MAXing Out Value – LDV T60 MAX Plus Review
Few segments radiate with Kiwi new car buyers like Utes. Something to tow the boat, something for work, or something tough to transport your nearest and dearest, both of the human and animal fraternity, you really are spoiled for choice. It’s even more so these days with relative newcomers LDV joining the fray. LDV’s back […]
Delivering more than just stuff – LDV Deliver 7 Review
Be it intentionally or not, it seems I have become TarmacLife’s official van reviewer. While Matt’s out there with the new Golf R and Dave is enjoying the Mazda CX-80, I’m spending my week behind the wheel of the LDV Deliver 7. It’s honest work that someone’s gotta do, right? This time, that means a […]
Urban Chic: 2025 smart #3 Premium Review
Following the brand’s New Zealand launch, we get up close with smart’s #3 flagship.
Wicked wagon – BMW M3 Competition Touring review
When it comes to the term wicked, you can opt for the mischievous or ultra-cool meaning, however, when it comes to the new M3 Competition Touring, BMW went for both. Not only is pushing down on the accelerator an event, but boy does it turn heads – oh, and it’s a family wagon too. When […]
Mazda CX-80 PHEV review – Best of All Worlds?
The Premium Contender in the Seven-Seat SUV Market In an increasingly crowded SUV landscape, Mazda’s all-new CX-80 PHEV enters the scene with bold aspirations and a distinctive approach to the seven-seater formula. As the Japanese manufacturer’s new flagship model, the CX-80 aims to deliver a compelling blend of practicality, luxury, and driving dynamics while embracing […]
Taking a Swing – LDV T60 MAX Plus review
Growing up in my home country, I always associated pickup trucks with the countryside and hard work. Back there, they are workhorses, built for practicality rather than comfort. But in New Zealand, the lines are far more blurred. Here, utes (I even had to learn to call them that) are a staple of the Kiwi […]
Six-60 – Mazda CX-60 SP SUV review
As many of you ‘hip’ readers will know, Six60 is a New Zealand pop rock band formed in Dunedin, Otago in 2008. They have amassed a huge following and now play in sold-out concerts to fans of all ages. Well, Mazda has their own ‘Six-60’ that’s already incredibly popular, and equally has a following of […]
Seventh Heaven – Ford Mustang V8 GT review
The new Ford Mustang GT steps confidently into its seventh generation, upholding over 60 years of storied legacy while bringing modern flair to every corner of its design, performance, and technology. And finally, we got our hands on it! From the outset, this new Mustang asserts itself with a low brow front fascia that projects […]
OMGeee – The all-electric Mercedes-Benz G580 – first drive and price
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, an icon of on/off-road luxury since its inception in 1979, has added an extra string to its bow, electrification. And before you sceptics start rolling your eyes and tutting, it’s magnificent – and Mercedes-Benz NZ took us off-road at Kauri Bay to prove it. The introduction of a fully electric variant G […]
Practical Pal: 2024 Cupra Leon V Sportstourer e-HYBRID Review
Cupra’s trusty station wagon gets even more practical with electric power!