New Zealand motorists love SUVs and 4WDs in general. These vehicles complement our outdoors lifestyle and even better, they scrub up nicely when it’s time to head back to work after a weekend of adventuring. Month after month, year after year, utes have dominated the sales stats. Nothing the Government does has changed that and it’s likely this will continue for as long as these trucks are on the market. The SUV market does have a decent amount of hybrid and plug-in hybrids these days, but there are as yet none that would be comfortable on a run in from Takaputahi to the Motu River in the back blocks of the East Coast or up the Moke valley in the South Island. Anyone in the market for a new 4WD will find plenty to mull over in the pages of our annual buyer’s guide. Enjoy.