Previously this section of the Annual was dedicated to providing you with the specification of all 4WDs on sale in New Zealand, but this year we have decided to change it around a bit.
The first thing you will notice is that we have broken the vehicles into four separate sections - SUV, Wagon, Luxury and Utility.
We have also taken the opportunity to add a fifth section for the burgeoning UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) sector.
The SUV section features vehicles with 4WD, but without a low range transmission. They are the vehicles that have spurred the remarkable growth in the 4WD sector of late as they have largely replaced the traditional large and medium car in the local buyer’s minds.
They reflect the active lifestyle we pride ourselves on in New Zealand and offer plenty of space for families, comfort for long journeys and enough off-road ability to get to those out-of-the-way places that we have so many of in this great country.
The Wagon section features 4WD vehicles with a low range transmission. This section features a broader cross-section of vehicles, with the traditional ladder-chassis style 4WD mixing it with newer unibody style vehicles.
The one thing they all share is a stronger focus on off-road ability, although most still offer a wide range of car-like comforts and on-road ability. These are the vehicles that offer the most scope for modification for serious off-road applications, particularly those with traditional ladder-chassis construction.
The Luxury section is, rather obviously, where the big money stuff lies. Anything over $95,000 makes the grade for this section, regardless of whether it has a low-range transmission or not. Some do, some don’t, but there are still some very, very serious off-road vehicles in this section.
Finally, the Utility section is all about those vehicles that have always played a role in our working lives, but are increasingly becoming a big part of our down-time as they become ever-more lifestyle friendly – the ute.
Covering the full spectrum from basic work hacks to top-of-the-line family vehicles, the Ute segment is wide and fiercely contested. Especially recently, as an increasing number of utes move the goal posts every time a new one is released.
While we have also made a few tweaks to the specifications we show, the second major change is that we have increased our comments on each vehicle, to better give you an idea of what we consider to be the Good, the Bad and the slightly mediocre in each segment.
We have made these changes to better reflect what buyers are looking for in their 4WDs. Whether it be a lifestyle vehicle for everyday use and light off-roading in the weekend, a hard-core bush-basher or a dedicated work machine that has to tackle every environment, you will be able to find out about it here.
