Articles by Andrew Chesterton

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist

CarsGuide contributing journalist Andrew Chesterton is an award-winning Australian automotive reporter with more than 20 years of experience across newspapers, magazines, digital publishing and automotive corporate communications.

Andrew began his journalism career at Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, reporting across business, courts, crime, property and state politics before moving into automotive journalism.

He joined Top Gear Australia as its online editor in 2008, later being appointed editor of Top Gear New Zealand. He subsequently worked as an assistant editor during the Australian launch of the Daily Mail Australia, and as communications manager at FCA Australia, now Stellantis.

His experience on both sides of the media industry gives him an unrivalled understanding of the automotive industry, and the relationship between car manufacturers, the media, and Australian consumers.

Andrew’s work has appeared across leading automotive, news, business, luxury, travel and lifestyle publications, including CarsGuide, EV Central, DMARGE, The Sydney Morning Herald, Marie Claire, Top Gear, GQ Australia, The Australian, WISH Magazine, Boss Hunting, The West Australian, The Nightly, Women’s Day Australia, Carsales, NRMA, Men’s Health, CEO Magazine, Australian Financial Review and more.  

Andrew specialises in industry news, vehicle reviews, policy,  performance and luxury cars, electric vehicles, automotive technology, EVs hybrid and plug-in hybrids, and the broader Australian new-car marketplace.

In 2025, Andrew was named Newspress Australia News Journalist of the Year and was a finalist for the overall Journalist of the Year award.

Earlier honours include Website of the Year wins at the Australian Magazine Awards and ACP Awards, the ACP Rising Star Award and recognition in the Bauer Media and News Ltd journalism awards.

Expertise

  • Electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles
  • Performance, luxury and supercars
  • New-car reviews and road testing
  • Australian automotive industry and new-car sales
  • Chinese automotive brands and emerging manufacturers
  • Utes, SUVs and family vehicles
  • Automotive technology
  • Policy

Awards

  • 2025 Newspress Australia News Journalist of the Year

Featured Publications

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.

Keen on a Volkswagen Amarok Raptor?
By Andrew Chesterton · 21 Dec 2021
Volkswagen is investigating ways to launch a true Ford Ranger Raptor rival to market as part of the new ute's launch plan - and if Ford refuse access to theirs, VW might just build their own.That's the word from VW's Commercial division, who, after a mass
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Toyota’s EV HiLux is coming. Get used to it
By Andrew Chesterton · 19 Dec 2021
No sooner had Toyota released the very first image of an all-electric ute that will no doubt replace the diesel-chugging HiLux we know today - and possibly as soon as 2024 - did the internet begin to light up with comments about it not being a real ute, a
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Toyota goes BIG on EVs
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Dec 2021
It might not have been the first company to launch a fully electric vehicle, but Japanese giant Toyota also won't be left behind, with the brand today unveiling plans to launch 30 new EVs by 2030.Making the point that this is not some "dreamy" vision deca
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Toyota MR2 confirmed?
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Dec 2021
Toyota appears to have confirmed a reborn MR2 performance car will launch before 2030, with the svelte orange vehicle parked at the back of a major Toyota EV announcement pointing to the brand's "three brothers" strategy finally taking off
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Porsche Macan 2022 review
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Dec 2021
Can you really Porsche-ify an SUV? You bet you can. The updated Porsche Macan is a seriously good driver's car, wrapped in a polished and practical suit. So is this what the best of both worlds looks like?
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VW's V6-powered Ford Ranger Raptor rival
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Dec 2021
Volkswagen will have a V6-powered Ford Ranger Raptor rival in showrooms by April next year, with the Amarok W580X priced at $77,390.Another product born of VW's partnership with Walkinshaw, the W580X takes the best stuff from the Amarok (not least of whic
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Volkswagen Arteon 2022 review
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 Dec 2021
The VW model you've maybe never heard of has big plans - as Volkswagen's flagship passenger car, it's got Audi, BMW and Mercedes in its sights. So can the brand who claims "premium for the people" pivot to just straight-out premium?
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Toyota LC300 production stopped again
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 Dec 2021
Toyota production woes have surfaced again, with the brand once again forced to pause manufacturing on some of its most popular models, including the hugely popular LC300 which has only just now started appearing in Australia.According to Reuters and Auto
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Hardcore Ranger Tremor and Wolftrak for Oz?
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 Dec 2021
Ford clearly has some Ranger tricks up its sleeve to rumble its Toyota HiLux rival, with two new models quietly trademarked in Australia this week, including a hardcore baby Raptor.Ford trademarked two new models with the Australia's Intellectual Property
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Have you won the LandCruiser lottery?
By Andrew Chesterton · 05 Dec 2021
The first lesson in any economics class? When supply is tight, prices skyrocket.
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