Matthew Skwarczek started blogging in 2015 and focuses his writing on motorcycles and engineering science. A graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned his Master’s in Chemical Engineering, Matthew served as an applications engineer for BASF before joining MotorBiscuit in 2019.
In Matthew’s words, the visceral nature of riding requires you to be in the moment. Combined with his fascination in the analytics surrounding the building and designing of cars and bikes, both modern and classic, you’ll find his voice blends functionality and phenomena. He rides motorcycles and bicycles often, photographing them as well.
Matthew has contributed to Oppositelock and is now an alumnus. He plays Dungeons & Dragons and reads sci-fi and fantasy in his spare time, and appreciates the works of Peter Egan, Sam Smith, Brandon Sanderson, and Alex Goy.
People often think off-roading requires specialty vehicles. So, they put up a Jeep Wrangler’s or Land Rover Defender’s drawbacks to be able to crawl over rocks. Or they shell out large sums for Mercedes G-Wagons or Rolls-Royce Cullinans. But then they worry about damaging their expensive SUVs. And while inexpensive off-roaders like the Suzuki Jimny …
Electric pickup trucks like the Telsa Cybertruck, Bollinger B2, and Rivian R1T are just around the corner. But while they may be almost production-ready, potential buyers may hesitate over range and recharge time. Especially when towing gets involved. Hydrogen technology could help, but it comes with its own problems. However, there may be a different …
Celebrity vehicle ownership can be a mixed bag, especially with high-end SUVs and trucks. On the one hand, some celebrities are trained drivers, both for movies and racing. Others, like San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, are content to stay humble with their SUVs. Or, like Jay Leno’s Bronco, they go for well-kept classic style. …
While the Jeep Wrangler’s off-road design does compromise somewhat on safety, it’s also what makes the SUV so popular. While the Gladiator pickup truck may provide more utility and on-road refinement, the Wrangler is still the one to get when it comes to rock-crawling and other technical kinds of off-roading. But is the Wrangler good …
The original Land Rover Defender may be an incredible off-roading SUV, but it also has its flaws. They’re slow, spartan, and not exactly safe. It was safety regulations, in fact, that stopped US sales back in 1997. And the small US-legal production date (’93-’97) makes the Defender rather expensive, especially compared to ones in Europe. …
When people in the US think of iconic off-road SUVs, they tend to picture the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, Willys Jeep, or Ford Bronco. Those ‘in-the-know’ may also include the Land Rover Defender or even Mitsubishi Montero. But if you asked someone overseas, especially in Australia, to make such a list, there’d be one more …
Although some mod it too far, what keeps the more extreme G-Wagens from being too groan-worthy is Mercedes’ dedication to keeping the SUV a luxury off-road tank. True, a Suzuki Jimny offers bare-bones buffoonery, but there’s something about a 6-wheeled pickup that supersedes logic. And even without extra wheels, the G-Class, like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, …
Although Tesla’s over-the-air updates have occasionally caused problems, they’ve also been a fundamental benefit for the EV manufacturer. Where updating something like a Ford F-150 can take months or years just to plan, Tesla can implement changes essentially overnight. And some of these changes can be dramatic. The already-quick Model 3 recently received a free …
When it comes to modern off-roading, the Suzuki Jimny and Mercedes G-Class are about as different as two vehicles can be. The Jimny, as it’s been from the beginning, is a compact, simplistic, and inexpensive off-roader. Think of a stripped-down, small Japanese Wrangler, and you’re not far off. The G-Class, on the other hand, is …
Although today Land Rover tends to be more closely associated with the luxury Range Rover, the company is also responsible for hard-core off-roaders like the Defender. But in addition to bringing the Defender back, with an extra entry-level version, Land Rover also has a high-end division. Special Vehicle Operations, which also works on Jaguars, is …
Whether you’re hauling bicycles, motorcycles, or bed campers, a pickup truck’s bed is a useful space. Although not enclosed like an SUV’s trunk, a truck bed has its advantages. Pickup trucks also usually have higher payload and towing capacities. But towing and hauling are more complicated than just strapping a hitch or loading lumber. If …
The Toyota 4Runner has an almost legendary reputation for reliability, especially within Consumer Reports. Models regularly see 200,000 or more miles, due in part to the SUV’s old-school design. While the off-road-focused TRD Pro models command a premium, many fairly-new 4Runners can be bought for under $20,000. However, as with the Toyota Tacoma, there are …
Although the Ford Bronco R couldn’t stand on the Baja 1000 podium, the rally truck did at least preview some details about the upcoming SUV. Not to mention demonstrate some of the off-the-shelf components potential owners could use to make their own rally Bronco. But still, beyond a few patents and one bare-metal spy shot, …
With its recent Motor Trend SUV of the Year win, the Kia Telluride has demonstrated the Korean automaker’s ability to combine style and substance in one capable package. The 3-row SUV hasn’t just proved popular with critics, either. However, the Telluride has its own internal competition: the Hyundai Palisade. The Palisade is a luxury bargain …
Although the Bollinger B2 electric truck can sometimes get lost in the Tesla-Rivian rivalry, it certainly looks like a serious off-roader. And its specs appear to back it up. But being priced higher than the Cybertruck or R1T, the B2 and B1 may have seemed like luxury toys. And even with the cheapest Cybertruck’s production …
‘Value for money’ isn’t usually applied to the Mercedes G-Wagen. Although it depreciates less than most, the luxury SUV can come across as a toy. But the G-Wagon’s military roots make it a legitimate off-roader. It’s also a popular platform for tuners like Brabus and Lumma Design. But it’s also been modified by Mercedes itself, …
With Tesla’s recent letter, it’s likely the Cybertruck won’t actually compete with the Ford F-150. Instead, it will most likely compete with medium-duty trucks like the Ford F-250. Which makes Tesla’s highly-publicized Cybertruck-F150 tug-of-war video rather moot. It also raises some more questions. Considering what Tesla may have had to do for that video, what …
Although the top-shelf trims are expensive, the Porsche Cayenne is more reliable and capable than many expect a luxury SUV would be. While the Range Rover may be popularly thought of as the quintessential swank off-roader, the Porsche’s covered its fair share of mud and rocks. In fact, like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the Porsche Cayenne …
Mitsubishi has made its fair share of icons, especially when it comes to SUVs. The Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero has been a seasoned rally competitor, and it’s an affordable off-roader, too. But there’s one classic SUV that Mitsubishi made that’s little-known in the US. Which is a little surprising, considering it’s based on the Wrangler’s descendant. Before …