All-electric Mustang Mach-E 1400 showcased Aug. 8-9 in NASCAR Cup series broadcast
NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano had a chance to feel the raw electric power of the Mustang Mach-E 1400 prototype along with Ford’s famed drift star Vaughn Gittin Jr. at Ford’s Romeo Proving Grounds in Michigan. Logano and Gittin were on-track the week of Aug. 7 to make a short film to showcase the Mustang Mach-E 1400 — developed in collaboration with Gittin’s RTR (Ready to Rock) Vehicles — that will appear for the...
Vin Car Pic: 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Corvair concept
It was 1956 when the “Dinah Shore Chevy Show” debuted on TV, with Shore singing “See the USA in your Chevrolet” at the close of each show. The show grew out of Shore’s earlier 15-minute programs and she was the first woman to host her own TV show. Shore had sung “See the USA” since the early 1950s and the song was used in Chevrolet advertising after Shore’s show ended in 1963. Chevrolet is now...
Chevrolet to stage weeklong virtual cruise
‘Cruisin’ the USA in your Chevrolet’ a tribute to history, iconic vehicles, technological innovations and Chevy experts BY MARK MAYNARD While the summer car-show season has been socially distanced to near death, Chevrolet is reimagining shows and cruise nights through a weeklong virtual festival. Hosted on Chevy’s social media channels from Aug. 10-16, “Cruisin’ the USA in your Chevrolet” will be a tribute more than a century of the brand’s automotive history, technological innovation, design...
2020 SEMA Show cancelled
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, announced Aug. 5 that due to COVID-19 and concerns that event facilities and services will be unavailable — and, therefore, the 2020 SEMA Show will not take place. While event organizers and industry members have been working to develop the sprawling trade show in Las Vegas, mounting uncertainty has rendered continuing with the event inadvisable. Recent SEMA Show survey results indicated interest in a possible virtual trade show with...
2020 Cadillac CT5 road test
Sized, contented and priced to conquest new customers — but its timing suffers from the syndrome known as “It’s not an SUV” BY MARK MAYNARD Cadillac has one foot on the gas and the other on a power inverter as it transitions to be General Motors’ electric vehicle division. And all this arrives with the release this year of two new gasoline-powered sedans that replace two very competent sedans. The new models, the CT5 and...
Yokohama Tire rewards sweat equity with Spartan Race Series promotion, through Sept. 30
Through Sept. 30, the promotion features free 2021 race entry, worth up to a $190 value with the purchase of four eligible tires BY MARK MAYNARD As the official tire sponsor for the U.S. Spartan Race Series, Yokohama is offering a summer promotion that highlights the brand’s tough tires and world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand. Though the coronavirus has scuttled the 2020 Spartan race season, organizers are focused on 2021. And now through...
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