Car reviews

Subaru Forester 2018 Car Review

Our tester has long approved of Subaru’s Forester – it did everything its Outback sibling did, plus some, and at a better price.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2018 Car Review

All this new technology is well and good, but what’s it like to live with — surely there are compromises? We had a great opportunity to find out when we drove the Mitsubishi Outlander 2WD 2.4-litre LS petrol for a few days, followed by its plug-in hybrid stablemate, the PHEV, in VRX trim.

Mazda CX-8 2018 Car Review

If you’re an anti-diesel bod, long ago soured by old-style smoky, lethargic examples of the breed, you should try out this Mazda CX-8 in 2.2-litre diesel format.

Renault Koleos 2018 Car Review

The first Koleos — revealed at the Geneva motor show back in 2000 – looked and felt more like a glorified hatchback than a true SUV. Based on Nissan’s Qashqai, it was a pleasant, if unassuming car with a slightly more elegant feel and finish than its Japanese originator, on a relatively compact footprint.

Hyundai Ioniq 2018 Car Review

Hyundai first launched the Ioniq in February 2017, with either a hybrid or full electric drivetrain. This plug-in hybrid landed in December 2017 to bridge the gap between them

SKODA Rapid 2018 Car Review

When Skoda’s Rapid first arrived here in 2013 it bridged the gap between the smaller Fabia and the Octavia as a spacious, good-value car with a crossover sedan-hatch persona.

Volkswagen Tiguan 2018 Car Review

Volkswagen’s Tiguan has long been a favourite of some of our testers, not for a flashy engine or standout looks, indeed it’s a bit unexciting, but because its designers clearly thought long and hard about its likely intended function – as a family runabout.

Toyota Prius 2018 Car Review

The Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-production hybrid, has become a low-emissions, fuel-efficient urban runabout since its 2000 release, with Auckland’s taxi fleet being a prime example.

Toyota Hilux 2018 Car Review

Toyota Camry Hybrid 2018 Car Review

The most immediately obvious change to this latest Camry is its looks. Toyota seems finally to have taken on board the once regular comment that its cars may be reliable, but their styling has been rather boring, and though the majority of buyers may not be vehicular enthusiasts, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like a handsome car in the driveway.