Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua and Auckland. Checked Friday 25 September 2026

The retirement car

Mid size SUV, ideally $30,000 or under but able to stretch to $35,000, the lower the kilometres the better, and it has to pull the 5.5 m Surtees Workmate. The boat does most of the sorting: only 8 of the 24 cars on your watchlist are comfortably rated to tow it. So the shortlist keeps to the models rated at 2,000 kg (Haval H6 2.0 turbo, the new shape Nissan X-Trail and the Subaru Outback) and searched all of Trade Me for the best of them in Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton and Auckland. Every car in the shortlist is suitable for towing the Surtees, apart from two older X-Trails marked "Won't tow the Surtees". They're on the page as good cars for the money, but they're not rated for the boat.

Set up to print. On a computer press Ctrl and P, pick A4 portrait, and it comes out as a call sheet with a line under each car for the date you rang, whether it's still there, the best price, and whether it has a towbar.

Boat on the trailerUp to 1,500 kgSurtees publish 1,200 kg. Allow 1,300 to 1,500 kg for a hardtop, full tank and gear
What the car needs2,000 kgBraked tow rating, with at least 150 kg allowed on the towball
Watchlist cars that pass5 of 24Plus 3 X-Trails that pass but sit near $40,000
Best under $30,000$30,0002022 H6 Ultra 4WD, 27,000 km, towbar fitted, New Plymouth. Or near offer

Tell us what you're after

Mike and Julie, this is for you. Answer what you can, skip anything you're not sure about, and press Save at the bottom. Ryan uses your answers to narrow the list down and go looking for cars that fit. You can come back and change your answers any time. Under each car there's also a "Like" and "Not for us" button.

Who's filling this in?
1How much do you want to spend?

Pick the one that feels right.

2What fuel?

Tick all you'd be happy with. Worth knowing: most hybrids and every electric car on the market at this money can't tow the boat.

3Brands you like

Tick any you'd happily own.

4Brands you'd rather not have
5Models you like the look of

From this page, or any other model you've seen and liked. A friend's car counts.

6Colours you like
7Colours you don't want
8How many seats?
9Four wheel drive?

Handy on a wet or shingle boat ramp.

10How many kilometres is too many?
11How old is too old?
12Things you'd really like

Tick anything that matters to you.

13NZ new or imported?
14Dealer or private sale?

A dealer gives you some comeback if something goes wrong. Private is usually cheaper.

15How far will you go to buy it?
16How will you use the boat?
17When do you want to buy?
18Anything else?

Anything we haven't asked. Things you liked or didn't like about your last car are really useful.

Tauranga and Rotorua

Closest to home. One H6 is sitting on Cameron Road already.

41,557km 2022 Haval H6 GT Ultra 2.0T 4WD WhiteNZ newOne private owner, full service history, two keys. More kilometres than the others but it's on Cameron Road, so it's the easy one to go and sit in first and get a feel for the H6 Ebbett Tauranga 123 Cameron Road, Tauranga (07) 578 2843 Harris Edlin 022 196 4903 $34,880 Tows the Surtees
46,637km 2021 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 4WD Under $30kWhiteOne owner, on custom 20 inch wheels. Cheapest 4WD H6 close to home, seven grand under the Tauranga one. Ask whether the original wheels come with it Ingham Ford Rotorua 105 Old Taupo Road, Rotorua (07) 376 0244 $27,990 Tows the Surtees
54,875km 2021 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T Under $30kRedNZ newTop spec Ultra on standard wheels, and a thousand dollars cheaper than the white one at Ingham Ford. The listing doesn't say 2WD or 4WD, so ask Nicholson Rotorua 145 Lake Road, Mangakakahi, Rotorua (07) 282 2420 Mark Donoghue 027 977 8899 $26,995 Tows the Surtees
26,814km 2022 Nissan X-Trail ST-L 7 seat Under $30kRedNZ newPrivate sale, $25,000 firm, bought as an ex demo from Farmers in Tauranga, and a lot of car for the money. But the photos show it's the old shape X-Trail, and the old shape 2.5 petrol is only rated to tow 1,500 kg, so it won't pull the boat. Registration is due this month Private seller Rotorua No phone on the listing, message through Trade Me $25,000 Won't tow the Surtees

Hamilton, about an hour and a half

Two cheaper H6s at the one yard, so it's a single stop. Both are two wheel drive and a bit older, but they're the way to keep well under budget.

44,051km 2021 Haval H6 Premium 2.0T 2WD Under $30kRedNZ newOne owner, low kilometres for the year, and the cheapest car on the page. Premium is the base spec, so no leather or sunroof. The listing says it's had its plates changed to RWY610 TMC Hamilton 64 Te Kowhai East Road, Burbush, Hamilton (07) 849 0144 Douglas Rauch 021 068 1756 $24,990 Tows the Surtees
59,899km 2021 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 2WD Under $30kRedNZ newTop spec Ultra, same yard as the Premium above. Highest kilometres on the page, so it's here to compare, not the first pick TMC Hamilton 64 Te Kowhai East Road, Burbush, Hamilton (07) 849 0144 Douglas Rauch 021 068 1756 $25,990 Tows the Surtees

Auckland, about two and a half hours

The most choice, and the lowest kilometre cars in the budget. Three are off your watchlist, the rest are new finds from a wider Trade Me search. Papatoetoe and Mt Wellington are both on Great South Road, so the south side is one run.

7,900km 2026 Nissan X-Trail ST 2.5 4WD, 7 seat Best buyRedNZ newEx demo off a Nissan dealer. It's the same car as the X-Trails on your watchlist at $39,888 to $39,990, with 4WD and seven seats, for five grand less. Should still have nearly all of the factory warranty Manukau Nissan 17 Cavendish Drive, Manukau (09) 261 4000 Pravin Kumar 021 225 9386 $34,989 Tows the Surtees
14,750km 2024 GWM Haval H6 GT Ultra 2.0T 4WD On your watchlistBlackNZ newLowest kilometre 4WD H6 in the budget, and the cheapest of the 2024 4WD ones. Panoramic roof, auto park West City Auto Group 49 North Side Drive, Westgate 022 666 6550 Leon Masefield, GWM sales $33,495 Tows the Surtees
22,480km 2024 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 4WD On your watchlistGreenLeather, sunroof, and the listing says five years of manufacturer's warranty. The dealer fits towbars, so ask them to put one on as part of the deal Greenwise Cars 34 Cartwright Road, Kelston 0800 888 101 Tom 027 318 0554. Nick 021 167 7405 $33,980 Tows the Surtees
9,575km 2023 Subaru Outback Sport 2.4 turbo AWD New findWhiteImportedOne owner, 9,575 km, private sale. The seller lists 2,000 kg braked towing. It's an import with the 2.4 turbo, so check the tow rating on the compliance plate matches. WoF is due this month Private seller Botany Downs 027 700 7978 $33,250 Tows the Surtees
40,600km 2023 Nissan X-Trail ST 2.5 New findBoulder GreyNZ newNew shape, leather interior. Sitting on 22 inch aftermarket wheels, which ride harder and cost more for tyres. Ask if the originals come with it Trust Motors 10 Norman Spencer Drive, Papatoetoe (09) 887 8668 Harry Nash 027 580 6356 $34,990 Tows the Surtees
46,488km 2023 Subaru Outback Sport 2.5 AWD New findBlackNZ newNZ new ex lease, so it'll have a full service record. The listing mentions a towbar, so ask what's fitted ORIX Vehicle Sales 1080 Great South Road, Mt Wellington (09) 529 4820 Simone Makiri 027 809 3977 $34,995 Tows the Surtees
46,700km 2021 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 2WD Under $30kNew findGreyNZ newTowbar already fitted and under $25,000. Same yard as the black 2024 GT Ultra, so you can look at both in one stop West City Auto Group 49 North Side Drive, Westgate 027 212 9003 Viral Ahir, sales $24,995 Tows the Surtees
47,027km 2022 Subaru Outback Sport 2.5 AWD New findWhiteNZ newNZ new, WoF to September 2027. Turners prices are firm but it's the cheapest NZ new Outback in the area Turners North Shore 201 Archers Road, Wairau Valley 0800 222 755 $30,210 Tows the Surtees
48,000km 2022 Nissan X-Trail Ti 2.5 4WD GreyNZ newTi is the top spec. The photos show it's the old shape, which is only rated to tow 1,500 kg, so it won't pull the boat Winger Motors Pukekohe 69 Manukau Road, Pukekohe (09) 239 2389 $31,990 Won't tow the Surtees
54,618km 2023 Nissan X-Trail ST 4WD, 7 seat New findSilverNZ newNew shape Black Edition, 4WD and seven seats. More kilometres than the Manukau demo but a thousand dollars cheaper Pearce Brothers 4x4 Centre 103 Great South Road, Papatoetoe 021 045 5788 Richard Nimmo, sales $33,975 Tows the Surtees
55,000km 2022 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 4WD Under $30kNew findGreyNZ newCheapest 4WD H6 in the area at under $25,000 John Andrew Motors 38 Great North Road, Grey Lynn 0800 526 293 $24,990 Tows the Surtees

Further away, but worth a phone call

Outside the Hamilton, Rotorua and Auckland run, but these two are good enough to ring about. Both sellers may deliver or meet halfway, and freight to Tauranga is usually a few hundred dollars.

27,000km 2022 Haval H6 Ultra 2.0T 4WD Under $30kBest valueBrownNZ newOne owner from new, and the towbar is already fitted. Under 30,000 km for $30,000 or near offer. Trade Me flags the seller as "in trade", so ask about that Private seller New Plymouth 021 047 7731 $30,000or near offer Tows the Surtees
18,000km 2025 Nissan X-Trail ST 4WD, 7 seat BlueNZ newOne owner, WoF to July 2028. The owners are leaving New Zealand, so they'll want it gone. The listing says the km will be about 19,000 by the end of September Private seller Wellington City 021 654 394 Best time: mornings $34,500 Tows the Surtees

Your watchlist against the boat

Every car on the watchlist apart from the Mazdas, sorted by whether it's rated to tow the Surtees. "Tight" means it's rated close to the boat's loaded weight, or it can't take much weight on the towball. It might be legal on paper, but it'll be working hard and there's no margin.

CarKmPriceWhereRated to towVerdict
Tows it, and in budget
2024 GWM Haval H6 GT Ultra 4WD14,750$33,495Westgate2,000 kgYes
2024 GWM Haval H6 Lux 2WD16,400$30,995Lower Hutt2,000 kgYes
2024 Haval H6 Ultra 4WD22,480$33,980Kelston2,000 kgYes
2024 Haval H6 GT Ultra 4WD29,800$34,990Dunedin2,000 kgYes
2022 Haval H6 GT Ultra 4WD58,000$32,990Christchurch2,000 kgYes
Tows it, but over budget
2026 Nissan X-Trail ST 2.5 2WD25$39,990Botany2,000 kgOver $35k
2026 Nissan X-Trail ST 7 seat 4WD9,900$39,888Lower Hutt2,000 kgOver $35k
2026 Nissan X-Trail ST 2.530$39,990Taupo2,000 kgOver $35k
Tight, check before buying
2024 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS, towbar fitted57,666$34,800Hastings1,600 kgTight
2024 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS 4WD59,000$34,988Christchurch1,600 kgTight
2024 Ford Escape ST-Line hybrid AWD41,000$30,990Wellsford1,600 to 2,100 kg by buildCheck
2024 Ford Escape Titanium hybrid, imported19,641$31,500Manukauabout 1,600 kgTight
2025 Ford Escape Titanium hybrid3,350$39,995Botanyabout 1,600 kgTight
2025 Ford Escape Titanium plug in hybrid15,301$37,990New Plymouthnot confirmedCheck
2022 Kia Sportage 2.0 diesel AWD67,691$25,800Manukau1,900 kg, 100 kg towballTight
Won't tow it
2025 Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Active8,669$37,995Paeroa1,650 kg, 100 kg towballNo
2025 Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Active12,300$38,990Hamilton1,650 kg, 100 kg towballNo
2026 Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Active13,000$38,788North Shore1,650 kg, 100 kg towballNo
2024 Kia Sportage LX 2.0 petrol 2WD48,000$34,990Masterton1,650 kg, 100 kg towballNo

The three models that make the cut

Haval H6 (2.0 turbo petrol)

  • 2,000 kg braked, 200 kg on the towball. That's the 2021 onward shape with the 2.0 turbo. The H6 hybrid is only rated to 1,500 kg, so steer clear of those for the boat.
  • You get the most car for the money. A 2024 on low kilometres fits the budget, which no other brand manages.
  • The trade off is resale, and it's thirstier than the X-Trail. Worth asking a local mechanic whether they're happy to service one.
  • Pick the 4WD (Ultra or GT Ultra) if the ramp they use is shingle or slippery.

Nissan X-Trail (new shape, 2.5 petrol)

  • 2,000 kg braked on the new shape 2.5 petrol, 2WD and 4WD. The e-Power hybrid is lower at 1,650 kg.
  • Holds its value better than the H6 and is easier on fuel. Nissan dealers everywhere.
  • Only the new shape counts. It arrived in New Zealand partway through 2022, and the old shape 2.5 petrol is only rated to 1,500 kg. The two 2022 X-Trails on this page are the old shape, checked off the listing photos, and are marked as not towing the boat. The old one has boomerang shaped headlights and tail lights; the new one has a slim light strip across the top of the nose.
  • 7 seat versions are handy for grandkids.

Subaru Outback (2.5 petrol, 2021 on)

  • 2,000 kg braked, 200 kg on the towball. All wheel drive as standard on every one, which is what you want on a wet boat ramp.
  • A wagon rather than a tall SUV, so it's easier to get in and out of and it sits well on the road. Subaru has a good name for reliability and resale.
  • Stick to NZ new cars where you can. Imports can carry a different tow rating, so check the compliance plate on anything imported.

What to ask on the call

  • Is it still there, and what's the drive away price? One number with on road costs included.
  • Has it got a towbar, and what's it rated to? The bar's own plate has to be rated to 2,000 kg as well, not just the car. If there's no bar, ask them to fit a genuine one and wiring for the trailer brakes as part of the deal.
  • How much factory warranty is left, and has it been serviced on time? That keeps the warranty alive.
  • Why is it for sale? Especially the Queenstown H6 with three owners.
  • Book a pre purchase inspection before any money changes hands, particularly on the private sales.
  • Drain the Surtees ballast tank before towing. It adds about 200 kg if it's left full.