Latest from NZ Autocar
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Latest ANCAP crash testing has four Euros on five stars
Four new vehicles from Europe have recently undergone ANCAP crash testing and passed with flying colours. Polestar 3 First up, the Polestar 3 EV impressed with a very high level of protection offered to child occupants, scoring 94 per cent. It also received top marks for the effectiveness of its child presence detection system (CPD). The set-up offers direct feedback to the driver if child occupants are left in an unattended vehicle. The vehicle was almost as effective at Adult Occupant Protection with a 90 per cent result. Its active safety features include reverse AEB, which prevents driveway and carpark reversing collisions involving children and adults. It received a 79 per cent score for safety assist and also vulnerable road user protection. Volkswagen Tiguan Next up, Volkswagen Tiguan, which also achieved five-star ANCAP status. It scored 83, 88, 84 and 84 per cent across each of the respective Adult, Child, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories. ANCAP said that the five-seat Tiguan presents a safe all-round package. Driver and front passenger protection in the frontal offset crash test was judged as being very good. 'The Tiguan blends a solid crash structure with a well-rounded active safety offering. That makes it a dependable and practical choice for the safety-conscious family,' said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg. Audi A5 Audi's full-size sedan, the A5, achieved an 87 per cent scores for both Adult and Child Occupant Protection. Protection from injury in the range of destructive crash tests was Good overall. Good levels of protection were also observed for child occupants in the side and frontal crash tests. A child presence detection system is fitted, although this system is not as sophisticated as the direct monitoring CPD system fitted to the Polestar 3. The collision avoidance systems fitted to the Audi A5 showed effective performance, with the most consistent performance seen in car-to-car autonomous emergency braking functionality. The A5 achieved solid scores of 78 and 79 per cent for Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories, respectively. Volkswagen Multivan This people mover first arrived in New Zealand in 2022, though did not go on sale in Australia until early 2025. It features a host of airbags throughout, helping it to achieve a 90 per cent Adult Occupant Protection score and 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection. Strong scores were recorded in each of the physical crash tests. For Vulnerable Road Users, the score was 69 per cent and for Safety Assist Multivan managed 79 per cent. 'For families and businesses transporting people regularly, the Multivan offers reassuring levels of protection throughout its three-rows as well as to those outside the vehicle,' said Ms Hoorweg. Unlike the other three tested here using the latest criteria, the Multivan was assessed using the 2020-2022 crash test regimen.
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Business
- NZ Autocar
Will the government help ease any price rise at the pump?
Fuel prices are set to increase thanks to the conflicts in the Middle East. And while the cost of living is still a major concern for most Kiwis, Nicola Willis has said no to any idea of fuel subsidies for New Zealanders as global oil prices rise. According to a report from RNZ, Treasury has informed Willis that a $10 increase in the price of a barrel of oil 'translates to 10 cents more at the pump for a Kiwi petrol user'. 'What we saw last week was that oil prices went up about $10, but you're still seeing fluctuation today.' Asked about introducing subsidies to help ease the cost of petrol for New Zealanders if prices were to increase substantially, Willis definitively ruled it out, saying 'the evidence internationally is that they're very difficult to sustain'. 'I watched the pain the last government went through when it attempted something like that. 'What we actually need to do is ensure across the board we're doing everything we can to keep inflation low,' Willis said. The Labour government cut 25 cents in excise duty from a litre of fuel between 2022 and into 2023. Labour leader Chris Hipkins was reported as saying; 'You'll note that we reduced the price of fuel when we were in government because we were faced with a very similar set of circumstances.' However Hipkins said it wasn't great when the reductions ended. 'Clearly the prices went back on in July and that's about the time our polling went dramatically downwards, but there were other factors at play there,' he said.
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
GTI Edition 50 celebrates a half century of hot Golfs
A half century after the arrival of the Mk1 Golf GTI, Volkswagen has revealed the hot new Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50. This is essentially the successor to the Clubsport S. This new Edition 50 is about as hardcore as a Golf GTI gets. At almost 240kW from the EA888 turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol it also stumps up with 420Nm. By comparison, the standard GTI makes 195kW and 370Nm. Golf GTI Edition 50 is said to hit 100km/h from standstill in 5.5 seconds, right up there with Civic Type R. Top speed is limited to 269km/h. It's hardly a stripped out three-door lightweight special like its forebear either. This retains the practical five-door body and rear seats, along with a fully-loaded cabin and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Power goes to the front wheels only, the grounding of it assisted by an electronically controlled limited slip differential. Read our test of the Current Golf GTI. When fitted with the optional GTI Performance Pack, the Edition 50 gets all-new suspension kinematics. There's more negative camber, 20 per cent stiffer springs, retuned adaptive dampers, stiffer rear wheel hub connections and firmer bushes. The DCC (dynamic chassis control) and VDM (vehicle dynamic management) are tweaked to suit the new set-up. So too is the steering. It also rides 15mm lower on forged 19-inch alloy wheels that, together with Bridgestone Potenza Race semislick tyres, reduce unsprung weight by 8kg. An Akrapovic titanium exhaust system subtracts another 11kg off the total weight compared with the GTI Clubsport. 'It is also the most capable on the track,' said chassis development boss Lars Frömmig. So VW is clearly wanting to rival the best in class for driver engagement. And it is already the fastest of any production VW around the Nurburgring, posting a time of 7min and 46.13 sec. Styling changes are relatively restrained. There are two heritage colour options not available on standard Golf GTIs, Moss Green and Tornado Red. Meanwhile, the forged wheels are finished in red and black and the front and rear lights have smoked inners. And there's a unique stripe on the sill but the look is the opposite of outrageous. Inside is a special tartan fabric trim along with microsuede inserts, plus red seatbelts and Edition 50 badges. But the seats themselves are standard GTI pews. The twin-screen layout is standard fit, and comes with customisation options. VW has not yet said how many it intends to build or what the price premium over the GTI will be. However, we do know that the first RHD deliveries are due early in 2026.
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
New baby Skoda to offer epic amounts of space
Skoda's new small crossover, Epiq, that sits below the Elroq and Enyaq, will offer class-leading space in the city car sector. Arriving next year, and previewed in production-ready concept form last year, the 4.1m Epic was snapped testing on public roads, albeit in camouflage. See the preview from over a year ago. Featuring Skoda's latest 'Modern Solid' design language, it will arrive with stacked headlights and daytime running lights. Said lights connect via a 'Tech Deck' face. This comprises a gloss-black panel housing many of the car's sensors and radars for its ADAS gear. Design and dimensions The slashes and vents as seen in the concept look to be making it into production, setting the little EV apart from its bigger sibs. However, the familiar clamshell bonnet also makes an appearance here. Epiq features a short wheelbase, and minimised front and rear overhangs. An upright tailgate should help with luggage space, at a suggested 490L, more than its rivals and as much as 4.5m long Elroq. This suggests the motor will be up front driving the leading axle. Epiq shares the VW Group's MEB-Small platform and electrical architecture with incoming Volkswagen ID.2 and Cupra Raval. Whether or not Skoda is also working on a vRS version is unclear. Interior and tech Skoda hinted that the concept car interior would be carried over to the production version. Expect then a large central screen with a row of shortcut buttons for ADAS features and drive modes. A smaller digital instrument cluster provides the driver with key data. The steering wheel will come with physical switches as well, eschewing capacitive touch-sensitive controls. Expect 'Simply Clever' features, including plenty of oddments storage, and likely use of vibrant colours to appeal to younger, urban buyers. Batteries and range The Epiq will almost certainly utilise the same 38 and 56kWh batteries that the Group family has, with up to 450km of range. Given ID.2 will charge from 10-80 per cent in around 20 minutes using a 125kW charger, Epiq should be similar. The top model, possibly a vRS, will have up to 166kW of power at its disposal, and sprint to open road speed in under seven seconds. Most models, however, will have between 112 and 134kW for a mix of efficiency and pace. Prices and on sale date Pricing has not yet been set but is expected to be around 25,000 Euros. Production will probably be from VW's Pamplona facility in Spain, east of Bilbao. It only produces EVs. Rivals include Citroen e-C3 and upcoming BYD Atto 2, along with Mini Aceman and Volvo EX30. Expect a formal reveal of Epiq in around 12 months' time. First though, Skoda is launching Octavia-sized EV at the Munich Motor Show based on VW's SSP architecture. Epiq will go on sale not long after VW ID.2.
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Next BMW X7 spotted with Neue Klasse styling
BMW's largest SUV, the X7, is set to make a return in 2026, the second-generation model spotted testing on European roads. Prior to that the Neue Klasse line-up will launch, kicking off with the new iX3 due out later this year. As with the new X5, due out in 2026, the X7 also borrows styling from the Neue Klasse line-up. From the look of the camouflaged test vehicle, BMW's biggest SUV will have seven-seat capacity again. This ensures it rivals the upcoming GLS and full-sized Range Rover. Read our review of BMW's 2023 X7. Up front is a split headlight design, as on the current vehicle, and a vertical kidney grille arrangement. Whether it merges into the headlights, like other Neue Klasse models, is unclear. At the rear is a quad-tip exhaust system, indicating it is an M50 or M60 variant, and a roof-end spoiler. It is thought that the new X7 will use an overhauled version of the firm's existing Cluster Architecture (CLAR). This can incorporate both ICE and electric powertrains. Whether the latter comes to pass is unclear, but the iX7 name is a BMW trademark. And the company is currently creating EV variants of its core models. The Neue Klasse programme includes an iX3, an 'i3' (3 Series) and an electric 'i1' 1 Series at some point. Electric components for the iX7 could be borrowed from the i7. That has a 106kWh battery with three different motor outputs, ranging from 335kW (single motor) to 485kW (dual motor). Given the X7 is an SUV, expect only the dual-motor all-wheel drive variants.
