The Ford Ranger has become the backbone of light commercial transport in New Zealand. It’s one of the best performing pickup trucks in the market and it has a wide array of configurations to choose from which makes it a versatile pickup. It can be deployed for various missions such as cargo transport, family car, towing, off-roading and many more. In this guide, we talk about its reliability and the common problems to look out for when buying a used Ranger. We give you a detailed comparison with the Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, Isuzu D-Max and Nissan Navara including pros and cons of each of these pickups.

The Holden Colorado often gets overshadowed by its famous rivals such as the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux. Yet if you scratch beneath the surface, you will find a legitimate pickup that can go toe to toe with these rivals and sometimes even outperform them. However, many buyers question the reliability of the Colorado and they worry about its long term outlook given the demise of the Holden brand as a whole. We will answer all these questions in this guide as well as many other questions that most buyers have. At the end of it, you will be empowered to make the right decision.

The Holden Commodore has faced a lot of scrutiny over the years and there’s a lot of conflicting information out there about it. It’s difficult to weed out the truth from the sea of chatter and many buyers struggle to find actionable information. In this guide, we set the record straight on the various myths and truths that have been propagated over the years and we present factual information that you can rely on to buy the right Commodore. We cover topics such as the long-term reliability of the Commodore and what a buyer should expect in their ownership journey. We also cover important issues such as its maintenance costs in New Zealand plus many other topics that you will find valuable as a buyer.

The Honda Fit is a versatile car that can be deployed in various roles such as passenger transport and light cargo transport. It can carry 5 adult passengers in relative comfort and has sufficient boot space to carry their luggage. With its rear seats down, in what Honda calls the ‘magic seat’ configuration, it can haul sizable cargo comparable to a light delivery van. All these plus its excellent fuel efficiency makes the Honda Fit a very desirable car and it’s often heavily used. This makes the Fit a tricky car to buy in the used market and you need a comprehensive checklist when buying one. This is where this Buyer’s Guide becomes handy.

The Mazda Atenza is a dazzling car that’s considered among the best and it enjoys a strong reputation in New Zealand. It comes with a choice of petrol and diesel engines which gives buyers a range of options to choose from depending on their preference. The Atenza is however a complex car that’s prone to major problems if it’s not well maintained and if you’re buying a used one, you need to be cautious. In this guide, we will equip you practical knowledge on how to select a problem free Atenza.

The Mazda Axela has had a rapid ascent to the top of New Zealand’s hatchback tree and it’s now one of the most sought after compacts in the market. It strikes a perfect balance, blending exceptional features and world-class driving dynamics into one package. It comes with a wide range of engine options both petrol and diesel that can fit many applications such as the normal school runs to more demanding ones such as track-tearing speed runs. This wide range of options presents a major challenge for many buyers and it’s quite daunting to make the right choice especially when presented with such a wide array of engines. There’s nothing as worse as getting stuck with the wrong car that doesn’t fit your needs or that comes with a host of issues you didn’t know about. This is what this guide will help you to navigate the complexities of buying a used Axela and equip you with the information you need to make the right decision.

The Mazda CX-5 is one of the most aesthetically appealing SUVs in New Zealand. It comes with a catchy exterior and a well-furnished interior that is as regal as a Range Rover, well sort of. It tops these with a lineup of petrol and diesel engines that give it great performance and fuel efficiency. These engines make the CX-5 a sporty and lively car to drive unlike its competitors such as the RAV4 and CR-V which can best be described as passive. The Forester XT comes close but it’s not as dynamic as the CX-5. In this guide, we give a detailed comparison of the CX-5 against its major competitors and we evaluate them on a range of parameters such as performance, features, reliability and pricing. We also tell you why the CX-5’s reliability has been dogged by DPF and carbon build up issues and how to avoid buying a car with these problems.

The Mazda Demio is a highly desirable car that blends aesthetics and practicality into one package. It exudes a high level of sophistication and finesse that’s not common with its Japanese rivals such as the Nissan Note, Honda Fit, and Toyota Vitz. If you are looking to buy an affordable and upscale hatchback, then the Demio perfectly fits the bill. The only downside with the Demio is the complex engines that require careful maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Consequently, buying a used Demio is fraught with risks and you should undertake thorough checks before you buy. In this guide, we tell you how to check for the common problems that stalk the Demio.

The Mitsubishi Outlander strikes all the right notes making it one of the few compact SUVs that ticks all the boxes when it comes to interior space, fuel efficiency, off-road capability, and affordability. It’s the Swiss army knife of the SUV world, so to speak. This has propelled it to the top of New Zealand’s SUV kingdom where it outperforms its rivals such as The Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester and Mazda CX5. The secret to its success was in its simplicity but modern technology has made it evolve to become a complex SUV. The Outlander PHEV, which is the electric-hybrid version is an example of this complexity and most buyers struggle to figure out the right Outlander to buy. Making an informed decision is critical when buying an Outlander. In this guide, we help you navigate the minefield of buying a used Outlander. We give you actionable information to help you approach a dealership confidently and go about evaluating the Outlander systematically.

The Mitsubishi Triton, alternatively known as the L200, builds on a longstanding history in New Zealand as one of the most practical and utilitarian pickups in this market. Historically, it set itself apart from its competitors that include the Toyota Hilux and the Isuzu D-Max with its simplicity. The Triton got the job done in the most practical way possible and this is all that mattered. These credentials elevated the Triton to become the leading pickup both in commercial and private applications. However, the Triton has onboarded modern technology that has made it a complex pickup that is prone to problems. Issues such as DPF failure and EGR problems have become chronic. It now requires a buyer to be extra vigilant when buying a used Triton. In this guide, we will equip you with the right information to buy a problem free Triton.

Long before Tesla became the cool trend in electric mobility, the Nissan Leaf was making major inroads in the electric car segment and it carved out a name as the first electric car to achieve commercial success. In New Zealand, it has achieved great success thanks to the growing concern for the environment and demand for efficiency. The Nissan Leaf, like all electric cars is inherently complex and nowhere is this more prevalent than the used car market. The amount of conflicting information on the Leaf out there is overwhelming and it can be quite daunting for buyers to get to the facts.

The Nissan Navara has undergone tremendous change over the years and it’s now one of the best pickups in the market. It’s a versatile truck that can be deployed for various applications such as hauling cargo, family transport and off-roading. It faces stiff competition from its perennial rivals such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max which are all excellent pickups. What sets the Navara apart is its strong off-road capability, spacious cabin and affordability. It’s however haunted by a history of unreliability mainly with the first generation but the issues still linger on with the subsequent generations.  In this guide, we will tell you how reliable the Nissan Navara is and the problems to look out for when buying a used one.