*This is Driveline's June SunLive column If you told someone 200 years ago something called a car would one day replace the horse and carriage, you would have been laughed out of town. So, I … More »
Land Rover Discovery Sport vs Dog Sledding Team
Einstein once said "creativity is intelligence having fun." Land Rover have taken that concept to a whole new level. Their latest marketing effort sees them pit a 2017 Discovery Sport race against the … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 15
From the latest movie cars to the latest car reviews, here's the rundown on what's been making news in the automotive industry. Self driving cars aren't just changing the way we think about … More »
What New Zealand’s best selling vehicle list says about us
It's amazing how quickly things can change. Back in 2008, when the Great Financial Crisis was in full swing, there was a sudden and noticeable shift in the car market. People were trading in their … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 14
We're always keeping up to date on what's been happening in the vehicle industry. It's incredible to see how fast things are moving at the moment. So here is the roundup on what's been making news in … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 13
Has it been an exciting week in the automotive industry or what? There are new makes and models coming out and those PR stunt just seem to get bigger and wackier. So here's the rundown on what's been … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 11
From new research to new car models. Here is the weekly roundup on what's been making news in the car industry. New research has found that a lot of young students are being exposed to second … More »
The best selling cars of 2017 so far
Back in January, we ran an article where we predicted which cars would make the Top 10 best selling cars list in 2017. Based on the sales statistics by the Motor Industry Association, here's what … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 10
The weekly car news keeps on tracking along. Here are some of the things which caught our eye. So here are some of the news grabbing headlines. The waterview connection tunnel that connects … More »
The New Normal: The rise of Utes
My dad always gets excited when he talks about his first car. It was one of those yellow 1970's Volkswagen Beetles. Although it had its fair share of problems, he'd have you believe it was the … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 9
If you blinked, you might have missed it. Which is why we've done the hard work to bring you the latest car news. Here is a rundown on what's been happening. The Ford Ranger has been New … More »
Meet the brand new Suzuki Swift
If you're after a car that's easy to drive and provides a good balance between work and life, the new Suzuki Swift may be just what you're looking for. This beautiful little hatchback has been … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 8
It's amazing how 2017 has just flown by. In this time, a lot of vehicles have been designed, built unveiled, reviewed and driven. The movers and shakers in the industry are making bold predictions. … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 7
Half of the year is almost over. But that only makes things more interesting. It's that time of the year when the trade shows and new car models come out. There's plenty of other things on too. So … More »
Down on the ground at the 2017 Field Days
The 2017 National Field Days are in full swing. Over the next few days, the latest agricultural technology and innovation will be unveiled. It's a big deal for New Zealand as we've got a strong … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 6
The car industry never sleeps. Each and every day, there's a new review, piece of innovation or something even more grand in the works. So we've done a bit of digging to bring you the latest car and … More »
Vehicles are a health and safety risk many New Zealand businesses face
The biggest health and safety risk that a business faces is when their employees are driving company vehicles. This is according to NZI National Manager of Commercial Motors, Ian Lumley. "Driving … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 5
It has been a very busy couple of weeks in the automobile industry. Here are the latest car news stories making headlines. Stanford University Professor Tony Seba believes petrol cars will be … More »
The new Nissan X-Trail accommodates for dogs
If you're a dog lover, you're going to love this idea. A few weeks ago, the British division of Nissan recently unveiled the 4Dogs Concept, a variant of the X-trail which has turned the boot space … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 4
From car shows to window washers, a lot has been happening in the motor vehicle industry. We've got the latest rundown on some of the big news. Second hand cars have never been more … More »
Utes are still in Hot Demand
If the performance of the last quarter is anything to go by, it looks like it will be another successful year for ute manufacturers. The first quarter report of new vehicle listings shows that five … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 3
There's never a dull moment in the car industry. And we've got the latest rundown on what's been happening. The original Mini is making a comeback in the marketplace. This prominent little car … More »
New Speed Limits for Parts of Auckland Motorway
If you used to enjoy driving 100km/h an hour, you might want to check your speed. Auckland Transport is rolling out a new 80km/h speed limit on state highways which immediately surround the waterview … More »
Meet the 2017 Kia Rio
The 4th generation Kia Rio wants to make a lasting impression. In 2014, the car ranked number 10 in New Zealand's small car market, number nine in 2015 and climbed up to 7th last last year. This year … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 2
As you get settled into your morning, we've got the rundown on some of the interesting things which have been happening in the automotive market. The Ute Market is booming at the moment. Last … More »
Where are New Zealand’s Cars Built?
We New Zealanders drive from all over the world. Brands from Japan, Korea, Australia and the United States are popular on our roads but that doesn't mean those are the countries where the cars are … More »
Suzuki Ignis Media Release
A unique, super-compact five-door Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) that does not conform to conventional car designs is off to a bright start. Launched in New Zealand on January 28, soon after … More »
The Weekly Car News Roundup 1
As the end of February comes up, a lot is happening in the vehicle industry. We've got the rundown on the important things you need to know. The MTA Car Show of the Century will be taking … More »
The MTA Car Show of the Century
This year is a big one for the automotive industry in New Zealand. Kiwis interest in cars has never been higher. The record number of new vehicles registered in 2016 coincides perfectly with the … More »
The top 10 cars which break down the most
The Mirror Newspaper in the United Kingdom ran an interesting article the other day about which cars break down the most and the average claim paid out. Here are the top 10. Alfa Romeo - 40 … More »
Suzuki starts rolling out new vehicles in 2017
It's that time of the year when vehicle manufacturers are rolling out their latest vehicles. And we at Driveline were live at Hampton Downs for the introduction to the 2017 Suzuki Ignis, S-Cross … More »
Volkswagen overtakes Toyota as Top Car Maker
There is going to be a new car company topping the best selling list. Volkswagen recently passed Toyota as the world's largest car manufacturer, selling 10.31 million units in 2016. Their Japanese … More »
Utes set to continue dominance in the New Zealand Market
Utility vehicles look set to continue dominating the New Zealand vehicle market according to the CEO of a car leasing and finance company. Five out of the ten bestselling vehicles in the country … More »
Are flying cars closer to entering the market?
The flying car could be entering into the marketplace sooner than expected. Israeli company Aero Design and Development put up this video of its first successful test of an unmanned Air Vehicle … More »
Flashback Friday: Toyota Corolla
There is something about the Toyota Corolla which makes it world's best selling car. In the first six months of 2016, it has already sold 634,298 units. People who drive Corollas say that you just … More »
Next Generation Holden Commodore Breaks Cover
The all new Holden Commodore has been revealed. From potentially life-saving safety technology features, to active driving technology and seamless infotainment, the all-new Commodore will make … More »
The Top Speed Limit in New Zealand is set to change
There has been a move to increase the speed limit in New Zealand from 100kmh to 110kmh on a few selected roads. This comes after Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss said the government is … More »
The new Audi SQ7 is out to make a lasting impression
The four ring vehicle company introduces a few firsts in its latest SUV We've definitely noticed that there has been some major competition in the SUV marketplace. They possess a level of power, … More »
2017 Holden Trailblazer LTZ SUV
The 2017 Holden Trailblazer has a point to prove and expectations to meet. Demand for SUVs in New Zealand are way up. Drivers are on the lookout for vehicles with better technology, more features … More »
Mercedes Benz moves into the Ute market
Mercedes Benz is one of the most recognisable car brands in the world. The company has a strong reputation for delivering a diverse range of vehicle offerings; sedans, coupes, wagons and SUVs. All … More »
Monday Memories: The Toyota Hilux
Those of us who have been around for a while will remember the Crump and Scotty ads being the first thing which comes to mind whenever the Toyota Hilux is mentioned. This iconic vehicle has been … More »
Meet our Team: Colin Bower
We're really looking forward to attending the upcoming Business After 5 event in Tauranga next Wednesday (November 2nd). Both of our business finance specialists for the Bay of Plenty region will … More »
How are business vehicles affected by the new Health and Safety Laws?
Did you know that there have been revisions around vehicles in the workplace under the new Health and Safety Act? This is significant as organisations with company vehicles has gone up by more than … More »
New Zealand’s Best Selling Cars in 2016
Stuff.co.nz gave the low-down on New Zealand's best selling cars in 2016 so far. Utes and SUVs dominate the list, taking out eight of the top ten spots. Here is the full list. Ford Ranger … More »
2017 Holden Colorado Truck Video
We were very excited to get behind the wheel at the 2017 Holden Colorado Truck preview last week. Here's a sneak peak at what this much anticipated new ute has to offer... What was the … More »
2017 Holden Colorado Truck Pricing
Here it is, lease pricing for the new 2017 Holden Colorado Truck! Launched today, the highly anticipated new Colorado Truck has a long list of improvements and additions plus heaps of accessory … More »
NEW 2017 Holden Colorado Reviews
What do the 2017 Holden Colorado reviews make of the new truck? Holden have a lot riding on their new made-in-Thailand, designed-in-Brazil truck with the Colorado apparently accounting for 29% of … More »
Nissan Navara Lease Deal
Deal Of The Month. This month we've put together a Nissan Navara lease deal on the NP300 DX double cab ute. The next generation Navara has improved performance, driver comfort and modern styling … More »
Vehicle Leasing Questions?
Here at Driveline we like to be upfront about how vehicle leasing works and provide open information so you can better decide if it's right for you. We've put together this article to help shed some … More »
2017 Holden Colorado Aussie Launch
What's The Verdict? New details on the 2017 Holden Colorado truck are emerging from the official Australian launch event in Brisbane. Car industry commentators and journalists got to put the new … More »
SME Leasing Explained
Paul Tobin explains why leasing vehicles is perfect for SMEs. Having been in the finance and vehicle industry for several decades, I’m often asked to explain how leasing works and why it is an … More »
2017 Holden Colorado Truck
What's In A Name? According to a news report over the ditch the eagerly awaited 2017 Holden Colorado is now called a "Truck" and not a "Ute". This has set the cat among the pigeons in the car … More »
What’s Happening Driveline?
The Year So Far. Wow! 2016 has been a fast-paced year for us so we thought we'd share some of what's been happening at Driveline. We've noticed a big increase in website traffic and lease enquiry … More »
NEW Subaru Levorg Launched
The Brand New Subaru Levorg Recently launched in New Zealand, the brand new Subaru Levorg takes over where the Legacy Sports Wagon left off. This sophisticated wagon is offered in one high spec … More »
The SmartLease Difference
How is SmartLease different? It's fair to say we spend a lot of time explaining the SmartLease difference to people. One of the most noteworthy differences is what happens at the end of the … More »
Company Vehicles – Health & Safety
Rules loophole increases health and safety risks to New Zealand company vehicles A loophole in the way that company vehicles are managed and serviced means that thousands of New Zealand company … More »
What Are The Benefits Of Leasing?
Why Should Your Business Lease Vehicles? Paul Tobin explains the benefits of leasing: Leasing is popular with businesses for many reasons but usually it comes down to the financial advantages … More »
Asset Finance For Business
Asset Finance To Fuel Business Expansion. Here at Driveline, we love to lease or finance cars, vans and utes but that's not the limit of our talents, we have even more to offer! This year we've … More »
The Right Vehicle
How do you choose the right vehicle? Many clients come to us because they can’t quite decide on which vehicle is right for them. Often people don’t have the time or inclination to traipse around the … More »
Welcome to 2016!
You're probably tired of the endless views at the beach, you'll have had enough of sand between your toes and your car resembling the Gobi desert. Right about now you'll be raring to get back to … More »
Vehicle Leasing – Is It Right For Your Business?
Businesses prefer to lease their vehicles rather than buy them outright for many reasons but usually it comes down to the financial advantages leasing provides. We all know that monthly vehicle … More »
Affordable Online Fleet Management
Check out SmartFleet, our new affordable, online fleet management system designed specifically for SMEs. The more vehicles you're running, the bigger the headache. SmartFleet is designed to take … More »
Fleet Management System Launched!
Here at Driveline we've been busy behind the scenes developing a new product as a division of our existing lease and finance business. SmartFleet is our new online fleet management system designed … More »
Need Equipment Finance?
Everyone knows we finance just about anything with wheels...but did you know we'll also help you take your business to the next level by investing in the right equipment? Recently we've helped … More »
Utes On Sale
Ding ding... The bell has rung and the gloves are off. We are officially into the last quarter of the year and vehicle manufacturers know the contest has begun. They've started off October with … More »
The Low Interest Finance Trap
You’ve seen them everywhere, online, in the paper and on TV; special low interest finance offers for cars and utes at 0% or 2% or 1/3 payments over 3 years etc. These types of offers are designed … More »
Thanks For Saying Hi!
Thanks for stopping by our stand at the NHBA expo last week. We had lots of fun talking to you and all the other lovely people who came to say hi. We pledged a charity donation of $2 for every … More »
New Holden Colorado Z71
The Holden Colorado Z71 has arrived! It's a fully spec'd version of the LTZ 4x4, 2.8L, diesel with tons of stylish accessories added to make it really special. Holden Colorado Z71 (including all … More »
Free Vehicle Finance Advice
The team here at Driveline are vehicle finance specialists. Collectively we have a staggering amount of experience in the industry, which we put to use, every single day, for the benefit of our … More »
Are You Better Off With A Lease or HP Finance?
Did You Know... Sometimes people are surprised at the broad range of services on offer at Driveline. For instance, did you know we offer competitive HP finance? We love leasing because it delivers … More »
All New Ssangyong Tivoli
The recently launched Tivoli SUV from Ssangyong has got people in the industry talking. As Kiwis continue their love affair with SUVs the compact segment is becoming more and more crowded. Ssangyong … More »
New Model Navara NP300
This week we were at the much anticipated launch of the new Navara NP300 Ute. The Navara has been a very popular ute in NZ and has built it's reputation on strength, reliability and most importantly … More »
New Utes – How we help with delivery delays
Our encyclopedic knowledge of the industry allows us to use our experience to navigate around the pitfalls of vehicle sourcing. One of the main issues that most people don't consider is the time it … More »
Car Lease Top Tips
Knowledge Is Power... The Driveline team have been in the industry for decades and are here to unravel the mysteries of vehicle leasing. We're committed to doing the very best by our clients … More »
WOF Rules Change
From 1 July 2014 changes to the NZ system for vehicle warrant and fitness came into effect. Under the old system all vehicles had to have a WOF issued every 6 months. The biggest change is that new … More »
Isuzu MU-X Review
We put the Isuzu MU-X 4WD through its passes! Overview Isuzu is a brand that I have dealt with regularly over the past few years as the Ute range has been extremely popular with the Driveline … More »
Top Tip When Considering Vehicle Lease!
Vehicle Lease - Comparing Apples With Apples? When researching vehicle pricing it pays to make sure you're comparing apples with apples...don't be fooled by 0% finance offers as they are often based … More »
Electric And Hybrid Cars
For the last 50 years experts have been predicting we'll all be driving electric cars in the future. It seems that day has arrived, there's never been a better time to consider an electric or hybrid … More »
SmartLease Car Lease – Working For Your Business
How does a SmartLease Car Lease Work? In traditional terms, leasing a vehicle is thought of as money down the drain as usually it means renting a vehicle for a set period of time with nothing to … More »