New Zealand is blessed with a remarkably wide and diverse range of new vehicles; some might even say we have too many for such a small market that's so very far away from the countries that actually make them.
We definitely wouldn't say that. We always want more, and what better area to focus our real-word fantasies on than left-of-centre small cars that could theoretically (note the "theoretically", we're not product planners by a long shot) be sold at quite affordable prices? No sooner said than imagined; here are five we'd love to see on Kiwi roads.
Ford Maverick
NZ's love of utes is legendary, including a decade of the Ranger as the country's most popular new-vehicle of any type. But wouldn't it be cool if there was a smaller, more eco-friendly alternative for those who like the vibe but don't need the big engine and hard-core tow/4x4 ability?
Enter the Ford Maverick, a mid-sized ute launched in the US back in 2022 that has a lot of the Ranger look, but is based on the Focus platform and comes as standard with a 2.5-litre hybrid engine; a gruntier 2.0-litre turbo is an option.
It's not actually that small, to be honest: still over 5m long. But lower and a lot lighter than a Ranger one-tonner. And we love it. However, it's US-only and left-hand drive for now. But awesome, right?
Renault 5 E-Tech
Renault has embraced its rich heritage with the 5 E-Tech, a new electric city hatchback that serves as an homage to one of its most famous and successful models, the 5 of 1972-96.
Okay, it's EV-only, which isn't a booming segment right now. But look at it. And it's been acclaimed already in Europe for its attention to detail, fun-to-drive character and value-for money. It's also the reigning European Car of the Year.
There are more than a few roadblocks to seeing this in NZ. The biggest one is that the brand has halted sales of passenger cars here for the time being, although it's still doing commercials (including some electric ones).
Fiat Grande Panda
The Fiat Panda has been an occasional visitor to the NZ new-vehicle market, but in Europe it's an absolute icon. The Grande Panda isn't exactly a replacement for that teeny-tiny hatch, because it's a lot bigger (as the name suggests) - although it's still under 4m long. So Toyota Yaris size.
It takes maximum advantage of the Stellantis parts bin (Peugeot, Citroen, Opel), but what's cool about Grande Panda is that it's packed with clever design references to Pandas past and it's very affordable; available in pure-electric and hybrid versions.
Suzuki Jimny kei
"Kei-jidosha" is Japanese's smallest class of road-legal cars: they have to be less than 660cc, less than 47kW and shorter than 3.4m. We see them here as used imports occasionally, but generally kei-cars are a bit too small for Kiwi tastes.
Surely the hugely popular Suzuki Jimny 3dr could change that? If you strip the Jimny of its flared guards and downsize the engine, it qualifies as a kei-car... and in fact that's exactly how it's sold in Japan. Such a familiar and popular package might just make kei work in NZ.
Hyundai Casper
We already know the cute-as-a-button Inster EV is under serious consideration by Hyundai NZ, providing it can be sourced at the right specification and the right price.
The name is a portmanteau of "intimate" and "innovative" (nothing to do with Instagram, then). It's tiny, at just 3.8m long.
But there's also a petrol version called Casper (named after the Casper skateboarding technique, nothing to do with the ghost) in South Korea that's even smaller: 230mm shorter, or less than 3.6m overall to fit within the country's tax rules. The Inster is also referred to as "Casper Electric" in some markets.
Is the Casper-not-electric sold outside South Korea? No. Is it even made in right-hand drive? Well, no. But it's a small wonder of a thing.