Zooming with DRIVEN

Sam's away, but Zooming with DRIVEN carries on! But, somehow, with no less talk of Sam's muscles... Anyway, in Episode 121 David and Damien tell us of their trip to Hamilton to check out the new ride of Police dogs around the country - the Skoda Superb Police Dog Unit. The Superb is rolling out around the country to replace the old Holdens (currently a mix of VF Commodore utes and Equinox SUVs) and is a very high-tech replacement indeed, with full temperature monitoring and automated systems to keep the doggos cool and comfortable, as well as a very clever feature that lets the handler remotely release the hounds. Sorry, but you knew we were ALWAYS going to slip that one in somewhere... Anyway, moving on from the bad jokes and Good Boys, Dean tells us about how there are now 50 more awesome Honda Civic Type Rs available after it initially sold out in record time, and that the latest ballot for the next wave of 50 equally-awesome Toyota GR Corollas has opened as well! David then segues smoothly into his visit to the recent Toyota Festival held at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, where he got to revisit the GR Corolla (we were lucky enough to already have played with it on track, which you can read about here) and see the GR Sport Hilux for the first time (which, incidentally, Toyota has just revealed pricing for). Damien then takes us into the virtual world with a spin around the block (well, many, many times around a wide selection of race tracks, at least...) in Gran Turismo 7 using Sony's new PlayStation VR2 - which is utterly spectacular - and news that Skoda New Zealand has become the first territory outside Europe to adopt the company's virtual reality showroom that allows customers to check out different colours, options and even body styles on cars they are interested in, but that a dealer may not have on hand. It's being trialed with the new Enyaq iV all-electric SUV and you can head to your nearest Skoda dealer to try it out for yourself. We then round things out with a rant from Dean about Formula One tracks and a confusing game of "Easter Rebate Road Trip" where all three had to choose a car that would get a rebate under the Clean Car scheme to go on an Easter road trip in, using the rebate money to fund the holiday. Of course not everyone took it seriously... Don't forget to check out more DRIVEN videos on our YouTube channel or subscribe to the Zooming with DRIVEN podcast, if you aren't into the whole moving pictures thing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of Zooming with DRIVEN, Dean regales us with tales of his MX-5 racing exploits from the last-ever motorsport event at Pukekohe Park Raceway, Damien tells us why the 34th series of Top Gear has been cancelled and Sam wonders how many whale penises it take to upholster a car interior. Really. Dean tells us how David was down at the Toyota Festival at Highlands Park to see the freshly-revealed Hilux GR Sport, a more off-road focused Hilux that, unlike other GR Sport cars, gets a slight bump in power as well as some trick off-road suspension and lots of visual upgrades. And that Ford coincidentally revealed a similarly- tweaked Wildtrak X version of the new Ranger on EXACTLY THE SAME DAY. What are the odds? Damien then tells us the reason why the 34th season of Top Gear was cancelled, before getting Sam excited about the Kia EV5 concept reveal, which packs the same weird steering wheel and impractical doors that got him so excited over the EV9 concept (and heart broken when they didn't make it to the production version...), as well as the very cool new Hyundai Sonata that we won't actually be getting here... Dean then digs deep into his victorious weekend at Pukekohe in the DRIVEN Mazda MX-5 before we finish things off with a special April Fool's Day game of True of False, where Damien tests Sam and Dean's knowledge of car features that were either April Fool's jokes or actual real features - including one company that offered the option of leather made from whale penises. Or was that an April Fool's joke? Find out in this episode of Zooming with DRIVEN!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of Zooming with DRIVEN, David tells us about the Kia EV9 all-electric large SUV that the Korean manufacturer just revealed the production version of, and it actually looks a lot like the brilliantly angular concept! Although Sam is disappointed that the more impractical features of the original concept - like the weird doors and square steering wheel - haven't made it onto the final version... We then discuss the news that France, Germany and several other European countries are banding together to fight back against the European Union's plans to ban the sale of ICE vehicles in 2035. Why? Well, it seems that they are big fans of carbon neutral eFuel, with Porsche in particular getting into it - David explains the details. Then moving to the opposite end of the scale from EVs and carbon neutral fuels, Damien tells us about his first drive of the awesome Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, the newest member of the GMSV family to be "remanufactured" into right-hand drive form for sale in New Zealand. It's even more off-road oriented than the Trail Boss it replaces and still utterly huge... Damien then slips straight back into EV-mode with the news that pricing for the Cupra Born hot hatch has been revealed. Spoiler alert: it will sneak in under the $80K Clean Car rebate cutoff, but not if you want a blue one. Why? Watch this week's episode to find out... Then we crank things up a notch with a game of our old favourite: Keep/Drive/Destroy, in which we are presented with three cars and have to decide which one we would keep, which one we would drive and which one we would destroy... this week: the hypercar Holy Trinity, hardcore 4X4 off-roaders and weird little Kei cars. That last one caused David and Damien to make some very hard choices...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN Dean tells us about his trip to the Fully Charged Show in Sydney to see the new MG4 EV before its release here later this year, but also the new long-range version of the popular MG ZS EV that will be here shortly as well. The Fully Charged Show is a roadshow of electric vehicles that is a spin off of the popular YouTube channel of the same name that was started by actor, writer and broadcaster Robert Llewellyn, better know by cultured and intelligent people as Kryten from the British comedy series Red Dwarf, who was present at the show. David makes us all feel just that bit older with the news that the mighty McLaren P1 is actually ten years old, and that the man who designed the iconic hypercar - Frank Stephenson - has just revealed his latest design - a baby seat! Dean then covers off the news out of the USA about a classic Datsun 240Z selling for some seriously big money, while David tells us about the sexy Hyundai Ioniq 6 arriving in New Zealand and the global reveal of the new Hyundai Kona, as well as the fact that you can now buy a brand new classic Defender from Land Rover, by way of Bowler. But it costs $150,000 and there is only one of them. Confused? Watch the video... Finally Dean fills us in on the last-ever race meeting at the Pukekohe race track, where he will be racing in the DRIVEN Mazda MX-5 in the Mazda race series. We also put out the call for you - yes, you! - to review your car for our upcoming new regular feature: Reader's Reviews. Review your car and let our other readers know the good, the bad and the ugly things about it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of Zooming with DRIVEN Sam and Dean talk to country music star Miranda Easten about her music and - more importantly (well, to us at least!) - her DMC DeLorean. Miranda fell in love with the DeLorean when she first saw one in - you guessed it - Back to the Future and has gone on to own three in the years since! But it's not just a friendly chat - Dean also tests Miranda and Sam on their DeLorean knowledge with a quiz (spoiler alert: Miranda destroys Sam...) on the iconic car. Then there is also the usual newsy stuff as Dean talks about the first round of the new Formula One season, the Ford SuperVan heading to Pikes Peak and the Australian woman who had an unusual excuse after being pinged by a traffic camera holding a mobile phone, which wasn't actually a phone. Well, not a real one, at least.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back for 2023! In the first episode of Zooming with DRIVEN for the year (Sam had a loooong holiday...) we take a look back at what has happened (and what we have driven) since the last episode. Dean tells us about his recent trip to Japan for a drive of the all-new Mazda CX-60 (and also about some gross things he ate while he was there...), while Damien headed off to Scotland to drive the fantastic Ineos Grenadier in the wintry Highlands. David tells us about the local launch of the new all-electric Skoda Enyaq and takes a look at GWM's future plans in this part of the world (and also drove the Tank 300 and Ora Sport), while Dean got a first taste of the deeply impressive BMW i7, as well as the first hybrid AMG - the Mercedes-AMG C43. Then there's also MX-5 racing, another Car of the Year award AND we get to have a play in some legendary hot Hondas from Honda New Zealand's Heritage Collection, including the awesome NSX!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of Zooming with DRIVEN for 2022 we finish off our countdown of the twenty most popular stories on DRIVEN for the year, covering off the top ten - you can watch last week's episode where we look at #20 to #11 here. What was the most read story of the year? You'll just have to watch the episode to find out, but it surprised us... Also in this episode, Dean talks about the Hyundai N Festival he recently attended in Australia where he got to drive the RN22e, which is a very fast experimental version of the forthcoming Ioniq 6, while Damien talks about the Praga Bohema, a new hypercar powered by a worked version of the Nissan GT-R's engine, which you can read more about here. David runs through the refreshed Mazda MX-5 with its new 'Kinematic Posture Control' and Dean also manages to bring up Waze - his favourite navigation app - again, this time previewing his interview with the company's New Zealand social media manager, Hayden O'Brien, which you can watch right here. Don't forget you can also check out more DRIVEN videos on our YouTube channel!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the penultimate episode for 2022 Dean, David, Damien and Sam kick off our countdown of the twenty most popular stories on DRIVEN for 2022, covering off #20 to #11 this week, while David also tells us of the all-electric MG4's recent success in NCAP crash testing, where it scored a full five stars. It was also confirmed that the small BEV will definitely be coming to New Zealand next year as well - you can read more about that right here. In more BEV news, Damien runs through the recent news that Hyundai will be supplying the NZ Police with its first round of electric vehicles, with more than 30 cars (a mix of Ioniq 5s and Kona Electrics) being dispatched to 15 locations around the country for use by support staff. And this is only the beginning, because the police plan to have an emission-free fleet within the next five years. Read more about it all here. Dean then gets very excited by Travis Pastrana's latest entry into the long-running (and iconic) 'Gymkhana' series of videos, with an even more elaborate set of amazing car stunts than his illustrious predecessor in the series, Ken Block. And it really is worth getting excited about, as it is utterly spectacular! You can watch all the action right here. Don't forget to tune in next week for the top ten stories of 2022 on the last Zooming with DRIVEN for the year, but you can also check out more DRIVEN videos on our YouTube channel!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN EP113, David tells us about his first experience with the all-new Range Rover Sport in the South Island - it's a big deal for Land Rover New Zealand, while being smaller than the full-size Range Rover, that is. And bigger than a Velar, but about the same size as a Land Rover Discovery... it's confusing, but you can read more about the newest member of the Land Rover family right here. David then warns of a new and improved email scam that pretends to be from the NZTA and we all snigger like children over Volkswagen Italy's social media blunder, before fantasizing about a new Auckland apartment complex with parking specially designed for supercars. Yes, really - you can read all about that one here! We then play a new game we are calling "Guess What" where the poor contestants have to guess the car from a movie or TV show from an on-screen description of the car. It sounds easy, but Sam's face will tell you otherwise. I mean, do you know what the car described like this is: "The very latest in interception countermeasures. Titanium armor, a multi-tasking heads-up display AND six beverage cup holders. All in all, rather stocked." Spoiler alert: David did, but he is a MASSIVE movie car nerd...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the biggest and best Zooming with DRIVEN show of the year, where we announce the winner of the 2022 AA DRIVEN New Zealand Car of the Year.  As well as the overall winner of AA DRIVEN Car of the Year, we announce the winners of each class. Cars eligible for the AA DRIVEN NZ COTY include any vehicle currently on sale and that the AA and DRIVEN judges have all had a chance to experience, which means last year's winners are also in with a chance for a repeat. Last year, the Toyota GR Yaris took out the award, but in a year where supply issues, the move the cleaner cars and the rise of EVs and hybrids have changed the landscape, the popularity of SUVs and the resilience of utes have both remained. 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTY CLASSES 1. Small SUV2. Medium SUV3. Large SUV4. Clean Carsi. HEVii. PHEViii. BEV5. Passenger (sedan, hatch, wagon)6. Sports & Performance7. LCV (van & ute)8. Luxury (above $100k)9. AA Safest Car10. People's ChoiceOverall 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTYSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Zooming with DRIVEN EP111, Toyota has made the Prius fast and sexy, but it's too late for NZ. David chats about a Ford Ranger Raptor, largely showroom-standard, that won the Mid Size Stock class in the Score International Baja 1000 last week. Damien checks out the cars up for grabs in Webb's classic car auction, and we talk about our top picks.  More finalists for AA DRIVEN Car of the Year are announced, this week it's the best luxury, the safest vehicles, and the best light commercial vehicles (utes and vans) of 2022. It's your last chance to go in the draw to win $5000 for either petrol, thanks to AA SmartFuel/BP, or $5000 worth of EV charge credit, thanks to ChargeNet, just by voting for your favourite car in the Peoples Choice category. Entries close at 5:00pm, Saturday 26th November!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN EP110, Damien chats about weird off-road sports cars, the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Steratto. David mentions that from December, all new and used-vehicle importers in New Zealand will have to operate a Government "CO2 account". And more finalists are revealed for AA DRIVEN Car of the Year, this time it's the finalists for the Passenger and Sports and Performance categories.  Remember, you can go in the draw to win $5000 for either petrol, thanks to AA SmartFuel/BP, or $5000 worth of EV charge credit, thanks to ChargeNet, just by voting for your favourite car in the Peoples Choice category. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN episode 109, Opel launches in New Zealand. David was at the launch, and gives us insight into the automaker's first NZ cars.  It's Damien's first week on Zooming with Driven, and he chats about Formula One NFTs.  Dean checks out Countdown's Brick toys, and takes us through more AA DRIVEN Car of the Year finalists.  Remember, you can go in the draw to win $5000 for either petrol, thanks to AA SmartFuel/BP, or $5000 worth of EV charge credit, thanks to ChargeNet, just by voting for your favourite car in the Peoples Choice category. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Zooming with DRIVEN, we drive the Honda Civic Type R! David checks out the Ford Ranger XLT and Wildtrak, and Dean shows us a NASCAR wallride video.  Dean shares his thoughts on the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53, and chats about the upcoming Opel open day.  AA DRIVEN NZ Car of the Year is kicking off, you can check out more info on the categories and People's Choice voting here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On episode 107 of Zooming with DRIVEN, Dean drives a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. David chats about the Honda Civic Type R, Polestar 3, and Rolls Royce Spectre. Dean talks about the record-breaking price that a Nissan Pulsar GTI-R Nismo sold for at auction and announces that AA DRIVEN Car of the Year is kicking off this weekend.  Voting for People's choice is opening soon, so keep an eye out for it, and vote for your chance to win $5k of fuel, either petrol or EV charge credit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN this week, we have a lot to catch up on! David talks about his road trip in the BYD Atto 3, and he went to Slovenia to check out the new Nissan X-Trail and Polestar 2.  Dean breaks down both WRC and Bathurst. He also talks about the new Mercedes-Benz EQB, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Honda Civic Type R. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN this week, the ultimate guide to every new hybrid and electric car you can buy in NZ! David chats about the Nissan X-Trail launch, and Dean checks out the Christchurch EV expo.  Also, a sneak preview of the guide to New Zealand EV chargers video, and the new Honda Civic Type R is in the country! The Honda Roadshow is about to wrap up. Check out the details below, and head along if you're in the area.  Honda Store Nelson: Saturday 1st October - Sunday  2nd October See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Zooming with DRIVEN epsiode 104, it's our EV special! We talk about the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Transit E, and have a special interview with TransNet NZ e-Mobility Transport Manager, and racer, Glenn Inkster.  We also acknowledge the Queen's passing, and honour a Queen who loved cars. She was also a mechanic! The Honda Roadshow is about to wrap up. Check out the details below, and head along if you're in the area.  Honda Store Nelson: Saturday 1st October - Sunday  2nd October See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On episode 103 of Zooming with DRIVEN, Dean and Sam chat about the V8 Supercars event that happened at Pukekohe last weekend.  Dean discusses details for the new Toyota GR86 2.4, and the new MG ZS EV, which is the country's cheapest electric car. David joins us from the US, bringing news about the new generation Ford Mustang.  The team also chat about the Porsche Macan and RC car racing. The Honda Roadshow is taking place over the coming weeks. Check out the details below, and head along if you're in the area.  Honda Store Christchurch: Saturday 17 September - Wednesday 21 Sept Honda Store Nelson: Saturday 1st October - Sunday  2nd October See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zooming with DRIVEN this week, we talk about Ford Ranger Raptor which launched this week. David discusses the Alfa Romeo Guilia GTAm, and the new car sales from August 2022.  Dean recounts his Mazda MX-5 racing that happened over the weekend, and Sam mentions the Supercars event that's happening at Pukekohe this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN, David kicks off the news with a list of three things (with the last promising to be the most interesting).  He talks about Toyota's upcoming Corolla Cross, Subaru Outback 2.4-litre, and the Bentley apartments, which will have an elevator to take your car all the way up to your apartment.  Maxene shares her experience driving the Ram 1500 Laramie, and the price that Princess Diana's Ford Escort RS Turbo sold for.  Dean discusses an interesting outfit that British racing driver Lewis Hamilton was spotted wearing recently, and shares details about the Mazda MX-5 racing he'll be participating in this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 100th episode of Zooming with DRIVEN, we look back at some of our favourite memories from the show.  David updates us on the new or old Porsche 911 RS poll that ran on our social media channels, plus talks about the 2023 Ford Mustang.  Maxene shares the unbelievable amount the real-life Sally Carrera Porsche sold for at auction, and we update you on our two long-termers: the Honda Jazz e:HEV and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.  We also look at the Honda S2000, and end with a game of Rotten CARmartoes. Play along and see if you can beat our winner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN, we farewell Andrew on his last episode before he zooms off to Australia.  For his last episode, he chats about Porsche's real-life version of 'Sally Carerra' from Pixar's 'Cars' and the soon-to-arrive Chinese car brand, Ora, which already has a controversial reputation. David talks about the BYD Atto 3, which has just landed in NZ, and Dean recounts his dream drive of the Porsche 911 GT3.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're looking at Ferrari's massive recall, July sales stats, and how Ford is pulling the fantastic little Fiesta ST from New Zealand. Dean also recounts how his maiden MX-5 race went over the weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN, we're on location for the very first time, at the Honda dealership in New Market, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Honda Civic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we look at New Zealand's new cheapest car, the all-new Honda Civic Type R, and dive into Honda New Zealand's Price Promise. Dean also blasts through a plethora of stories including driving 300km/h on the Autobahn, the service plan of a Porsche 959, and an update on the Hamilton Expressway. We also see Dean's MX-5 livery for the very first time during the world premiere on Zooming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're joined by Sam's co-host on Coast Breakfast Jason Reeves.  Dean talks about his amazing Goodwood experience with Porsche, and also talks about driving around Europe in a 911 GT3. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're looking at the results from Pikes Peak, where Rod and Rhys Millen raced. We're also taking a look at the Goodwood Festival of speed, where the McMurtry Speirling dominated the hill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're looking at the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which was recently launched in New Zealand. We also cover the results from Le Mans, and talk about BMW's secret CSL projects.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take a look at the BMW M5 CS, the new manual Mustang, and Volvo's partnership with Epic Games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN, it's just the three of us as Sam is locked up at home with Covid-19.  Andrew covers his recent trip to Europe with BMW, and talks about all the car-related activities he got up to over there.  Dean covers the Subaru WRX launch that he attended in the South Island. To celebrate the Chevrolet Corvette on the cover this weekend, Andrew hosts an American-themed quiz, and it goes as well as you'd expect it to. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though we've got two members of the team missing on Zooming with DRIVEN this week, there's still a jam-packed show for you to watch. David recently went up to Giltrap for a press conference regarding Lotus' entry into New Zealand. Sports cars, EVs and SUVs are on the cards for the British manufacturer.  Andy checks in from the top of the Stelvio Pass in Italy as he's driving BMW M cars over there. And Dean crosses in from down south, where he's driven Subaru's new WRX. Maxene also hosts the car quiz this week, so play along and see how many questions you can get right.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the whole team is back in the studio for Zooming with DRIVEN, and we've got a jam-packed show for you! Andrew is talking about his experience driving Maserati's MC20 at Phillip Island, and reports back about the Nissan SUV and Z launch that happened in Melbourne. David talks about the Volkswagen R launch, where the Golf R, Tiguan R and T-Roc R were launched in New Zealand.  We're also covering our long term test PHEVs in the MG HS EV Plus and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.  Finally, we play a game of this or that, to see who the worst offenders on our roads are. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we report back on the all-new Range Rover, cover the Maserati MC20, and Nissan's new Z. We also look at the new manual GR Supra, and Toyota's hydrogen-powered rideshare cars. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're looking at the pricing and spec list for the all-new Subaru WRX. Although there won't be an STI coming, there is a special tS performance model. We also cover the new Mazda CX-5, of which David recently attended the launch. New off-road tech and fancy accents come to the crowd favourite.  For the 60 Second Sell, we're looking at station wagons that can be bought for the price of a Mitsubishi Outlander, considering that it's currently New Zealand's best-selling SUV. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was an interesting month throughout March, as New Zealand saw the most new car registrations since records began. On top of this, there were a couple of standouts that made headlines.  Not only were there the most new ute registrations ever, but the Tesla Model 3 also topped the passenger segment standings, beating things like the Mitsubishi Outlander and RAV4.  Other topics covered on Zooming with DRIVEN this week include details of the new Toyota GR Corolla, another look at the Kia EV6, and a special appearance from Mad Mike to talk about the Hot Wheels Legends tour.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're discussing the all-new GR Corolla from Toyota. We also cover the local launch of the Kia EV6, and talk about the Hot Wheels Legends tour. We also give our advice on the best clean car to buy now that the Clean Car Scheme is in full swing.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of Zooming with DRIVEN we take a look back at the Bahrain F1 GP, and discuss what an epic race it was. We also over Opel's return to NZ with its rebate vehicle range, and give an update on Gran Turismo 7.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN the big news comes from Aston Martin. David was lucky enough to be invited to have a look at the 700kW PHEV, and it is quite the machine. In other news, Volkswagen finally launched the ID.Buzz, and Subaru revealed the sad news that it is killing off the WRX STI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zooming with DRIVEN we're talking to Hayden Paddon about his entry with Hyundai New Zealand into WRC2. We're also taking a look at Volvo's new wireless charging technology, and we celebrate the launch of Gran Turismo 7.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.