Me & My Car: Ido Drent delighted with his double-cab ute

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Ido Drent is a New Zealand actor currently appearing in The Gulf: Mondays at 9pm on Three.

What exactly are you driving?

It’s a Volkswagen Amarok Highline dual-cab manual.

So are you a ute fan or a Volkswagen fan… or both?

A bit of both really. The first real car that I bought for myself was a Golf GTI, so that started the love for VWs and I always wanted a ute so I could just chuck stuff in the back!

Why did you buy this particular vehicle?

I really liked the colourway and detailing. At the time of buying it, I wanted something practical but also comfortable to drive and I think VW has nailed that.

Is this your everyday drive?

It sure is. It can be a bit big in the city, but it’s perfect for throwing things in the back, picking up materials, or going for missions with the kids.

Who else drives it?

My wife Mandy from time to time, but she doesn’t really enjoy the size! And then whoever else wants to... I’m not too protective to be honest!

In The Gulf you spend a lot of time in a ZB Holden Commodore. Do you have strong feelings about the demise of Australian cars?

It’s a bit sad really. My first holiday job was at a Holden dealership in Hamilton stocking shelves in parts, so I have fun memories working there. I also think it was such an iconic brand that played an important part in a world where big brands dominate.

But it’s also exciting to see new players entering the market, such as Cupra and then other brands like Skoda getting to take up the role with the police. Exciting times.

What do you always have in your car?

Water bottle, gym gear, a measuring tape and chewing gum.

What are your dream cars?

Well the boy in me would still love a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, but with three kids in tow I don’t think that’s happening any time soon. So either an Audi RS SUV or the new Land Rover Defender.

Volkswagen is pretty keen on electric cars. What do you think of them?

I love them! My only concern would be knowing my sporadic nature and getting caught short on the battery life.

But the new ones are getting up there and it’d just be a few changes in habits and I’m sure I wouldn’t look back!

What do you think about driverless cars? 

I’d take one tomorrow. I have three thoughts:

  1. I think they could help make so much dead time more efficient; I spend at least two hours a day on the road .
  2. They could potentially open up the property market in interesting ways. Suddenly the commute from out west or up north isn’t a problem, because that time is just mobile office time
  3. I think they could assist in alleviating pressure on infrastructure for some of our major cities: imagine if Auckland City invested $3b into an autonomous fleet instead of a new bridge? They’d alleviate pressure on the existing bridge and they’d own the revenue stream!

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