Articles by Andrew Chesterton

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist

Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.

But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.

And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.

When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.

But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.

More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

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By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Jul 2021
The Hyundai Santa Cruz might be smaller than vehicles like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, but it's not much cheaper, with the brand revealing an International starting price of US$23,990.In terms of a straight currency conversion, that's around $32,222
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Major price cut for the Tesla Model 3: Standard Range Plus now $59,900 as Tesla becomes one of the cheapest EV brands in Australia
By Andrew Chesterton · 11 Jul 2021
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Why the LC300 NEEDS a hybrid: Will diesel buyers of the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series be missing out on a better engine? | Opinion
By Andrew Chesterton · 11 Jul 2021
We now know just about all there is to know about the new LC300, from power to capability, detailed specs to launch timings. Heck, we can even take a pretty good stab at price.
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Top-secret Toyota! New Fortuner GR Sport spotted as HiLux-based SUV muscles up
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Jul 2021
Toyota's promised GR Sport HiLux looks sure to spawn a Fortuner twin, with a muscled-up SUV complete with red brake calipers spied doing the rounds in India. The camouflage is the first give-away, given the Fortuner has long since been revealed.
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What's going on with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid? Former top seller beaten by Mazda CX-5 as mid-size SUV slips outside our top-five models
By Andrew Chesterton · 08 Jul 2021
Australia's former mid-size SUV heavyweight is undergoing something of a sales slump, with the mighty Toyota RAV4 comprehensively hosed by the Mazda CX-5 in the June sales results.
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Sorry criminals, there's nowhere to hide from a LC300: Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series ready for Australian police duty
By Andrew Chesterton · 07 Jul 2021
Australia's boys and girls in blue will soon have a new vehicle at their disposal, with the new LandCruiser 300 Series a sure-fire starter to replace the LC200 in Australia's harder-to-reach destinations.The tough-as-teak Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series is
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The new Kia Sportage looks great, but is it missing the one thing needed to take down the Toyota RAV4 in the family SUV wars?
By Andrew Chesterton · 06 Jul 2021
Kia has unveiled its new Kia Sportage, with a fresh look and a serious tech overhaul designed to take down Australia's mid-size SUV favourites like the CX-5 and RAV4.But while it will be packing all of the above and more when it launches in Australia in Q
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Hardcore Nissan 400Z NISMO coming to rock your Toyota GR Supra - reports
By Andrew Chesterton · 06 Jul 2021
The record Nissan 400Z (or simply Z, as we expect it to be called) is yet to launch anywhere in the world, but that hasn't stopped Nissan working on a more hardcore model, with reports out of Japan suggesting a NISMO version will be unveiled this year.
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Booming Ford Ranger helps new car market soar to above pre-pandemic levels in June despite stock shortages cramping EOFY sales
By Andrew Chesterton · 05 Jul 2021
The Australian new-car market has soared to above pre-pandemic levels in June, despite shock shortages crimping the traditional EOFY bonanza.
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Ouch! Fleet of Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series accidentally crash-tested ahead of global launch
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 Jul 2021
It's barely on sale anywhere in the world, but the number of Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series available to purchase has just dropped by around eight, after a car carrier in Oman carried out some unplanned crash-testing on a Middle East freeway.
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