A man killed after crashing his 4WD at Kaimarama, 12km southwest of Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula, was thrown from the vehicle, police say.

The 35-year-old man's body was found a short distance from his vehicle in a paddock next to a Kaimarama intersection at 5.55am.

Inspector Cornelius Kluessien said the crash could have happened overnight.

Traffic was limited to one lane.

- NZPA