You know a car's roomy when it impresses an American. My Seattle visitor couldn't believe how spacious the Skoda Superb wagon's rear legroom was - it just about fit his wheelchair, wheels and all, with plenty of space for his 1.8-metre frame up front.

And that's before he saw the boot. This 2.0 TDI Combi gets the load rails and boot divider, which worked as billed. We used thecross-piece to hold the heavy chilly bin and my guest's hefty bathroom apparatus against the seatbacks, with bottles secured to the sides by the elasitc straps, and bags and gifts unmolested in the middle - all kept from flying forward by the cargo net.

That meant we could really put the Combi through its paces up the back road to Russell without our gear flying around.

Mind you, I dont' think my passenger is qutie ready to swap his Camaro for a Superb. 

“Our double-clutch TCT auto is so easy to use you can even toss the keys to the wife.” You what? The dinosaurs of motoring used to think we women couldn’t drive a manual – now even autos are a step too far?

I got a sort-of apology afterwards; apparently the comment was meant to stroke male egos, not dent female ones. Yeah, right.

It reminded me of an HSV launch some years ago, when an engineer stated his manual transmission was “so easy to use, even a woman can drive it.” Misreading the audible indrawn breath as disbelief he jammed a foot in further. “Yes, really! We even let a woman drive one!”

Trouble with such an obviously patronising view is buyers don’t like it. I once saw Audi lose customers at a drive day when the famous Walther Rörhl called the A3 a ‘girl’s car’. None of the women at that track day would go near it, and neither would the men.

Sometimes it pays to keep your lip zipped…

What is it about cyclists that riles so many people? Is it the holier-than-though odour that oozes from their straining lycra-clad frame?  

I’m a former cyclist – I couldn’t afford petrol, let alone a car when I was a student. So I aim for tolerance; cyclists have as much of a right to the road as my car, or motorcycle. But that doesn’t mean they should take risks…

My home roads are narrow and twisty, with hills and more blind corners than you can shake a white stick at. Yet it’s common for cyclists to wibble-wobble up the centre of the lane, struggling with the hill and so focused on that next pedal rotation they forget even slow cars travel much faster than they do.

Rounding a series of blind bends at 60, you haven’t a hope of seeing that suicidal biker before you’re right on them. How more haven’t been bowled into the scenery I’m not sure.

Now, I’m not suggesting all car drivers are without fault, or that all impacted pedallers have been careless. But I meet a lot who could benefit from the lesson one car-owning mate gave me in my uni-cycling days.

He took me for one daytime, and one after-dark drive to see just how fast a car can catch and overtake a bicyclist – and just how hard they are to see it night.

It’s a lesson that would benefit many bikers. And drivers, too.

Talk about injecting interest – used imports certainly deliver a few surprises. Today’s Toyota looks like a Corolla, but tucks the 206kW/344Nm 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine shared with the bigger IS350 and RX350 under its bonnet.

That means the Blade accelerates nothing like a Corolla; fortunately there are uprated brakes to cope.

I’m often amused at the quirky cars which arrive via Japan’s used market, but not all are as well supported as Toyota’s official programme. The trick to buying an import is to make sure you can get spare parts and an English manual; if not, leave it well alone.   

No doubt Suzuki’s head honchos are recovering from blazing hangovers after the Kizashi GLX manual was announced winner of the AA Motoring Excellence Awards last night.

And VW will be celebrating, given the Polo, Golf, Scirocco and Touareg won the small, compact, performance and large SUV classes. It has a lot of good product, and made the right choices of variant to enter.

Fortunately the winning cars were driven into the black tie event so wrinkly-lipped competitors could see what they’d been up against.

Me? I was a finalist for journalist of the year – but missed out this time around despite wearing a new frock. Probably lucky – sky high heels and stairs to the stage aren’t a good mix, especially for someone better used to driving shoes. 

Just back from a hectic five days riding Moto Guzzi's mighty Stelvio from Christchurch to Invercargill's Burt Munro Challenge - a five-day racing festival commemorating the hero of the 'World's Fastest Indian.'

It reminded me just how special the South island's roads are, especially with the sun blazing down on spring growth.

The Stelvio proved an ideal mount. Those wide bars let you tip her far, far into bends and there's plenty of torque to pull on out - along with a soundtrack that'd suit a classic airplane and a seat that's all-day comfy.

We were well in time for my favourite event - the short-track speedway - but missed the beach racing itself thanks to a pace dictated by a newbie to distance rides, and a pair of newlyweds aboard an aged Goldwing.

But the GSX1400 and 'my' Stelvio occasionally wound it out, fanging through the swervery before pausing to admire the scenery and wait for the others to catch up.

Shame eMoto wanted its bike back and the Herald on Sunday needed motoring pages filled, or I'd still be out there...