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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max AWD review — This ICE is Nice
If you’re after a seven-seat SUV that trades on presence, tech and a surprising amount of creature comforts without the premium price-tag, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max stakes a loud claim. It’s a modern family hauler that looks the part, packs useful hardware for daily life, and (with my 2.0‑litre turbo and an intelligent […]
BMW i4 eDrive40 review – How an EV Gran Coupe should be
If you want a driver-focused electric sedan that feels more like a refined 4 Series than a radical handset-on-wheels, the BMW i4 eDrive40 is surely the one. It’s a lucid blend of traditional BMW driving cues and modern EV practicality, a car that quietly reminds you it’s still a BMW even while the petrol engine […]
All-new fifth generation Nissan Navara – test drive in Aus
We recently headed to Australia’s Capital, Canberra to test out the all-new, 5th Generation Nissan Navara. It was an extensive program both on and off road and it’s fair to say that the new, locally-tuned ute performed admirably on all terrains (especially since it was unladen and running on road tyres) The fifth-generation Nissan Navara […]