A hive of activity – 2021 Kia Stinger GT review
It seems like only yesterday (actually it was 2018) that Kia unveiled their all-new front-engine, rear wheel drive sports car, the Stinger GT. Not only was it far removed from their regular line-up of SUVs and compacts but it also filled the hole left by the category-exiting Falcon and Commodore, and we loved it. Well […]
BMW’s Coupe de Grille – BMW 420i review
Aside from saloons, EVs and SUVs, something BMW does very well are Coupes. The E9 Coupe from ‘68 that evolved into the 6-Series, the 8-Series that has been around since 1990 and the 4-Series, introduced in 2014 as a Coupe evolution of their highly successful 3-Series. Well now the 4-Series is in its 2nd Generation […]
One happy mixer – Kia Stonic review
A close friend of mine suggested that I title this piece Super-Stonic and in many ways Kia New Zealand’s plucky new compact hatch fits this label, it’s crammed full of modern tech, handles nicely and is easy on the eye so very super. But I do have some reservations about the engine. Stonic is a […]
Family Favourite – 4th Gen Hyundai Santa Fe review
Whether it’s for Christmas, Easter, special occasions or just ‘because’, when the Cadbury Favourites are broken out there’s a guaranteed treat for the whole family. And that’s exactly what sprung to mind when Hyundai New Zealand gave me the keys to their 4th Generation Santa Fe. Ok, so it’s not ‘bite-sized’ but it’s a treat […]
Edgy Eclipse – Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Review
Cards on the table, it’s been quite some time since I’ve piloted a Mitsubishi of any kind and I must admit to overall being a little excited when I was given the keys to their new Eclipse Cross, I looked forward to introducing it to my family and maybe see if we could explore some […]
Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 review – Sweet and Spicy
There’s something about the combination of sweet and spicy that really gets my mouth watering. Whether it’s chilli chocolate or a tangy chicken dish, my taste buds come alive and my senses feel fulfilled – much like the new AMG GLA 35 that Mercedes-Benz New Zealand loaned me to review. Now in its second generation, […]
2021 Audi Q5 review – lights fandango
‘We skipped the light fandango’ is the opening line from Procol Harum’s classic whiter shade of pale and although the rest of the tune bares no relevance to the 2021 Q5 that Audi New Zealand gave us the keys to, the fandango lights certainly did. A fandango is essentially a lively Spanish dance, however, in […]
Hyundai Palisade, a high flying flagship
Hyundai New Zealand already has quite the range of SUVs in their line up, from the small Venue to its segment leading Santa Fe, well we’ve just attended the launch of their new Palisade and it’s big – so was the launch. The Palisade was created in part to appeal to the very critical and […]
Cool new cat – Ford Puma ST-line review
A Puma is a mountain lion that weighs in around 50-100kgs and can run at up to 80km/h. It’s a secretive cat that is also more commonly known as a Cougar. Ford New Zealand’s Kuga used to be another name for the Escape and the Ford Puma used to be a sports car – Confused […]
Escape Vroom – 2021 Ford Escape ST-Line X review
Initially made ‘infamous’ in twisted horror movie plots, escape rooms are essentially problem solving games where a team (or just a group of people) are locked in a themed room and by solving a series of puzzles, riddles and cyphers they are able to ‘escape’ the room and/or impending doom. Escape rooms test the problem-solving, […]