The 18-year-old, who was understood to be the driver, then drove the car on to the Southern Motorway at Drury in excess of 100kph, where it was spotted by the Eagle helicopter.
The car was driving on the wrong side of the motorway.
The car exited the motorway at Ramarama before getting back onto the motorway heading northbound, this time on the right side of the motorway.
The driver then made a U-turn and crashed into a police vehicle.
The driver turned back the correct way but crashed into a truck near the Papakura off-ramp, partially blocking the northbound lanes.
Police say a member of the public helped an officer to apprehend the driver and two passengers of the vehicle. The entire incident lasted about 28 minutes.
An 18-year-old female, 15-year-old male and 12-year-old female were all in police custody.
"This type of behaviour has to stop as it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed," Glossop said.
"We are now limited in what we can say as this matter will be going before the courts but we want to express our deep concern by this type of offending.
"Hundreds of members of the public going about their daily business were put in immense danger and it is simply unacceptable."
There were no reported injuries.
NZTA confirmed both northbound lanes were temporarily blocked to enable vehicle recovery but had since reopened.
* Police ask that anyone whose vehicles might have been damaged in the incident contact Sergeant Nick Ewen on 09 261 1300.
