Auto Trader and NZ Autocar join forces

Two New Zealand’s automotive media brands, Auto Trader and NZ Autocar, have joined forces.

From December 10, visitors to Autocar.co.nz will be automatically redirected to AutoTrader.co.nz, where Autocar’s full editorial operation is now integrated into the Auto Trader platform.

Readers will find news, first drives, reviews, videos and longer-form features alongside New Zealand’s dedicated vehicle marketplace.

Create a seamless pathway

At launch, NZ Autocar’s stories will appear in an editorial section, but the partnership will quickly evolve.

The two companies are creating a connected experience that takes readers from easy-to-understand, Kiwi-focused reviews to relevant vehicle listings, while guiding shoppers back to the right advice when they need it. The aim is to create a single, seamless pathway from learning about a car to finding one.

The combined content offering is almost entirely New Zealand-made.

NZ’s longest-running motoring title

Autocar is the country’s longest-running motoring title and the largest independent automotive news outlet currently operating, attracting around 250,000 visits a month and nearly half a million page views.

This work is produced by an experienced local team that includes Richard Edwards, Kyle Cassidy, Andrew Sluys, Alex Schultz and Amber Erasmus, with expert support from China-based contributor Mark Rainsford and long-time columnist Rob Scott.

The NZ Autocar magazine will continue to be published monthly. 

A major expansion

Auto Trader brings a different kind of scale to the partnership.

More than 300,000 New Zealanders shop for cars on the site each month, spending an average of six minutes browsing. Its email audience exceeds 229,000 people. The platform also delivers around 14.5 million targeted advertising impressions each month, not including its app audience.

The partnership marks a major expansion of Autocar’s video plans. Video has become a key part of how New Zealanders research their next vehicle. The collaboration with Auto Trader will allow Autocar to produce more first-drive videos, comparison pieces and short-form social content, all supported by the increased visibility of Auto Trader’s audience.

Built on Kiwi values

Ross Logue, Auto Trader’s managing director, says the partnership brings together two brands that have each played a unique role in New Zealand’s car-buying landscape.

“This collaboration is built on Kiwi values. Auto Trader has always helped New Zealanders find the right car, and Autocar has helped them understand it.

“Joining these strengths gives people one place where they can read, watch, research and buy – all created by people who actually know our roads, our conditions and the way Kiwis drive.”

A blend of scale and storytelling

Richard Edwards, NZ Autocar’s managing editor, says: “Autocar has been part of New Zealand’s motoring landscape for decades. Our stories, our tests and our opinions are shaped by Kiwi roads and Kiwi readers.

“This partnership simply lets more people access what we do, while giving us the tools to grow – especially in video, which is such a big part of how people buy cars today. The magazine continues unchanged, and we’re pushing deeper into uniquely New Zealand stories, like our recent look at Bruce McLaren’s legacy here at home.”

Edwards adds that the collaboration strengthens both brands while keeping their identities intact.

“It’s a nice blend of scale and storytelling. Auto Trader brings audience and reach. Autocar brings trusted voice and experience. Together, it forms an automotive hub that feels distinctly New Zealand.”

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