2018 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD – All Photos by Randy Stern
A Victory & Reseda review of the 2018 Mazda CX-5
In the most competitive automotive segment in the USA, you have to find a way to stand out.
For years, Mazda went “all-in” on the CX-5. The first-generation model set the tone for a new chapter in Mazda’s history – by translating its enthusiast bent onto an SUV. It worked. By the end of its run, it would lead sales in the USA and other places around the world above the other Mazda offerings.
Now, there’s another strategy taking place at Mazda – the push upmarket. It is not enough to become an enthusiast’s brand. It is to seek opportunity for those with higher incomes and deeper demographics.
That push began with the mid-sized, three-row CX-9. It was a well-executed in every way possible, including a new posh version – the Reserve. Mazda made it clear that some of its models would not stop at the Grand Touring trim, which already mixed a level of luxury and content without compromising its enthusiast bent.
For 2017, the second-generation CX-5 arrived at the dealership offering the promise of upmarket aspirations with high style inside and out, while maintaining the core essentials that make the first CX-5 a success.
I had a previous turn in the Mazda CX-5 last year for another publication. Continue reading →
Commentary: Fifty Years of Hot Wheels
Photo by Randy Stern
Want to talk about being born at the right time?
I was four years old when Mattel introduced their Hot Wheels cars at the 1968 New York Toy Show. What happened afterward was a phenomenon that engaged a child into a world of the automobile.
Fifty years and six billion units later, Hot Wheels is a universal toy that engages children and adults together. It brings both production and concept cars to life, even at 1:64 scale.
Mattel was known for its success with the Barbie doll. Continue reading →