Ford’s MY26.5 Ranger and Everest – Proving Their Metal
Located in Lara, Victoria, just 26km north of Geelong is Ford’s You Yangs Proving Ground (YYPG). It’s a 900-hectare vehicle punishing, testing and development playground that offers all manner of terrains including tarmac (smooth and potholed), mud, sand and metal. The facility has been operating since 1965, and it serves as a critical global hub […]
Quietly Confident: 2026 Toyota Hilux New Zealand Launch
To celebrate 50 years of Hilux in New Zealand, Toyota have launched a new generation and an EV but is it a lugger or a bugger?
Suzuki eVitara Review – The EV That Still Thinks Like a Suzuki
The new Suzuki eVitara isn’t out to reinvent transport, it isn’t chasing Nürburgring lap times or pretending to be a luxury lounge on wheels. Instead, Suzuki has taken the formula that made the Vitara such a global success (compact dimensions, rugged charm, practicality and affordability) and translated it into an electric SUV designed for real […]
2027 Volvo EX60 P6 and P10 Ultra – World First Drive Review
Being invited to a world-first drive of a brand new Swedish EV in the Catalonia-land of Flamenco’s, Bull fighting, Tapas and Antoni Gaudí’s whimsical, nature-inspired masterpieces, may sound like an odd choice, but with its exceptional roads, epic backdrops and ‘central’ geographical location, Barcelona proved to be the perfect place for 300 motoring journalists (yes […]
Doomscrolling – BAIC X55 Review
Being the new kid on the block, especially a highly contested one, is never easy. The New Zealand compact SUV market has become one of the toughest segments in the industry. Buyers are spoilt for choice, whether with established players like the Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-5 and Kia Seltos, or the increasingly aggressive wave […]
Concrete Cowboy Redefined: 2026 Volkswagen Amarok V6 Style Review
The Amarok Style makes a statement return with V6 power but is it now a cut-price Aventura?
Stress Free, Electrified SUV – 2026 Nissan X-Trail e-Power e-4ORCE review
The family SUV market is busier than an Auckland motorway on a Friday afternoon, so standing out takes more than a fancy grille and a couple of extra screens. Thankfully, the updated 2026 Nissan X-Trail e-POWER e-4ORCE arrives with meaningful upgrades that actually make day-to-day driving better, not just shinier. Oh AND it’s got a […]
2026 Mercedes-Benz G450d Review – The ‘Sensible’ G-Wagon
There are some vehicles that arrive with presence, then there’s the Mercedes-Benz G450d. It doesn’t just arrive, it announces itself from three streets away with upright confidence, iconic styling and enough road presence to make traffic part like it was the red sea. The funny thing is, despite its celebrity status and luxury price tag, […]
GWM Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV NZ Launch – Silent 750Nm Mud-Slashing Monster
There are some launch venues that immediately tell you what sort of vehicle you’re about to drive. Pulling into Kauri Bay for the New Zealand launch of the GWM Tank 300 Hi4-T PHEV was one of them. Kauri Bay is a working farm and as such boasts rolling fields, bush, woods and a postcard-worthy coastline. […]
That fine line – All-new 2026 Nissan Navara Review
The ute market in New Zealand finds a way to become more of an arms race each passing year. Bigger screens, more composed manners, increasingly car-like cabins, and enough driver assistances to make some of them feel closer to luxury SUVs than the ladder frame workhorses they started life as, decades ago. For many buyers, […]