Skip to main content
Washington, D.C., Bureau Chief

Fred Meier

Former D.C. Bureau Chief Fred Meier, who lives every day with Washington gridlock, has an un-American love of small wagons and hatchbacks.

Articles by Fred Meier

The 2019 Volvo XC40 offers more horsepower than its closest compact 
 luxury SUV rivals. Now, EPA ratings show it matches or beats them on gas 
 mileage, too.
The 2019 Ford Mustang gets new performance and audio options as well 
 as a retro GT/CS edition and vintage paint colors.
You can get 2018 Dodge Challenger Shaker models with a new Shakedown 
 striping package, and any Charger or Challenger can be painted retro Plum 
 Crazy or B5 Blue.
The 2019 Volksagen Jetta's official EPA rating of 30/40/34 mpg 
 city/highway/combined is up 2 mpg across the board from 2018.
The 2019 Kia Stinger GT Atlantica adds exclusive appearance and luxury 
 for the U.S., and just 500 will be made.
Appearance and trim refinements raise the bar a little more and set the 
 2019 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class models a little more apart from less-
 rarefied S-Class models.
Volvo's new XC40 SUV is not just a downsized version of the XC60 or XC90. 
 It brings its own streetwise sense of style and it's fun to drive.
For family SUV buyers willing to give up one seating position, second-row 
 captain's chairs can add convenience and comfort.
Two-tone paint jobs are making a mini comeback, but making a dent in the 
 sea of gray cars out there is a long shot.
The automaker instead will focus its electric efforts on its coming EQ brand 
 of electrified vehicles.