2026 BMW 420i Convertible Review – Softer Top, Sharper Style
The BMW 420i Convertible is a tidy, driver-focused open-top that marries everyday practicality with the kind of crisp chassis feedback enthusiasts expect from the marque. The latest model trades the previous folding-metal roof for a traditional fabric soft-top, a move that preserves boot space and sharpens the car’s silhouette while retaining polished road manners and […]
Chery Tiggo 7 Urban ICE full review – value packed but lacks excitement
Chery’s Tiggo 7 ICE arrives as a measured, sensible addition to the range and a petrol option into the crowded compact-SUV segment. It’s a comfortably packaged, value-focused midsizer that prioritises interior space and kit over headline-grabbing design or sporting prowess. It’s the type of car that quietly aims to tick all the boxes for a […]
Big space, big progress – BYD Sealion 8 Review
The large PHEV SUV – or should it be PHESUV? – segment has been getting more attention lately, with more entrants trying to secure a slice of this profitable market that comes with an ever growing list of requirements. One of the newest players is the BYD Sealion 8, and if it is an indication […]
Checkmate: 2026 GAC M8 LUX (Master) Review
GAC’s flagship offering is here to shake up the luxury MPV scene but how does it stack up against the competition?
BMW iX xDrive45 M Sport Review – Big, bold and quietly brilliant
BMW’s iX has always been a polarising statement-piece, and the updated xDrive45 M Sport only amplifies that opinion: more power, more range, a subtle visual tidy-up and a cabin that feels like a modern living room on wheels. If you want a luxury EV that announces itself without shouting, this is it, and it makes […]
All-New Toyota RAV4 – NZ Launch and First Drive Review
Here at Tarmac Life, we go out of our way to bring you reviews. Case in point is the all-new Toyota RAV4 NZ launch and first review. Not only did I have to give up my weekend (and leave my loving family at home), but also travel over many kms of Kiwi road surfaces (some […]
Taik-on me – Forthing Taikon Super Hybrid & EV SUV first drive review
The Forthing Taikon arrives in New Zealand with an unmistakable value-first proposition: a comprehensively specced medium SUV available as a long-range Super Hybrid and a full EV, backed by generous warranties and an expanding dealer network. Pricing is aggressive (the Taikon Super Hybrid Luxury starts at $39,990 and the Exclusive at $44,990; the EV Luxury […]
Cheerful Parity – BYD Atto 1 Essential Review
For years, the industry (and the public) have been talking about a certain event horizon where you could choose a size of car that works for your needs, and then the drivetrain choice (whether powered by dinosaur juice or electrons) would just be another step on the decision tree, and not a fundamental fork right […]
Same Same But Different: 2026 Subaru Outback AWD Review
Now in its seventh generation and officially an SUV, does the Subaru Outback still have the same appeal as before?
Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE005 review – predictability, wet grip and everyday usability
The Potenza Adrenalin RE005 is Bridgestone’s latest iteration of its long-running sport tyre family, and it’s clearly been developed with Australia and New Zealand drivers in mind, a region that has historically driven product direction for this line. But first a history lesson. Bridgestone’s motorsport pedigree stretches back to the 1960s and reached Formula 1 […]