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Small SUV with huge potential
Following the meteoric rise in the SUV market over the last decade, Korean manufacturer Hyundai has launched a small SUV. It’s the Kona (a Hawaii place name) and if first impressions are correct it...
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‘RS’ might mean ‘really sharp’
Buying a house, horse or car is often about first impressions, so the first look at the Skoda Octavia RS wagon is likely to have you reaching for the chequebook – if you still have one. Our test...
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Hilux toughens up its act
While the Toyota Hilux is the ‘go to’ for anyone looking for a no-nonsense ute, it’s probably been losing some ground to Ford and Holden. The Hilux wasn't the blinged-up Ranger WildTrak and Colarado...
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Navara a better load bearer
Nissan has enhanced the Navara’s performance under heavy loads by redeveloping the rear suspension and testing it in Australia, the country where feedback about the ute’s load-bearing ability was...
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Graphite edition adds value
A limited-edition Holden Colorado — just 100 units nationwide — will become the prized possession of a select bunch of Holden fans when it goes on sale this month. The Holden Colorado Graphite Limited...
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Winds of change blow at Hyundai
It doesn't seem too long since Hyundai was the new kid on the block, but the last decade has seen it emerge as a key player. And it leans to agriculture, from its lofty position at the centre of...
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Mercedes ute sets a new standard
It took a while to get here, but now it’s arrived the Mercedes X-Class has created a stir at the premium end of the buoyant ute market Let’s cut to the chase: it’s good, very good. While the motoring...
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Volkswagen Transporter Runner an impressive ride
Kiwis remain fixated on utes of every shape, size and price, but we wonder whether in the rural sector the clever folk may be looking to diversify into a good van. While ‘white van men’ get lots of...
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Tried and tested Triton
Performance, safety upgrades and a new look for the 2019 Mitsubishi Triton have the manufacturer suggesting it expects its sales to increase by 25%. The new 1-tonne ute was recently unveiled at a...
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Ford’s revamped 4x4 mounts a number of challenges
The modern trend to fewer cubic centimetres and more gear ratios continues as car manufacturers chase better fuel economy and lower emissions. The revised Ford Everest Titanium does its bit by...
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Hilux marks milestone with attitude injection
Toyota has restyled the 14 wide-bodied variants of its 21-model Hilux ute range, as the maker celebrates the iconic workhorse’s 50th anniversary globally. The SR and SR5 extra and double cab variants...
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Car of the year an easy choice
Having driven the 2019 Subaru Forester at Queenstown and through the Bendigo Station at the media launch in August, your reviewer knew it was good. Now, after a week with it in the North Island, it’s...
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One for Santa’s 2019 list
Here's our 2018 car of the year. If you're a fan of the motoring pages in New Zealand newspapers, you will probably be wondering what was going on before Christmas with the annual Car of the Year...
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HSV ute a cohesive upgrade
The after-market options for utes are extensive, but there’s a big difference between a properly engineered package and a ute with a bunch of accessories bolted on. This is the approach HSV engineers...
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Raptor for fun, not work
The Ford Ranger Raptor is not the truck you buy for heavy work; payload and towing capacity are significantly less than a standard Ranger or any other working-clothes ute. But that's not the point. The...
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G-Class Professional built tough for outdoors
The Mercedes G-Class Professional is a military-grade tough, yet smooth, vehicle. If we all bought on price there wouldn’t be any choice. So before anyone throws up their arms in despair let’s say it:...
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Bold new face for Holden
Holden is putting SUVs front and centre of its plan for the future. It’s a case of giving the people what they want and other brands have done the same over recent years. The ‘hero’ of Holden’s range...
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Jeep Gladiator a chariot that will attract many
2020 will see the arrival of a Jeep aimed at tapping Kiwis’ unquenchable thirst for utes, says brand distributor in New Zealand, Ateco. The Wrangler-based Jeep Gladiator looks surprisingly like the AEV...
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A real small-block bruiser
You wouldn't credit a 6.1L Chevy small-block V8 with a fuel economy figure of 7.8L/100km but that’s the figure displayed on the screen of the bright yellow Camaro that HSV NZ loaned us for a week....
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Mercedes X350 smoother than a Hollywood star
While 2018 heralded the arrival of the long-awaited Mercedes X-Class ute, early 2019 brought with it the cream of the crop – the V6-engine X350. Dominating visually with its large muscular engine hood...
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