Kia PV5 Review – The EV Van That Makes Diesel Look Old-School
Kia’s first proper foray into the commercial vehicle market is an all-electric van built on a dedicated platform, and while the idea of an electric commercial vehicle isn’t exactly revolutionary anymore, the PV5 brings something different to the party. It’s modern, clever, exceptionally practical and, perhaps most importantly for a commercial vehicle, designed around the […]
Forthing Taikon Super Hybrid Exclusive Review
There’s no denying that the New Zealand automotive landscape has changed dramatically. Chinese manufacturers have gone from automotive outsiders to serious contenders, bringing increasingly sophisticated vehicles to our shores and forcing established brands to rethink what they charge for their badges. One of the latest arrivals is Forthing, part of the enormous Dongfeng automotive group. […]
Zeekr 7GT First Drive Review – A 500kW Grand Tourer
The Zeekr 7GT is making its way to New Zealand. And as a bit of a ‘sneak peek’ we spent a day pushing this 500kW machine on customised exercises and around the challenging corners of Highlands Motorsport Park. What we discovered was the Zeekr 7GT somehow manages to balance genuine performance credentials with the refined […]
Forthing Taikon EV: Space for the Money
It is no surprise to anyone that the SUV segment is the hottest in many markets, including ours. Add an electric plug to that, and the waters are even more red. So it’s natural that value and space are among the main attractors of new buyers, and the newest player, the Forthing Taikon, arrives in […]
JAC T9 PHEV First Off-Road Drive – In China
The T9 Goes Electric, and Gets Seriously Dirty There are plenty of places to test a new ute. A smooth tarmac road, a motorway, or even a gravel track (if the manufacturer is feeling adventurous). But when JAC decided to let us loose in its new T9 PHEV, it chose something rather more entertaining, the […]
Geely EX2 First Drive and NZ Price
Although relatively new to the local automotive world, (launching the EX5, Starray EM-i and Riddara RD6 last year), Geely has one extra ace in the hole it’s about to reveal. It’s called the Geely EX2 and not only is it a citi-tastic EV Hatch, but it also comes with a ‘World’s Best Selling Small EV’ […]
Ford Ranger Wolftrak Review – Hungry like the Wolf
Forgive the Duran Duran headline, but I liked the band, the tune and enjoyed the Ranger version too. The Ford Ranger Wolftrak occupies an interesting sweet spot in the market. It doesn’t have the outright swagger of the Raptor, the luxury aspirations of the Platinum, or the orange-trimmed bling of the Wildtrak V6. Instead, this […]
Ford Everest Wildtrak Review – Big, Bold and Bright Orange
There are some cars that try desperately hard to convince you they’re adventurous. They have plastic cladding, chunky-looking tyres and enough black trim to make a coal mine look underdressed. Then there’s the Ford Everest Wildtrak. It doesn’t really need to shout about its capabilities, it looks like it could happily spend Monday morning dropping […]
Smart #5 BRABUS Review – Real Wild Child
For years, Smart was the automotive equivalent of a Jack Russell. Tiny, energetic, occasionally hilarious and happiest darting around city streets where parking spaces were measured in millimetres rather than metres. But rather than sticking its lane, someone evidently looked at the sales charts, shrugged, and said, “Let’s build a high-performance electric SUV with enough […]
Forthing Taikon Exclusive Review – Under the Radar But Overdelivers
Let’s be honest, if you mention Forthing at a barbecue and you’ll probably be met with blank stares, followed by someone asking if it’s a new type of fishing lure. But for me, its current anonymity is exactly what makes the Forthing Taikon Exclusive interesting. While many Chinese manufacturers have spent the last few years […]