Ford Ranger Hybrid – First Drive
Electrifying the Ranger Ute Without Shocking the Purists The automotive world, bless its CO2-belching heart, has an emissions problem. The current darling solution? Electrification. But whisper “EV” in the hallowed halls of the ute segment, and you’ll likely hear a chorus of “but can it even see a dirt road without whimpering?” Ford, it seems, […]
2025 Tesla Model Y first drive NZ
Tesla’s Model Y has always been a lightning rod in the EV world—praised for its innovation, critiqued for its quirks, and endlessly debated among enthusiasts and critics alike. Now, in its latest update, the Model Y proves that evolution can be just as exciting as revolution. With subtle yet meaningful changes across design, comfort, tech, […]
Wild, Weird, and Wonderful – Lexus LBX Morizo RR Review
It’s not every day that a car comes along and completely flips your expectations of a brand on its head. But the Lexus LBX Morizo RR does exactly that, and does it unapologetically. This is a car that almost didn’t exist, one that had to be fought for, engineered under cover of passion, and championed […]
Small footprint BIG range – Kia EV3 Long Range Review NZ
The Kia EV3 marks the brand’s smallest SUV footprint yet delivers an outsized electric range and a compelling package for those seeking practicality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in the growing EV market. Stylistically, the EV3 is clearly modeled after its larger sibling, the EV9, echoing its bolder, boxy stance but in a more compact form. The […]
Zip, Zap, Zoom and ‘Zand’ – Mahindra XUV 3XO first drive
A Small SUV with big intentions In a segment bursting with options, Mahindra’s new XUV 3XO arrives as a bold and well-equipped contender. A facelifted evolution of the XUV300, the 3XO pairs a familiar subcompact silhouette with premium appointments, up-to-date tech, and practical performance—all underpinned by extensive local testing across New Zealand’s varied terrain. A […]
Wowser – 2026 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E Performance Review
Hybrid Family SUV Meets Tyre-Frying Performance You don’t often hear the words “family-friendly” and “high-performance hybrid SUV” in the same breath—but Mercedes-AMG clearly didn’t get that memo. With the new GLC 63 S E Performance, they’ve managed to cram blistering performance into a sophisticated, spacious plug-in hybrid that can handle the school run just as […]
Frothing at the bit – Ford Mustang Dark Horse review
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse isn’t just another trim level — it’s the most serious street-legal performance Mustang with a 5.0-litre V8 ever produced. For the first time in over 20 years, Ford has introduced a new performance nameplate to the Mustang family, and it’s one that oozes menace and capability in equal parts. Slotting […]
From 9 to 5 – Kia EV5 Light+ Long Range 2WD Review
For the last few years, Kia has been making some electric waves, big ones too. Their EV family of, well, EVs have been making many a buyer sit up and take notice. Having driven their flagship electric SUV, the EV9 last year and came away from the experience rather impressed, I was expecting more of […]
Morizo’s Machine – Lexus LBX Morizo RR Review
Within a year of its debut, the Lexus LBX, Lexus’ entrant into the vastly competitive premium compact crossover segment has been breathed on by the company’s “go-faster” boffins to give us the LBX Morizo RR. The name Morizo is a reference to the racing nickname given to chairman Akio Toyoda, “Master Driver Morizo,” and the […]
M-powering the 1 – BMW M135 xDrive Review
BMW’s hottest 1-series hatch has flown under the radar somewhat lately. In a segment that is far more niche these days, BMW’s hot hatch is now into its fourth generation courtesy of the recently released new 120 Hatch. Naturally, a full-fat performance hatch from BMW’s M division was to be expected and now it’s here. […]