We prove that fun and family can co-exist in a neat little package, as these three European hatchbacks show.

THE MINI COUNTRYMAN IS THE SUV FOR URBANITES WHO LOVE HEEDING THE CALL OF THE WILD.

Which of these “baby” SUV models will prove to be the most irresistible to well-heeled suburbanites searching for a sporty runabout?

THE MINI COUNTRYMAN IS THE SUV FOR URBANITES WHO LOVE HEEDING THE CALL OF THE WILD.

After driving a 1997 Mini Cooper and a 2016 MINI Cooper back to back, this writer realised that BMW pulled off more than just a “heist” when it “pinched” the beloved British marque.

Before the breathtaking landscapes in The Lord of the Rings put New Zealand on the travel map, two tycoons looking for investment opportunities saw the country’s potential, built luxury resorts around the Bay of Islands, near the northern tip of the country, and used them as their personal retreats. The Peak drops in to see what makes The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs and The Landing the perfect getaways.

The new MINI Cooper S Convertible is roomier, quicker and more fun to drive than its predecessor.

The MINI John Cooper Works and Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari are spicy, special little hatches.

John Cooper and Rauno Aaltonnen were crucial to the monumental success of classic quick Minis.

The MINI range gets a powerful new JCW version that is speedy and terrific to drive.