Author Archives: Mark Maynard, Creative Syndicate

The current clamor for SUV crossovers may be a rising tide for five-door hatchbacks. Many makers offer a compact hatchback for their sedan models, including the Ford Focus, Mazda3, Kia […]

The new 2017 Subaru Impreza isn’t just a completely re-engineered compact-class car; it is a messenger of change for this Japanese carmaker. And a lot rides on its global platform […]

The most notable element of BMW’s first plug-in hybrid X5 SUV isn’t the fuel economy but the power. The all-wheel drive X5 xDrive 40e uses the jolt of electrification as […]

Infiniti’s new QX30 is a sling blade of style that the brand hopes will take a slice out of the already-crowded subcompact crossover segment. The low-slung roofline, high stance and […]

As manufacturers endeavor to do more with less, it is refreshing to enjoy the dynamic displacement of a V-6 in a family sedan, as most are now four-cylinder. And even […]

Station wagons are uncool, except when they are beefed up and dressed to look tough for a can-do performance in nature. Subaru first tackled this terrain with its likable Crosstrek, […]

The 2017 Lincoln Continental is a showpiece of style and technology that does justice to an iconic nameplate. This big sedan has a swaggy confidence for which American luxury cars […]

The three-row crossover is the family car of the 21st century. It embodies the best qualities of an SUV, a minivan and a car, with fuel economy that won’t vaporize […]

The 2017 Sentra SR Turbo kicks up the performance level by about 64 clicks, Nissan likes to say. With its new turbocharged and direct-injection 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, the SR Turbo […]

Cadillac’s reborn XT5 crossover looks like Hollywood and rolls with good Midwestern values. Cadillac says it developed the XT5 from the inside out, and the result is a far more […]