Matt DeLorenzo
74 ARTICLES
In 1989, I became editor of Autoweek and later transitioned to Detroit editor for Road & Track. I returned to California as Deputy Editor and then Editor-in-Chief. In 2013, I joined Kelley Blue Book as a senior editor before returning to the life as a freelancer in January 2022.
Over the years, I’ve written several books including Legendary American Cars, Corvette Dynasty, Modern Chrysler Concept Cars, and Dodge 100 Years as well as launch books for the New VW Beetle, Chrysler PT Cruiser, 2005 Ford Mustang, and Hummer H2.
My personal garage is rather modest, populated by a Hyundai Ioniq PHEV and Nissan LEAF. Even though I’ve seen many changes over the years, the industry now is more dynamic than ever, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Driven: 2022 BMW M3 Competition – Purposeful Performance
24 Jul 2022, 17:55 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / There is little that is subtle about the 2022 BMW M3 Competition, from its gaping twin kidney grille to its Sao Paulo yellow exterior. This aggressive look is more than backed by the car’s 503-horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque from its twin-...
Driven: 2023 Mazda CX-50 Is the New Mazda in the Middle
30 Jun 2022, 17:22 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / The 2023 Mazda CX-50 is true to the brand’s philosophy of offering a premium look and spirited handling that’s a cut above the competition. The CX-50 is also significant on two counts, it’s built in the U.S. at a new joint-venture...
Driven: 2023 Toyota bZ4X – Hybrid No More
23 Jun 2022, 15:51 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / As one of the biggest proponents of hybrid technology, Toyota has been somewhat of a laggard when it comes to offering a full electric vehicle. This shortcoming is now rectified with the launch of the 2023 Toyota bZ4X compact SUV. While it&rsquo...
Driven: 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV – Just Right for the Times
22 Jun 2022, 17:15 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / In a world where three-row SUVs are almost a given for family transportation, the 2022 Kia Sorento stands out for offering a high level of utility in a compact package that’s more than easy on the gas. Sorento’s bigger brother, the K...
Very Orange 2023 Toyota GR86 Special Edition Debuts
1 Jun 2022, 13:02 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Offering in a limited run of 860 units, the 2023 Toyota GR86 Special Edition comes in an exclusive Solar Shift Orange paint scheme, matte-black 18-inch wheels and a throatier exhaust note. The new package also features a black duck-bill rear spoile...
2023 Toyota Corolla: Freshened Face, New AWD Hybrid
1 Jun 2022, 13:02 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / The 2023 Toyota Corolla lineup gets a slight refresh, but more important, adds an all-wheel-drive hybrid package to its compact car family. In addition to adding four hybrid sedan trims with available AWD, Toyota boosts the output of its standard g...
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Adds Hybrid Option
1 Jun 2022, 13:00 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross will offer a hybrid variant for the first time promising 37 mpg combined on all trim levels. The newest version of this compact crossover SUV boasts 194 horsepower in total system output in standard all-wheel-drive. To...
Hot Toyota GR Corolla Gets an Even Hotter Special Edition
1 Jun 2022, 13:00 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Toyota’s entry into the hot hatch market with the Toyota GR Corolla has been kicked up a notch with the addition of a new Morizo Edition that promises more performance. Among the Morizo upgrades are shorter gear ratios, stiffer chassis, revam...
New Look, More Powerful F Sport Star in Lexus RX Revamp
1 Jun 2022, 07:20 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / An all-new 2023 Lexus RX evolves its design and expands its powertrain lineup to include a more powerful F Sport trim and a plug-in hybrid variant. This fifth generation RX rides on the all-new GA-K platform that offers more cabin space in its stan...
Huge Chunk of Corvette Pace Car History Gets Auctioned
22 May 2022, 09:52 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / A collection of 18 Corvettes including pace car replicas and festival cars commemorating the Indy 500 went on the auction block as a single lot this weekend. The cars were expected to draw a bid somewhere between $1.5-$1.7 million at Mecum Auction&...
Ford Thunderbird: What It Could and Shouldn’t Be
21 May 2022, 10:00 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / The rumor mill is spinning madly on news that Ford could be staging a rebirth of the Thunderbird nameplate. Speculation is rampant that it might be a front-engine two-seater using Mustang bits to take on the Corvette. While the prospect of a fro...
Driven: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Blends Electric Power with Pickup Practicality
11 May 2022, 10:00 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / A single word best describes the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup - effortless. Thanks to prodigious amounts of horsepower and torque and standard all-wheel-drive from its dual motor set-up, the Lightning proves equally adept at highway cru...
Off-Grid Wind and Solar Charging Offers a Sustainable Option for EV Use
7 May 2022, 15:04 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / A start-up electric vehicle charging company has come up with a unique solution for charging vehicles using wind and solar power. Change Wind is developing the Wind and Solar Tower, a freestanding unit that incorporates both a wind turbine and sola...
Will There Be Beater Cars in an EV World?
29 Apr 2022, 16:48 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Every used car was once a new car. And every beater car was once a late model used car. These cheap, nearly worn-out-but-still-running vehicles are transportation lifeblood for students, low-income workers and the terminally cheap. But will they be...
Lamborghini Huracán’s 20,000-unit Milestone Has Roots to the Chrysler Era
23 Apr 2022, 10:46 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / As Lamborghini celebrates the production of the 20,000th Huracán, a look back at the V10 powered “Baby Lambo” reveals a history that stretches back 35 years. It was on April 23, 1987, when the struggling maker of exotic sports ca...
Electric Car Buyers Need To Add This to Their Shopping Lists: Tax Credits
19 Apr 2022, 07:54 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Besides beating the high cost of gas, one of the perks of owning an electric vehicle in the U.S. is the federal electric car tax credit of up to $7,500. However, this incentive has a catch. Once a manufacturer has sold more than 200,000 plug-in veh...
Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept: Variation on an Electric Theme
13 Apr 2022, 15:46 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Even as other luxury electric cars like Lucid are rolling into showrooms to challenge the dominance of Tesla, Stellantis seeks to drum up interest in its efforts to electrify its Chrysler division. To that end, it is showing the Chrysler Airflow Gr...
2023 Kia Niro Family Debuts with a New Look in Hybrid, PHEV, and EV Options
13 Apr 2022, 14:12 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / In a total revamp of its three-model electrified compact crossover, the 2023 Kia Niro embodies the new design direction for the brand, incorporating cues from its HaBaNiro concept as well as the recently launched EV6. The new look, called &ldquo...
2023 Kia Telluride Is Bolder and Better at NY Auto Show
13 Apr 2022, 14:10 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / As one of the hottest selling three-row SUVs on the market, the 2023 Kia Telluride will sport a bolder look and new features. Kia took the wraps off the new model at the New York International Auto Show. The refreshed Telluride sports a larger gril...
2023 Hyundai Palisade: New Look, Features and Off-Road Inspired XRT Trim
13 Apr 2022, 13:46 UTC · By: Matt DeLorenzo / Benefitting from a mid-cycle refresh, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade boasts a new look, enhanced features an rugged XRT trim level as it makes it debut at the 2022 New York International Auto Show. While the basic body remains the same, the Palisade...