All Articles

News and General
Off-road driver training
Wednesday, 09 December 2015
We met one beautiful, crisp spring morning at Colin Burden’s Auckland ‘office’ in the old Woodhill Forestry building on Restall Rd between Kumeu and Helensville. 
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News and General
SUV Comparison test
Wednesday, 09 December 2015
The Coromandel Peninsula is a quintessential slice of Kiwi, from the laid-back olde-worlde charm of Coromandel town itself to the chic architect-designed excess of man-made beach ‘burbs like Pauanui...
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New and tested 4WDs
4WD of the Year
Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Last year Ford’s Ranger did the unthinkable – toppled Toyota’s Hilux as the country’s top-selling ute, a feat achieved after an unbroken 32 year run by the Japanese manufacturer.
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New and tested 4WDs
New model Suzuki Vitara
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Everyone in the 4WD scene has got a Suzuki Vitara story of one kind or another. Usually they involve tales of daring-do out in the bush along the lines of an old Mark Twain quote; “it’s not the size...
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New and tested 4WDs
New model Mazda BT-50
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
In response to Ford packing the new Ranger with technology (particularly in the top spec models) Mazda has decided to take a completely different approach with the refreshed BT-50.
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New and tested 4WDs
Spider Car
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
The Swincar (that’s its real name) has been designed by a trio of French enthusiasts who have big ideas for their spider-like vehicle.
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News and General
Project 12K – Wheels & tyres
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Because the Project 12K Jeep will be used as much on road as off tarmac, we needed a tyre with reasonable road manners as well as one which provided good characteristics and traction off-road.
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News and General
Load carrying
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Cottle Motors & Auto Electrix Ltd occupies a prime site on the corner of Highway 16 and Access Rd in Kumeu in Auckland’s north-west.
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Events
Achilles Radial Winter Woollies 2015
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
This year’s Winter Woollies trip into the Waiouru Army Training Grounds was held a little later than usual, being more of a ‘spring’ trip because of the procedures that the Desert Defenders Off Road...
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News and General
Weekend drive
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
The three tracks along the ridgeline on either side of the Manawatu Gorge are all public roads rated as quite easy 4WD trips. However any track in such an exposed area needs to be treated with...
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Events
Superwinch Mainland Challenge Round 4
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
The fourth and final round of the Superwinch Mainland Challenge was hosted by the Mid-Canterbury 4WD club at Makikihi south of Timaru over the October 16/17 weekend.
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New Mazda BT-50 if you make a ute, it shouldn’t look happy
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
It would not be unfair of us to say that Mazda has struggled somewhat with the latest BT-50. Standing in the shadows as the all-but-identical under the skin Ford Ranger soars high and beats the...
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Events
Polaris NZ 1000
Monday, 05 October 2015
From pole position on Friday to an exhausted but elated sideways slide through the chequered flag on Sunday Tauranga racer Ben Thomasen dominated the 2015 Polaris NZ 1000.
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News and General
Camping
Monday, 05 October 2015
We all know that there are major differences between the Australian and New Zealand 4WD markets.
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News and General
Winches and winching
Monday, 05 October 2015
There are exceptions but for those chasing mud at some point a winch will normally become a requirement.
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News and General
Project 12K – Suspension upgrade
Monday, 05 October 2015
Jeep suspension upgrades are big business in ‘The States with so many options available; Rugged Ridge, Iron Rock, Rough Country, just to mention a few. In fact it was hard to try and select what...
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Events
BMW Alpine Experience
Monday, 05 October 2015
Snow - it’s cold, it’s wet and it’s generally unpleasant. It is also generally unpleasant to drive on, as it is slippery and means you have to slow down and be sensible, therefore snow cannot be fun.
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New and tested 4WDs
First drive Ford Ranger
Monday, 05 October 2015
You’d have to have been living under a rock these last few months to have missed word of the first major upgrade to NZ4WD’s Ute and overall 4WD of the Year, the Ford Ranger.
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New and tested 4WDs
New model Toyota Prado
Monday, 05 October 2015
Toyota’s Prado remains a stand-out in the SUV sector. But is a new diesel engine enough to keep it ahead of the pack?
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Wrangler DuraTrac tyre test
Sunday, 20 September 2015
We video test Goodyear’s tough-looking new all-purpose 4x4 tyre. Love the aggressive, chunky look of a mud tyre but spend most of the time behind the wheel of your 4WD on tarseal? Then watch our...
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Events
Superwinch Mainland Winch Challenge Rnd 2
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
The round saw action on Saturday over stages put together near Sawyers Arms Road and on Sunday on private land in Cust (no night stages).
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Events
Mt Egmont vs Wanganui Interclub
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
This year’s round was hosted by Mt Egmont and held on the outskirts of Waverley township; a wee bit of a drive for Egmont club members but right in Wanganui’s backyard.
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Adventure International, Adventure NZ
Rally Tours’ Silk Road 4x4 expedition
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
On July 15 this year a three-4WD Rally Tours NZ Silk Road 4x4 expedition convoy arrived in Vladivostok, Russia’s far eastern seaport after being on the road for 75 days and covered 19,000km passing...
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Events
Destinations - Australia Pt 2
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Finally got permission and have some time and money! Here is a summary of three outback tracks/routes we discovered on our big lap.
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Events
West Coast winter trip
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Waiuta Lodge is a large (sleeps 30), historic lodge situated at Waiuta, a ghost town now but once home to one of New Zealand’s most valuable gold mines.
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