4XJOURNAL

We’re fresh off the back of Auckland’s 4x4 Outdoor Expo at Kumeu and I have some pretty strong thoughts about it. Expos like this and I have some pretty strong thoughts about it. Expos like this are a culmination of our four-wheel-drive community here in New Zealand. It’s a place where industry combines with enthusiasts for a weekend of entertainment, good times, camping, and a showcase of the countless builds we have going on here in New Zealand. I, for one, hardly saw the expo. The 4XJournal stand was so busy, I hardly had time to leave. When I did manage to get a good look around, it was shocking to see how big the community is growing. OEM manufacturers are backing these events as well as huge corporations, and more…

Ryan Hunt’s LN65 Hilux is a Kiwi icon. Built, bashed and driven hard around New Zealand’s alpine landscape. Words: René Vermeer Photos: Bri Woolnough I think most four-wheel drive enthusiasts in New Zealand have owned or have dreamed of owning a classic Toyota of some description. They’re simply iconic in our landscape, and their durability and suitability to our terrain are unmatched by most others. The older models especially, like the LN106 and the mighty LN65, solid-axle Hilux models are what Kiwi dreams are made of. With non-turbo diesel engines and carburetted petrol engines, they were never built for speed, but they were built with a certain engineering prowess that ensured they’d outlive their occupants. A crazy thought. Ryan Hunt is one of those enthusiasts who understood that long before…

Caden Bari’s 1998 Hilux Surf, built gradually through travel, refinement, and real touring load. Words: 4XJournal Photos: Jade Maloyd Caden Bari never intended to build a feature car. The Hilux Surf began as a simple idea rather than a defined plan. He wanted something he could lift, put tyres on, and use for camping. There was no clear end goal or broader vision for what the vehicle should become beyond being capable enough to get him away for weekends and trips. “The original vision I had for the build was to install a lift kit, get a set of muddies, and be able to go camping,” Bari says. That vision didn’t come from indecision. It came from how he had always experienced vehicles. Growing up, cars were a constant part…

John Kingston is a US-based content creator we stumbled upon through his Our Landers podcast on Spotify. We then connected on Instagram, and have kept in touch ever since. A true four-wheel drive and adventure inspiration,we thought it best to showcase the man behind the lens and the mic. Words: René Vermeer Photos: John Kingston I first came across John Kingston through audio rather than imagery. While searching Spotify for automotive and camping inspiration, I stumbled across Our Landers, a podcast hosted by Jamie Lazoya and Kingston that focuses on overlanding, four wheel drives, and camping culture in the United States. The conversations were long, unpolished, and grounded in real experience. It didn’t take long before I had worked through every episode available at the time. That podcast led me…

Putting the 2026 Defender to work on SF70. Yep, SF70! Words: Aimee Upson Photos: Aimee Upson, Defender, Matthew Hansen Press launches in New Zealand rarely venture far beyond well-graded gravel. That’s why Defender’s decision to base its 2026 update drive programme at SF70, just out of Taupō, raised eyebrows. For those unfamiliar, SF70 isn’t a scenic farm loop. It’s a genuinely technical 4WD track, with steep clay climbs, axle-twisting ruts, deep articulation holes, and sections that will quickly expose poor wheel travel or lazy traction systems. AIR SUSPENSION REMAINS CENTRALTO THE PLATFORM’S CAPABILITY,ALLOWING ADJUSTABLE RIDE HEIGHTAND IMPROVED APPROACH ANDDEPARTURE ANGLES WHEN RAISEDINTO OFF-ROAD MODE It’s the sort of terrain most owners would normally approach with at least mild modifications and decent allterrains. Instead, we were handed the keys to completely…

Why a humble Hilux earned the same care as a hypercar Words and photos: Bejon Haswell You may look at tech entrepreneur David Dicker and his business, Rodin Cars, and see someone who enjoys driving and building fast cars. But among his stable of more than thirty vehicles (including several multi-million-dollar Ferraris and a McLaren Senna GTR), there is one that stands apart from the rest. That’s his 2000 Toyota Hilux, purchased with just 14 kilometres on the clock from Ashburton Toyota. On paper, the Hilux doesn’t belong in the same conversation as carbon-tubbed hypercars or purpose-built track weapons that share its garage. It doesn’t chase lap times, demand constant attention, or try to impress. Yet, sitting among some of the most focused, intense, and exotic machines imaginable, this humble…