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Back in the early-2000s Honda decided to build its first (and so far, only) diesel engine, having used the Isuzu/GM-developed “Circle L” diesel engine since 1999. While Japanese manufacturers have never particularly embraced diesel engines, Honda’s chief engine designer, Kenichi Nagahiro, went even further, actively despising the noise, smell and even appearance of diesel engines.

Home / News / Review YOUR car to help others with their buying decision! Is your car on this list? Then let us know what you think of it, because we want your input to feature in DRIVEN's new Used Car Owner Reviews. By providing your first-hand feedback and experience, you can help others make an informed decision. Tell us thumbs-up or buyer beware, and be your own used car owner expert. We're looking for cars from the list below, but keen to hear feedback on almost anything.

Porsche has revived its legendary red Volkswagen Renndienst ("race service") vans for the Porsche Carrera Cup and Porsche Sports Cup racing series in Germany, but with a very modern twist - in the form of the ID. Buzz EV. Renndienst vans were first used in 1954 for the Mille Miglia and have become classics in the their own right. In its early racing racing days, Porsche converted a T1 VW bus to carry tools and spares.

Home / News / The Good Oil: It's no picnic inventing the SUV We often give the 1994 Toyota RAV4 big ups for pioneering the “crossover SUV” as we know it today: 4x4 ride height and styling, but with a road-car platform underneath. However, you could argue Honda deserves equal billing for its first-generation CR-V. The RAV4 was a three-door to begin with, remember, and the five-door didn’t come along until 1995: the same year the original CR-V (below) was launched.

Home / News / What's a Radford Type 62-2? Ask Tanner Foust, he's driving one at Pikes Peak Radford is bringing back the iconic John Player Special (JPS) black-and-gold motorsport colours for its run at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 25. Oh, and the car will be driven by a former Top Gear presenter, who has a Kiwi connection. That's a lot to... unpack, as we say in the marketing biz.

Whether you’re on a road trip or just zipping around town, you need to be ready for anything, with a well-equipped car. Here are some key items to keep you safe and help handle a surprise stop. Torch It’s no fun trying to change a tyre on the side of the road in the dark, and that’s when having a torch in your car feels like a stroke of genius. Although you almost certainly have a torch on your phone, if you’re waiting for assistance you don’t want to run the phone’s battery down.

Home / News / Car-Vid Classics: Ken Block, Ultimate Urban Playground We could choose any one of the late, great Ken Block’s Gymkhana films for our Car-Vid Classic series (in fact, we did for our very first): they’re all spectacular and special in their own ways. But Gymkhana Five: Ultimate Urban Playground, from 2012, is notable because it was the first time the series was filmed on public streets. Not streets full of the public, of course. That would be nuts.

Some good news for New Zealand buyers with an eye on the high-tech new MG4 hatchback. The entry Excite model's price is now confirmed at $51,990 (slightly less than first forecast by the brand) and there will be a second long-range battery option for the more upmarket Essence model, allowing it to travel an impressive 530km between charges.

One of the most iconic American muscle cars ever made is up for tender in Auckland, at classic/enthusiast car-consignment service Sunday Drive. An extremely rare example of the 1970 Plymouth Superbird is currently on display at Sunday Drive's Church Street, Penrose showroom. It's up for tender until tomorrow (Friday 12 May) and the company says it's "currently attracting enquiry from around the world".

Home / Reviews / Mercedes-Benz EQE first drive: high-performance power play As manufacturers have raced to get a slice of the burgeoning EV market, there have inevitably been compromises - the most prevalent one being the emergence of new electric models based on existing ICE platforms modified to take all the electrical bits.