Car Reviews

Auto Trader Insights: The leading NZ car blog for reviews, news, and expert buying and selling advice
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3 September 2020

2018 Kia Sorento Sport review

The facelifted Kia Sorento comes with a new Sport variant that bridges the gap between the entry level-Si and SLi
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toyota corolla
30 June 2018
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2018 Mercedes-Benz X 250d Power review

One of 2018’s most significant newcomers, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, has just landed. Does the X rate? We take the plunge, literally, in the top X 250 D Power...
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30 June 2018
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2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS review

It’s now a given that Porsche will add a GTS variant to each of its model lines, and it’s the 718 Cayman’s time to be turned up a...
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29 June 2018
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2018 BMW M5 review

Had to happen eventually, an M5 with all-wheel drive. That’s because it now has 600hp to deploy. Course you can drive it by the rears if you’re game,...
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29 June 2018
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2018 Audi RS 4 review

The RS 4 has always been a big hitter, but for the fourth generation Audi has chopped a couple of slugs off the V8. However, the engineers added...
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29 May 2018
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2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Premium review

Unlikely as it may seem, given it has Forester and XV SUVs in its line-up, the Outback is the most popular Subaru here. Which probably goes to show...
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29 May 2018
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2018 Kia Niro EX review

Something that seems to have been overlooked by the EV buying market here is that it needs to crawl before it can walk. And in that regard petrol-electric...
toyota corolla
29 May 2018
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2018 Suzuki Swift Sport review

The hot hatch spectrum now includes a broad array of machinery, from those that will hit 100 in under four seconds and cost six figures to the likes...
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29 May 2018
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2018 Skoda Octavia RS 245 review

It doesn’t seem like that long ago we were talking about the Octavia RS230, and now we have the improved 245 version. Along with the facelifted look, this...
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29 May 2018
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2018 Seat Ateca Xcellence review

There’s a pattern emerging. First, and soon after the rebirth of Seat here in New Zealand, the Leon Cupra makes a raid on the hot-hatch arena, becoming the...
23 March 2025
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2025 Mercedes-AMG G 63

As far as conspicuous consumption goes, it’s hard to top the AMG G 63. Big, bold and loud, it’s the off-road machine socialites love to bomb around the city in. While the G-Class is a legit 4×4 designed to tackle the toughest terrain, once AMG has had its way with it, it’s a different beast altogether. Well not entirely. It
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22 March 2025
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2024 BMW 120 M Sport vs M135 xDrive Comparison

They might look alike superficially but the marque’s entry-level 120 and harder-edged M135 are for rather different buyers. BMW’s updated 1 Series hatch is now in its fourth generation and comes in just two variants for Kiwis. The update saw new powertrains and chassis changes.  You can pick the newcomer by its restyled kidney grille that features both horizontal and
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16 March 2025
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2025 Peugeot 3008 Hybrid GT Review

Hybrids currently seem to be the next big thing, all over again. Peugeot’s sassy 3008 compact crossover features a small mild hybrid powertrain. How’s it go? Peugeot’s new 3008 Hybrid crossover is now here and is another of the brand’s truly attractive machines. They seem to keep pumping them out in a range of sizes and styles, with similar shapely
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15 March 2025
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2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed Review

Bentley is embracing electrification, its ‘ultra performance’ hybrid making the Continental GT Speed the most potent and quickest model yet. Quite a way to spend a couple of days, roaring around in Bentley’s fourth-generation Continental GT Speed, convincingly the quickest production car the Brit has yet conceived. And while literally it does roar when set in the Sport mode, it’s
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