Author Image: Mark Maynard

Mark Maynard

Mark Maynard was the automotive editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Can EV public charging networks keep up with demand?

Sales of electric vehicles hit a record-breaking 1.3 million in 2024, according to Cox Automotive, increasing 12 percent in the final quarter of 2024. That’s good news for the industry...
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What are hybrid powertrains and how do they work?

The future of automotive transportation is electric or at least electrified. In 2024, Americans bought a record 1.3 million electric cars, according to Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book. Several carmakers...
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Getting to know your first EV

The learning curve that comes with owning a new gas-powered car is typically pretty minor – you already know what most of the features do, you just have to figure...
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Preparing your EV for cold-weather driving

Last winter’s television reports of EV drivers waiting in long lines at crowded public charging stations drew a line in the snow for many electric-vehicle intenders. Why would drivers in...
The Q3<b> </b>was redesigned last year, standing 1.5 inches taller, 3.8 inches longer and nearly an inch wider than its predecessor.

2020 Audi Q3: Largesse in a compact cute ute

The Audi Q3 is a natural-born fun car to drive, which is somewhat unexpected for a small SUV crossover, even if it is an Audi.There is a palpable driver-machine synergy...
For drivers of pickup trucks, Jeeps, crossovers and SUVs, the Open Country’s new tread compound and design help provide confident wet braking and handling, cut-and-chip resistance, off-road grip and a quiet ride, Toyo says.

Toyo debut; beware the vampire bite; Readers Write

Toyo Tires designed and formulated its popular Open Country AT II for tough-yet-compliant grip, whether off road or on for drivers of pickup trucks, Jeeps, crossovers and SUVs. And now...
Union-Tribune auto editor Mark Maynard.

Lane change

Dear friends, fans, followers and fellow enthusiasts,I expected to be carried feet-first from my job of 35 years at this newspaper, 29 of them as the automotive editor. I have...
The compact-class Corsair is sold in Standard and Reserve models with starting prices of $37,000-$50,000.

Lincoln Corsair: the little SUV that could – and did

There cannot be two fraternal twin compact SUV crossovers that are more dramatically different than the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair, today’s tester.Both models have been redesigned for 2020 and...
The 1927 Buick LaSalle Series 303. Designed by Harley Earl, LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were smaller and priced lower than Cadillacs.

Show ‘n Shine

READER NOTE: With respect to the social-distancing mandate and the ever-evolving COVID-19 guidelines, it is recommended to check with each event to determine its status. Most public museums are closed...
The G9 Random Orbital Polisher has been redesigned with added power, $150.

Garage time in the age of social distancing

With the car-show season delayed by a few weeks, car enthusiasts have an extension to primp and polish their projects for summer cruising and shows.Here are some new products that...
Sold in four trim levels with front- or all-wheel drive, starting prices range from $22,995 to $30,700, including $1,100 freight charge from Salamanca, Mexico.

2020 Mazda CX-30: elevated subcompact experience

Mazda has crossed a line with its new CX-30: a demarcation not in sand or SUV utility, but a reawakening of a supersized subcompact SUV crossover that has the horse-and-rider...
Sold in 40 sizes, from 16 to 22 inches, the Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II is covered by a 65,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.

Pirelli Scorpion Verde puts the bite on wet driving

Pirelli says its Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II tires are an extremely well-balanced choice for SUVs and crossovers. The eco-friendly tire (verde meaning “green” in Italian) delivers high performance,...
As consumers increasingly expect more flexible consumption models, they are exploring nontraditional mobility options, such as vehicle subscriptions — and many more programs are expected this year, experts say. Porsche has just expanded its Atlanta-based pilot program for its two drive programs to San Diego.

Pay to play: Car-subscription programs on the rise

Once a privileged perk offered primarily by luxury brands, vehicle-subscription programs are being expanded to a broader market and could sur car ownership as an age-old rite of age.The automotive...
The 525,000-square-foot auto show with more than 400 new vehicles on view is where dreams get real.

2020 San Diego International Auto Show

The diversity of new vehicles has never been greater than it will be for 2020, and much of it will be on display at the San Diego International Auto Show,...
The Elantra GT N line starts at $24,430 with the six-speed manual transmission or $25,530 with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Hyundai Elantra GT N Line: eNticing and eager

Hyundai’s Elantra GT five-door hatchback is a European transplant, and it brings with it all the driving essentials expected of a sporty car engineered in .In Europe it is badged...
The redesigned 2020<b> </b>Evoque is sold in three all-wheel-drive models with starting prices ranging from about $44,000-$58,000.

2020 Range Rover Evoque: an evolved beauty marque

Don’t let looks deceive when considering Land Rover’s smallest SUV, the Range Rover Evoque. Since its U.S. debut in 2011, it has been a fashion-forward beauty marque for the brand,...
The 1970 BRE 240Z racer was the inspiration for the current 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Edition 370Z.

Happy 50th birthday to the Datsun 240z

The Datsun 240Z was released in America on Oct. 22, 1969, with a separate model, the Fairlady Z, for Japan. The Fairlady nameplate was a continuation from the previous gen...
2020 Palisade starting prices range from $32,545 to $47,445 for the Limited AWD, today’s tester.

2020 Hyundai Palisade: move-in ready at $50,000

I did something I’d never done before in a big SUV — and I liked it.While testing Hyundai’s new V6-powered, 4,400-pound Palisade SUV, I drove the majority of the week...
The 2019 K900 is sold in one Luxury V6 trim level with a starting price of $60,895, with just one factory option for the VIP package, $4,000, for a sticker of $64,895.<br>

Kia K900: A crazy-rich VIP for the middle class

Kia’s re-engineered flagship sedan, the K900, might seem too good to be true as a $65,000 luxury liner loaded with advanced technologies and a vital contemporary image.The 2019 model is...
2019 Honda Insight

Honda Insight hybrid: smart car with appeal

Honda rolled up its green sleeves for a third run with its Insight hybrid nameplate.The automaker brought the first mainstream hybrid enger car to market in 2000 with the two-seat...
The seventh annual San Diego EV Day will be this Saturday, Sept. 14, in Liberty Station. The event will feature test drives of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, experts to explain charging and a children’s area with hands-on activities.

National Drive Electric Week, Sept. 14-22

Started in 2011, National Drive Electric Week features more than 300 local events across the U.S. aimed to build EV awareness and inspire drivers to consider an EV for their...
Arteon<b> </b>pricing ranges from $36,840 for the front-drive SE to $47,205 for the loaded SEL R-Line. Today’s tester is an SEL 4Motion, $42,790.<br>

2019 VW Arteon: a cure for the common sedan

Volkswagen’s new Arteon fastback has a languid, wide-body style that is the height of German ingenuity. The format creates a high-style car that is also the weekend adventurer with traction,...
The Corolla Hybrid has a<b> </b>frugal price of $23,880, including the $930 freight charge from Japan. <br>

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE: A versatile 52 mpg

The Toyota Corolla has been the go-to econobox for what seems like decades. It was cheap and dependable basic transportation and a no-brainer choice, at least for buyers who could...
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2019 Boxster 718: preserving Porsche purity

There are three versions of the Porsche 718 Boxster for 2019, but it’s not a lineup of good, better, best. This triplicate of power soft-top convertibles is defined by horsepower...
The 2019 Escape has pricing incentives up to $5,522 on certain models<b> </b>through September or until the new fourth-gen, 2020 model debuts, possibly by September.<br>

2019 Ford Escape: Last of a generation

Ford appears to be going all-in for its completely re-engineered and redesigned 2020 Escape SUV, which goes on sale this fall, maybe as early as September. The new lineup has...
The 2019 port has starting prices that range from $33,095 from the Sport 2WD to $44,725 for the Elite AWD (today’s tester), including the $1,045 freight charge from Lincoln, Ala.

Honda port: off-road ready, city-smart

As the SUV segment splinters with different sizes and genres, the Honda port debuts as a tweener between compact and midsize. And true to its nameplate, it has a marketing...
Cullinan pricing starts at $325,000 and the tester was $409,825, including the $2,600 gas-guzzler tax and $2,400 freight charge.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV: a royal rite of age

Does the world really need a 6,000-pound, 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce SUV?Why not — when it is as well done as the new Cullinan.Big cars are this brand’s wheelhouse, but the Cullinan’s...
Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter introduces the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Thursday, July 18, 2019 in Tustin, Calif.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray debut a moon shot

It was one small step for the automotive industry but a giant leap for General Motors and Chevrolet when the automaker introduced the completely redesigned and re-engineered 2020 Corvette Stingray...
The Gladiator is a midsize pickup that has the appearance of a four-door Jeep Wrangler with a 5-foot bed.

Jeep Gladiator: the mudder of midsize pickups

Months before most pickup fans had a chance to even drive the new Jeep Gladiator, the company held a one-day, pre-launch ordering opportunity for a specially equipped, fully optioned model....
The Urus starts at $203,995 and the tester was $259,284 with 25 packages or accessories.

650-hp Lamborghini Urus is all beef, no bull

Go bullish or get ignored is the driving force in the so-called super SUV segment. It’s about power, presence and price with equal parts prestige, pampering and privilege.There are serious...
The Telluride is sold in seven- or eight-seat configurations with front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. Starting prices range from $33,000 to $45,000.

2020 Kia Telluride: Lights, cameras, action

Kia’s largest vehicle to date, the three-row Telluride SUV, is a rethinking of what is necessary for a large but not too large SUV that has big sedan comfort with...
The fair’s car-show lineup will include about a dozen vehicles on view daily from June 1 to July 3.

Car shows at the San Diego County Fair

The San Diego County Fair opens Friday, May 31 — and it is high time for our annual fix of fried foods, concerts, hot-tub and ladder shopping, piglet races, the...
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2019 Hyundai Veloster N: Nice + Nasty to the Nth degree

Hyundai’s fledgling N high-performance division has turned out an impressive collection of nth-degree engineering for its first product, the 2019 Veloster N.The performance tuning has reworked what was a sporty-ish...
The V60 T6, with AWD, starts at $44,395, including the freight charge from Gothenburg, Sweden. The Inscription tester was $49,395 with three options.

2019 Volvo V60 a polite wagon with lionhearted tech

The second-generation Volvo V60 wagon has been chiseled into the best-looking wagon on sale today and wired with some lionhearted technologies — not the least of which is a 316-horsepower...
The Murano is sold front- or all-wheel drive with a 3.5-liter V-6 and continuously variable automatic transmission. Starting prices range from $32,315-$46,175.<br/>

2019 Nissan Murano: Big, bold and a bit bulky

Nissan has steered its third-generation Murano into an upper echelon of SUV crossovers with an exterior and interior update for 2019.The 16-year-old nameplate has matured nicely into a bold and...