NZ Autocar May 2025 issue is on sale now

The May 2025 edition of NZ Autocar magazine is now on sale and you can find it at all good magazine retailers. You can also subscribe to ensure you never miss an issue.

Find out what’s in the May 2025 magazine below.

GWM Cannon Lux vs JAC T9 vs Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R 

Looking for good value in the ute market? These three are up there with a solid spec-to-price ratio. But where should your money go?

BYD Shark 6 Premium 

The BYD Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid ute with a small appetite for fuel. It has plenty of torque from its electric motors but can it pull like a bull? 

Smart #1 Premium & #3 Premium 

Smart is back but not as you remember it. Here we check out both new entrants to the market, the #1 and #3.

Mercedes-Benz G 580 Edition One 

Mercedes-Benz reimagines the G-Class for the electric age. Is the G580 the real deal or just a marketing special? 

Leapmotor C10 REEV 

We try another take on the petrol/electric concept with the Leapmotor C10 Ultra Hybrid. What makes this different? 

Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida 

While overseas at the  launch of the C10 we had the opportunity to drive Alfa’s Junior hybrid. How did we find the ‘Ibrida’? 

Audi S3 Sportback TFSI 

Audi updates its S3 for another round. Does it still deliver the blend of sport and luxury we’ve come to expect of the badge?

BMW M3 Touring Competition vs Skoda Octavia RS+ TSi 

The BMW M3 Touring Competition is brimming with power and potential but comes with a big price tag too. Can something asking much less, like the Skoda Octavia RS, do the same job? 

Skoda Kodiaq Selection TDI 

Skoda Kodiaq is a European-sourced option in the large seven-seat SUV space. Is it worth the entry fee? 

Cupra Formentor VZ 

Cupra is expanding in New Zealand, and so is its line-up. That includes the recently facelifted Formentor. Is it still the compact crossover to covet?

Kia Carnival HEV Water 

Most people go large SUV for a seven-seater. But what say you need eight seats. MPVs like Carnival do the job better.

BYD Dolphin Premium 

Dolphin comes in Essential and Premium guises. The former is $40k, while the latter gets a bigger battery and motor for $49k. Our EV sceptic checks out the latter and changes his tune.  

MG HS Essence 

The MG HS is the current holder of the Value Car of the Year Award. Now as a NZ Autocar long termer, we can delve deeper into its workings. 

1978 Ford Capri 3.0i Group 1 

It’s easy to forget Europe’s Group 1 era of touring car racing. More restrictive rules meant machines were thought of as ‘less exciting.’ Nonetheless, this example of a Group 1 Ford Capri turned up in NZ to be restored to its former glory.

Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel 

Thinking of a middleweight bike that masters mainly on distance work? Then Moto Guzzi’s V85 TT Travel should be on the to-ride list.