Stephen McIvor. Picture / Ted Baghurst
What do you drive?
A Honda Accord V6 NT, the colour is like a mix of champagne and milk chocolate in colour, how beautiful.
I never thought I'd have an Accord but the V6 sounds great, the sport pack looks cool and it has lots of safety and technology features which are all very practical.
A couple of weeks ago a mate of mine saw me get out of it and asked if I was driving a German car.
I quickly responded, proudly, that it was a Honda. He promptly came in for closer inspection and was blown away.
The car responds to its effective power and drives beautifully. It suits this driver who likes to cruise, cocooned in the leather cabin and once in a while, give it a little bit of stick to get away from bothersome, inconsiderate drivers. Quite simply, I like this car a lot. The cabin layout is simple, attractive and non-complicated.
Honda has built this for the driver and that's what I love about it.
First car you owned?
My first car was a steel tray Hillman Hunter with cream bucket seats.
Your dream car?
I have three dream cars and they would be a McLaren MP4-12C, an Aston Martin DBS and a Bentley Flying Spur.
Favourite car colour?
You can't go past Maranello Red, it's such a smooth colour.
Who taught you to drive?
My dad taught me to drive when I was 15 years old in a blue Chevette, which was Mum's car. We learned to drive in Putaruru, in Dad's work car park. He did a really great job and he made me do a defensive driving course as well.
Manual or automatic?
I prefer automatic these days, even better is paddle shifts if they are available.
Most memorable road trip?
The most memorable road trip in New Zealand is anytime we head to the beach. My favourite overseas trip was in Delhi in 2010 when we went to the Taj Mahal; absolutely amazing.
How often do you clean your car?
I'm pretty good at keeping a clean car, I give it a good wash every week.
And what do you listen to in your car?
The radio station I'm always tuned into is The Sound, I love the old school tunes.
What's a great day trip out of Auckland?
The best day trips for me are normally cruises up to Matakana, such a nice thing to do on a Saturday morning.
Do you judge people by what they drive?
No, you can never judge someone from what they drive.
That's just not fair.
What irritates you most about other drivers?
I get frustrated with drivers who don't indicate or the ones who constantly tailgate.
Would you rather drive in Auckland or take public transport?
I really love driving but I wish public transport in Auckland was better. It needs to improve.
Who else is allowed to drive your car?
No one else is allowed to drive it. Actually I lie, my wife is allowed, too.
Do you have a special number plate?
3KIDZ! Mia (15), Patrick (12) and Charlotte (9).
Cyclists and drivers ... is there room for them both on Auckland's roads?
Of course there's room for cyclists on the roads. We just need to make sure the cyclists are given plenty of cycle lanes and that they don't all ride three abreast as that can create problems on the roads.
As told to Donna McIntyre
We're celebrating the best of New Zealand as we head into the 2024-25 summer.