News and General

Wednesday, 19 July 2023

Kia’s upcoming ute, due in 2025, could be getting a distinctively Australasian name: Tasman.

Wednesday, 19 July 2023

VW’s new Amarok is among us. NZ4WD was at the launch, covered the range last month, and will be taking a closer look at each model over the next few months, beginning with the Amarok Life.

Toyota confirms hybrid diesel Hilux

Wednesday, 19 July 2023

It seems Toyota will be the first brand to offer a hybrid double cab ute in New Zealand.

My4WD Land Rover

Monday, 12 June 2023

The long and proud history of Land Rover bears little repeating.

Scottish EV 4WD

Monday, 12 June 2023

A one-tonne payload, squared-off styling and live diffs. Scotland’s take on the new wave of electric-powered 4WD utes is unashamedly built to work for a living.

Falcon 4WD Ute

Monday, 12 June 2023

Australasia is the home of four-wheel drive utes. From production lines in Thailand, Korea, the USA and Japan, 4WDs have stormed Australian and New Zealand sales charts for years.

Kei class 4WD

Monday, 12 June 2023

Japan’s Kei vehicle class was conceived to ease delivery congestion on city roads, and offered reduced registration fees to those whose business needs included street delivery.

Jeep goes electric down-under

Monday, 12 June 2023

Jeep New Zealand has launched 4xe versions of its SUV range, bringing plug-in hybrid technology to the New Zealand market.

Subaru XV transitions

Monday, 12 June 2023

Subaru’s Impreza-based XV has evolved and transitioned to be the Subaru Crosstrek.

Isuzu D-max LS

Monday, 29 May 2023

Once it was the upstart, the young contender, taking on the establishment.

Clash of the titans

Monday, 29 May 2023

We have been musing over the runaway success of the diesel double cab ute sector for a few years now. It’s no secret that these tough trucks align well with the outdoorsy Kiwi lifestyle.

Future utes

Monday, 29 May 2023

New models, wider specification choices, and no sign yet of the ‘death’ of the internal combustion engine.

Ute market review

Monday, 22 May 2023

Chevrolet’s 4WD line-up has evolved for 2023 and has quite the following. The LTZ and ZR2 are a lot of metal for the money. SUV comfort in a big ute.

GM militarises the Colorado

Monday, 22 May 2023

First, take your road-based 4WD Chev Colorado. Then chop off all the bodywork (sorry, design team). Add a gnarly roll cage and basic engine cover (that’s ‘hood’ to our American friends).

Kumeu 4X4 Outdoor Expo

Monday, 22 May 2023

April 21 was a watershed weekend for 4WD enthusiasts: the first ever 4X4 Outdoor Expo, organised at Kumeu by Chris and Carissa Ballantyne.

A Toyota on 44s

Monday, 22 May 2023

Are these the biggest tyres ever? Specialist 44-inch treads for ice and snow driving aren’t often seen in New Zealand – we simply don’t have enough frozen trails.

Jeep shows hybrid Wrangler

Monday, 22 May 2023

While the Wrangler is a relatively new breed of Jeep, its CJ predecessor goes back nearly a century.

Judge Dredd Land Rover

Monday, 22 May 2023

The article in last month’s NZ4WD about Land Rover’s 101 Forward Control 4WD stirred some responses from the fans of Britain’s finest.

Farewelling the Cherokee

Friday, 19 May 2023

We are not really sure about this one. At first glance it looks like one of those lame April 1 “jokes”. But then… American media are mourning the death of the Jeep Cherokee.

4WD recovery gear

Monday, 24 April 2023

It’s that time of year. After a pretty ordinary summer, we head into winter, and the mudholes, washouts and river crossings are becoming trickier.

Greerton Auto Super Shoppe

Monday, 24 April 2023

Colorado, new Ranger, Hilux and the mighty wee Jimny: Greerton Auto Super Shoppe has enhanced a broad range of 4WDs for off-road use.

Old Jeep gets a V10 boost

Monday, 24 April 2023

Letter from America: this 1967 Kaiser Jeep M715 looked destined for the wrecker’s yard. It hadn’t moved in half a decade, all its tires were flat, and it needed a new engine.