Say G’day to the new Kia Niro HEV GT line
It has to be said that when it comes to prestigious and desirable fashion houses, Australia ranks a lot lower than its European or Eastern USA counterparts. However, it would appear that when the designers and engineers at Kia looked to create their latest iteration of the Niro, our neighbours across the ditch had plenty […]
Last of the Breed – Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R Type A Review
Confession time. Up until recently, I never really “got” the obsession some have with a Mazda-built Rotary engine. Sure, the promise of big turbo power from an engine a fraction of the size of something with conventional cylinders has always piqued my interest, but its never really been my favourite sort of internal combustion. This […]
Canny wee compact – 2023 Opel Corsa SRi ICE review
Not only does canny mean smart and shrewdness but from where I’m from it means pleasant and nice too – or in other words, the new Opel Corsa. For not only has this 6th generation been crammed full of smart tech and clever driving aids, but it’s also as cute as a bright new button. […]
The B’s knees – Mazda MX-5 GT review
Oddly, Idioms hold a huge amount of charm for me, not just the idiom themselves but their backstory too. Take ‘The bee’s knees’ for example. Meaning something is outstandingly good, the origins of this idiom has been traced back to the 1920s when the flappers (the hip people of the time) compared almost anything they […]
Wild Thing: Mazda MX-30 AWD Wild Hybrid Review
The Mazda MX-30 is a fine car which ever way you look at it. However, what you could never accuse the standard MX-30 of being is a bit wild. That was until Blackwells Mazda in Christchurch had an idea. Take a regular MX-30 Mild-Hybrid and turn it into something crazy different. “The idea came about […]
A brand new course – Corsa-e review
With its handsome and low/no emissions range, new (to NZ) car brand Opel has boldly set a course to both detoxify and modernise the look of our vehicle landscape. We’re told that four nameplates will soon be brightening up forecourts across the country, but one of their mission heroes available right now is the cute, […]
3 in 1 Merc – Mercedes-Benz C350e PHEV review
Having already reviewed (and been impressed with) the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, to hear that they had extended the range (literally) with the addition of a PHEV model, I was naturally keen to take that for a spin too – Mercedes-Benz NZ were happy to oblige. For those that haven’t ventured inside the new C-Class, […]
B-quiet – Mercedes-EQ EQB 350 review
Mercedes’ EQ alphabet continues to expand with the ‘quiet’ introduction of the all-electric B. I say quiet as it slipped into the NZ range without a lot of fanfare or even a local launch, but thankfully we were given the keys for a week to make our own assessment. Having driven the B-Class when it […]
Luxury MPV with no L/KM – Mercedes-EQ EQV 300 review
With the Mercedes-EQ family already charging (pun intended) ahead, it seemed fitting that the premium-luxury brand should add their MPV to their ever-increasing all-electric brood. And with my family needing a lift to the airport, Mercedes-Benz NZ let me do some people moving for myself. To all intents and purposes, the Mercedes-EQV sits in between […]
Two Power Tucson – Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid 2WD Review
When buying a five-seater SUV these days, potential buyers often ask the same question, “Is it a hybrid?” The desire to go hybrid or go home has never been burning brighter for the masses, which can only be attributed to the rising cost of fuel and that tempting Government Clean Car Discount. Hyundai have responded […]