New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Subaru Outback diesel

  The current Subaru Outback diesel was a thoroughly brilliant car that was really only let down in one way: it was too expensive. Now, at a recent launch of the MY14 line up on a beautifully sunny Waiheke Island, Subaru have fixed that particular issue by gouging $5K out of the Outback diesel’s asking […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Ford Fiesta ST

Hot Hatches are back in force this year, with a remarkable array of small FWD road rockets scampering out of the showrooms this last year. The mental Renault Megane RS265, the awesome Ford Focus ST, the utterly brilliant VW Golf GTI – all of those have been out favourite at one stage or another over […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Nissan Pulsar SSS

For many years having a SSS badge on you Nissan meant exciting things. Then it didn’t. Now Nissan are having a crack at putting some sizzle back into the SSS badge again with a hot version of the deadly-dull Pulsar hatch. Have they got it right? Well, sort of… only sort of… Outside Likes: Subtle […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Mazda6 Limited

The Mazda6 grew up in several ways with the transition into its newest incarnation. Literally, in terms of its size, as the 6 now could almost technically belong in the large car segment, but it has also grown up massively in terms of refinement, quality and sheer gorgeous road presence. But is that enough? We […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Ford Kuga Titanium EcoBoost

Ford’s fantastic range of EcoBoost small capacity/big power turbo-boosted engines has expanded lately with the newer 1.6-litre version appearing in both the wonderfully entertaining Fiesta ST and the attractive and practical Kuga. In one application it is every bit as brilliant as its 2.0-litre cousin, while in the other it actually leaves a bit to […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Citroen DS4 DSport

In this day and age of political correctness and bland homogenisation it is vastly pleasing to know that there is a car manufacturer like Citroen that is still willing to make utterly baffling cars that make no sense, look weird and don’t have a single feature that approaches “sensible” in any way. Or, at least […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Range Rover Vogue S/C V8

Big, but most assuredly not dumb, the latest Range Rover Vogue is a startling example of what can happen when you have something to prove and the will to prove it. Indian owners, Tata, couldn’t afford to get this one wrong. After all, Range Rover was on a roll and it and sister company Jaguar […]

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New Cars Road Tests

ROAD TEST: Mercedes-Benz GL500

The first thing you notice about the GL is that it is big. Very big. But don’t let that intimidate you, because lurking inside that huge, towering behemoth is a remarkably capable vehicle that literally does everything it can to help you handle the massive size. The second thing you notice about the GL is […]

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New Cars

The Rubicon Trail: Day Three

The start of Day Three of our Rubicon adventure blurs rather fuzzily into the end of Day Two, thanks largely to a feisty little Canadian beverage called “Fireball”. A cinnamon whisky that just keeps on giving, it proves rather too easy to drink and the common sense that suggests an early night is soon consumed […]

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