Drivesouth - Reviews

Four-cylinder Falcon a sign of the times

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 05 May 2012 05:26:00 +1200

Once it ruled with a 5-litre V8; for a long time now the mainstay engine has been a 4-litre six - and now it's coming out strong as a 2-litre four.

Mazda impresses with new CX-5

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:30:00 +1200

Though Mazda promised power plants would be the star turns of SkyActiv, the diesel that has gone into the new CX-5 still comes as a beautiful surprise.

BMW's new 3-series on four-cylinder foundation

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:08:20 +1200

Three and six: in BMW-land those numbers once went hand in hand. But the world is an ever-changing place and the counts have altered accordingly. Now it's three and four.

Wagon has edge in new Volvo pair

David Thomson — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:08:04 +1300

The arrival of two new variants - each with a fresh engine - provides David Thomson with a reason to revisit the Volvo S60 saloon and its V60 wagon counterpart.

Smaller Prius resets hybrid entry point

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 05:05:02 +1300

Always wondered if the relatively high cost of buying into petrol-electric opportunities has been the biggest off-putting factor with hybrid cars?

Hard-edged Mini easily provoked

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:07:28 +1300

The brand that sets the petite premium pace is at it again, this time in teensy two-seater form.

More from Honda in new Civic

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:04:35 +1300

Can you believe it's 40 years since the first Civic, the one that landed with perfect timing during the first global oil shock?

Hyundai goes global with new i40

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:05:17 +1300

Remove the badge and would you imagine the i40 was a Hyundai?

Toyota's new Camry a family friend

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:03:30 +1300

The Corolla put Toyota on the map, but the Camry is right behind in build count and equally important at keeping the business going. Actually, make that keeping a heap of businesses going.

Suzuki's new Swift still a good Sport

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:06:18 +1300

Surprising news from Suzuki at the release of the latest generation of the best sub-$30,000 hot hatch ever: they reckon at least 60% of its clientele for this machine - the new Swift Sport - will prefer an impending version with a seven-speed constantly variable transmission over the six-speed manual that is available now.

Hyundai's Accent on competency

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:15:30 +1300

Small to medium-sized cars are selling well at the moment, so the Hyundai Accent may prove a handy additional sales tool for a brand that is
setting the pace for New Zealand sales growth.

Volt an electrifying hybrid from Holden

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:01:32 +1300

Holden will join the hybrid pack later this year when it launches the Volt in New Zealand. Richard Bosselman takes a first look at the new machine, which differs significantly from the current hybrid crop.

Jeep Patriot: More rugged but still patriotic

David Thomson — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Four years after the original broke cover in New Zealand, Jeep has given its Patriot mid-sized SUV a major refit.

New Mazda3 GSE SkyActiv reaching for the sky

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:25:00 +1300

It's an invented descriptive that encapsulates Mazda's push toward downsized, more efficient (petrol and diesel) engines, redeveloped transmissions, exotic exhaust designs and a greater use of lightweight construction materials for improved safety, agility and, above all else, economy.

Toyota responds to feedback on Yaris

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:27:00 +1300

Weird days. Just as other makers of small cars are starting to become adventurous with their designs, the brand that has already "been there, done that" has gone straight again.

Kuga Titanium crossover SUV plugs gap for Ford

David Thomson — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:45:59 +1300

Ford has plugged an obvious gap in its otherwise comprehensive New Zealand range by introducing the European-designed and built Kuga crossover SUV.

New Mazda BT-50 ute edges into passenger sector

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:25:00 +1300

The arrival of the BT-50, Mazda's sister to Ford's recently launched Ranger, raises an obvious question: beyond taking the Ranger to a different tailor, how much input did Mazda have into the vehicle's design?

Citroen C4 surprisingly unremarkable

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +1300

The DS, XM, CX, Traction Avant and Deux Chevaux - there's no shortage of examples to remind that creative and/or quirky cars are what Citroen does.

Smallest BMW gets a reworking

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +1300

Take the blueprint for the outgoing 1-Series, place in copier and hit "enlarge to 120%" : a quick visual assessment would suggest this is how Munich developed the second generation of its smallest BMW-badged model.

Handbuilt Lexus LFA seductive, intoxicating

Richard Bosselman — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:07:40 +1300

Performance car "purists" might quibble for years to come about where the Lexus LFA fits in the overall scheme of things, but here's what I know.