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.

Polestar 3 2025 review: Long Range Single Motor
By Andrew Chesterton · 08 May 2025
The Polestar 3 is the vehicle the brand has been waiting for, with the large electric SUV finally giving this Swedish marque a fighter to send into the ring against BMW, Mercedes-Benz and even Porsche. The big question, though, was it worth waiting for? We put the cheapest version, the Long Range Single Motor, to the test to find out.
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Tesla Model Y 2025 review: Rear-Wheel Drive
By Andrew Chesterton · 07 May 2025
The world is closing in on Tesla, with increased competition, masses of controversy surrounding its leader, and something of a global revolt against its products all threatening to dethrone the EV king. Which is to say, this new Tesla Model Y had better be good...We put the most affordable version, the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, to the test to find out.
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Diesel dominance as plug-ins plummet in April
By Andrew Chesterton · 05 May 2025
Diesel powertrains mounted a major comeback in April, dominating the country's best-seller lists as plug-in hybrid powertrains suffer as FBT exemptions expire.
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Don't give up on Toyota yet!
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 May 2025
Toyota's MR2 revival appears to have taken a step closer to reality, with the Japanese giant recently lodging a trademark application in Australia, and in Japan, that only fuels the navy rumours the iconic sports car is about to make a comeback.
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How the Navara will dominate our ute market
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 May 2025
If Nissan really wants to grab Australia’s hotly contested dual-cab ute market by the scruff of the neck, it needs to something big. Something bold. But also something inevitable.
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Cadillac Lyriq 2025 review: Sport
By Andrew Chesterton · 29 Apr 2025
Cadillac has arrived in Australia, with this Lyriq the first in a fleet of new electric vehicles built in right-hand drive in the USA and shipped to our shores. It's big, lux and definitely has premium intentions, but it also goes up against the best of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in the battle for our well-heeled dollars.
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Is this why your new car is so expensive?
By Andrew Chesterton · 26 Apr 2025
Chinese newcomer brand JAC has spilled on the real cost of obtaining a five-star ANCAP safety rating in Australia, confiding that the brand had to invest millions of dollars to score top marks under 2024's testing protocols.
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Why we don't want the Tesla Cybertruck
By Andrew Chesterton · 25 Apr 2025
The on-again, off-again Tesla Cybertruck launch in Australia appears to at last be approaching on again, with a version of the electrified horror show doing the rounds at our EV conferences, and the brand's chief confirming a slightly modified version of the vehicle is under review
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The Tesla Titanic keeps sinking
By Andrew Chesterton · 23 Apr 2025
The first-quarter results for Tesla are in, and they're abysmal, with the now-controversial electric vehicle brand shaving sales and profit over the first three months of 2025.
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Why Volvo doesn't fear its Chinese siblings
By Andrew Chesterton · 21 Apr 2025
Volvo insists it shouldn’t be considered among the influx of Chinese brands in Australia — despite the Swedish mainstay now being owned by China’s automotive giant Geely — telling CarsGuide that it has something none of them can offer.
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