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.

China has gone ute crazy
By Andrew Chesterton · 30 Sep 2021
China has discovered a new passion for utes of all shapes and sizes, with the country now responsible for pushing the dual-cab boundaries further than even Australia or the USA.
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2022 Ineos Grenadier details drop!
By Andrew Chesterton · 29 Sep 2021
Ineos Automotive has detailed is Australian launch plans for the rough-and-tough Grenadier, with the off-road-focused SUV set to touch down in Australia in Q4 2022.And when it does, it will be wearing a starting price of around $84,500 - which isn't just
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Mega GMSV Corvette Z06 revealed
By Andrew Chesterton · 28 Sep 2021
GMSV seems set to make a serious performance splash in Australia, with parent company GM finally revealing the incoming - and seriously fire-breathing - Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for the very first time.
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2023 Subaru WRX STI looks epic in new render
By Andrew Chesterton · 27 Sep 2021
The 2023 Subaru WRX STI is coming, and to whet your appetite, we have some cracking new renders that imagine what the Japanese brand's performance hero could, and should, look like.The Subaru WRX STI is expected to follow on the heels of the regular WRX,
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Meet the mega HiLux
By Andrew Chesterton · 24 Sep 2021
Toyota has finally put the LC300's engine in a GR-branded HiLux, but that doesn't necessarily put you any closer to climbing behind the wheel of it.
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2023 Toyota HiLux to be a tray-backed LC300?
By Andrew Chesterton · 22 Sep 2021
Toyota's commercial vehicle range could share a platform derived from the LandCruiser 300 Series, with the HiLux, Tacoma and Tundra and LC300 to share a TNGA platform for future iterations, according to international reports.
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Great Wall Cannon Everest firms for Oz
By Andrew Chesterton · 21 Sep 2021
The toughest Chinese ute to date is firming for Australia, with the Great Wall Cannon Everest firmly in the brand's sights for our market.While the model is yet to be officially confirmed for Australia, GWM has told CarsGuide it's keeping an eye on the Fo
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Ford and Holden 2.0
By Andrew Chesterton · 19 Sep 2021
When Ford and Holden finally shut-up shop in Australia a few years back, it seemed like the curtain had permanently closed on the golden age of Aussie automotive manufacturing, given the formerly homegrown heroes were the last two marques still building c
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Chinese Ford Ranger Raptor rival fires up
By Andrew Chesterton · 16 Sep 2021
Great Wall has peeled back the covers on its toughest ute yet, with the new Everest fitted-out with off-road kit to take the fight to vehicles like the Ford Ranger Raptor and Nissan Navara Warrior.Revealed at the Chengdu International Auto Show, the Evere
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Kia Niro Hybrid 2022 review: PHEV Sport
By Andrew Chesterton · 16 Sep 2021
Small in stature, and on fuel use, the Kia Niro Hybrid PHEV Sport is billed as the eco-friendly answer in the small SUV space. So does it live up to the hype? We put it to the test to find out.
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