Thursday, 28 March 2024
Matt M. Myftiu

Matt M. Myftiu

Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.

Hendrick Motorsports caught a break this week when its L2-level penalties related to illegal modifications made to hood louvers on its four cars were lessened by an appeals panel.

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel ruled to amend the penalty. Monetary fines totaling $400,000 and four-race suspensions to each Hendrick crew chief remain, but the panel overturned all the points penalties, restoring championship and playoff points that had been docked in the initial penalty.

My take is simple. If rules were broken and the monetary fines remain, the appeals panel shouldn’t have lowered the penalties by returning the points. It’s an irrational move, and it’s odd to me how the biggest teams seek to be the only ones who ever catch a break in the appeals process. 

NASCAR was clearly unhappy with the appeal board ruling, as they should be, and I’m curious to see if the appeal for Justin Haley’s #31 team gets the same treatment as Hendrick, as he was tagged with the same penalty.

Wednesday, 05 April 2023 00:46

Mazda debuts new 2024 CX-90 three-row SUV

Mazda has announced the brand new 2024 Mazda CX-90, a three-row SUV built on Mazda's all-new large platform. The CX-90 represents the company's new flagship vehicle with wider, longer, and more aggressive proportions. Mazda CX-90 is available with all-new electrified powertrains, including an inline 6 turbo and a plug-in hybrid, that offer drivers enhanced performance and efficiency.
2024-Mazda-CX-90-Reveal

"At Mazda, our focus is to deliver an ownership experience that enriches the lives of our customers. With each new vehicle launch, we challenge ourselves to progress through our human-centric approach of design and engineering," said Jeff Guyton, President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations. "CX-90 offers powerful and responsive performance, alluring design, and intuitive technology. We're very proud of our team's work on CX-90, which we know is a breakthrough vehicle in its segment."


As with all Mazda vehicles, CX-90 is designed with the driver in mind. With seating for up to eight passengers, CX-90 can accommodate families and friends in all three rows. Cabin space, cargo capacity, safety features, and many amenities are optimized for their needs.

While the market for compact cars continues to shrink, there remains a dedicated fan base who keeps resisting the move toward SUVs as the default vehicle option.

Part of the reason they can remain so loyal to their vehicle of choice is because of the strong new options that continue to be pushed out each year by the manufacturers still working in this segment.

Take for example the Hyundai Elantra, a compact ride that’s been in the U.S. market for more than 30 years, and is now on its seventh generation.

I recently spent some time testing the 2023 Hyundai Elantra, which stands out in the segment due its bold design, including distinct creasing and angles, that make it stand out among compact sedans, along with some of the best technology in the segment.

Competing with popular vehicles such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Volkswagen Jetta and Nissan Sentra is no picnic, but the Elantra does a strong job of holding up as an overall package — even if it may not lead the segment in all categories.

Read on for a full breakdown on this standout sedan that gives you a lot for a reasonable price.

In the stratosphere of the automotive world, you will find a small number of extra large land yachts also known as three-row luxury SUVs.

These flagship offerings from the biggest luxury names battle head-to-head to be chosen by elite buyers willing to shell out well into six figures for the latest and greatest luxury rides. In the Lexus lineup, the vehicle battling in this class is the LX 600, which was fully updated for the 2022 model year, then saw some minor changes for the 2023 model year.

Holding from four to seven passengers, depending on configuration, it battles heavy hitters in the segment including the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW X7, Range Rover, and Lincoln Navigator.

WIth a body-on-frame design that boosts its off-road prowess, sharp design inside and out, and much-improved tech offerings, the LX stands out as a leader in a segment where a vehicle must do everything right to be successful.

I recently tested a Lexus LX 600 F Sport, and I’m back with a full report on how well it competes.

In the realm of luxury cars, there is a wide variety of SUVs available as plug-in hybrids. But when you turn to the sedan side of things, the numbers are pretty thin.

One company that remains committed to this type of model, which bridges the gap between gas-only rides and full EVs, is Volvo, which offers multiple plug-in hybrid sedan options.

I recently tested the 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge, a stylish entry-level luxury sedan that oozes class and is packed with technology and safety features.

As we prepare to celebrate International Women’s day on March 8th, it provides us the opportunity to assess how far women have come in various fields and professions.

In the world of engineering and fastener design, ARaymond is one global firm that recognizes the importance of female voices in their current and future endeavors. In addition to actively recruiting talented female team members, they also recognize the importance of listening to women’s voices at the highest levels of business development.  

Laurence Fayand, who serves as President and Managing Director of ARaymond’s Business Incubator and Accelerator, leads a team that is responsible for developing technologies of the future at ARaymond — including the latest advances in fastening, fluid handling portfolios, and data & digital service. ARaymond is based in France but has a U.S. headquarters in Michigan and a presence throughout the globe in more than two dozen countries. Fayand’s background prior to ARaymond includes serving as CFO at multiple technology companies including Kayentis and Tronics Microsystems, and a lengthy stint in key management roles at HP.

Fayand recently answered several questions about her role at the ARaymond Incubator, and why it’s important to grow the number of women in STEM roles as well as business/leadership positions. 

As the number of SUVs continues to expand in a seemingly exponential manner, it’s sometimes difficult to classify where certain vehicles compete.

One vehicle battling in a unique area that fends off competitors on multiple sides is the 2023 Buick Enclave, one of the most intriguing three-row midsize SUV offerings from the U.S. Big Three automakers.

An upscale offering from GM, the Enclave is high-brow enough to battle with names such as Volvo and Acura, but it’s simultaneously fending off competitors from brands like Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Ford, which are traditionally not viewed as luxury offerings.

It’s an introduction to the world of the more upscale SUV, without fully diving into the luxury lifestyle to keep pricing more realistic.

The 2023 Enclave sees little changes from the 2022 model, which underwent some major design and tech transformations that are carried over.

Buick’s goal with the Enclave is to deliver a strong overall vehicle — impressing through its design, tech, safety features and drive quality — that will pull potential buyers from either the lower-end or higher-end options into the seat of the Enclave.

With extensive cargo room, a smooth driving experience, and truly impressive technology offerings, it does that to a great extent.

Read on for a full breakdown on how the 2023 Enclave compares to its many competitors in this very popular vehicle segment.

Looking at the automotive sales charts, one thing becomes pretty clear — often the vehicles that sell the most are far from the most flashy. 

Such is the case with the 2023 Chevy Equinox, which is the second-best selling vehicle for Chevrolet behind only its Silverado pickup truck, and one of the top-selling small SUVs in the country.

Focused on a solid user experience, strong design and high-level tech features, the Equinox won’t be the fastest or the most head-turning model in the segment, but it’s clearly doing something right based on how the car-buying public is taking to it.

Changes to the Equinox for 2023 are minor, including a slight bump in horsepower, and updated paint scheme options.

I recently spent some time behind the week of a 2023 Chevy Equinox RS, and I’m back with a full report on how well it battles against a bevy of top competitors including Toyota’s RAV4, Honda’s CR-V and the Ford Escape.

Back in the day, owning a luxury sedan was the ultimate goal of many up-and-coming car buyers looking to impress. But goals have changed with the SUV revolution of recent years.

If we’re talking about endangered species among U.S. automakers, the sedan would definitely be near the top of that list. One by one, sedan models are being dropped from lineups in favor of crossovers and SUVs, leaving precious few remaining. And the vast majority of sedans sold today will come from Asian and European automakers.

Cadillac, however, is not throwing in the towel, and continues to put out its CT4 and CT5 sedan models.

I recently was able to test out a 2023 Cadillac CT5, a midsize offering that’s the larger of Cadillac’s two sedan options.

Packed with groundbreaking technology, fun driving characteristics, and a sharp design, it’s understandable why Cadillac is sticking around in this segment, as the CT5 has a lot to offer buyers to woo them away from foreign luxury makes.

As the appetite for large luxury vehicles continues to grow and options increase, competition has never been tougher.

One contender in this category that’s been around for many years is the Infiniti QX80, the flagship body-on-frame, V8-powered SUV from the luxury marque.

Ahead of an anticipated full redesign for 2024, I recently was able to test the 2023 Infiniti QX80, a truly classy ride which still manages to impress despite its longevity — even when it battles in a class that includes tough competitors such as the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, Audi Q8, Jeep Grand Wagoneer and more.

Read on for a full breakdown of the QX80’s design, drive quality, tech and more.

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