Articles by Andrew Chesterton

We now know that Chery will be among the wave of new Chinese utes hitting Australia (think BYD, MG, GWM et al), with the relative newcomer to launch not one but two new utes.

Sharp new pricing pitches the KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate into battle with the cheaper Chinese newcomers, rather than its Korean siblings in Hyundai and Kia, which feels like a much fairer fight. Perfect timing, then, for Chesto to spend his final month with his Torres, which has mysteriously changed colour...

BYD's plans for domestic and global domination appear to have hit their first hurdle, with the Chinese giant reportedly set to miss its lofty 2025 sales target. Interestingly, the issue isn’t the international markets the brand hopes to conquer, but rather a slowdown in its home market where increased competition is denting sales.

The new Toyota HiLux appears to have been leaked in an international presentation, with the 2026 model debuting a new-look front-end, bolder wheel arches and a new LED light treatment.It's not known whether the new look is the same as the one that will arrive in Australia, but if these are official images as is being reported, then they'd be in keeping with what we think we know so far about the new HiLux – namely that it would be an evolution rather than a revolution that carries-over much of the important stuff from the current-gen model.The 2026 model is expected to persevere with Toyota's 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine, aided (as it is now) by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.We haven't yet seen the interior of the new HiLux, but it's in the cabin where the bigger changes are expected to appear, with new materials and the addition of the Ranger-rivalling technology, including new screens.Plug-in hybrid and even hydrogen-fuelled options are on the horizon, but there aren't any major powertrain updates expected at launch – and a question over whether the HiLux's now-ageing platform could even be retrofitted for green energy solutions.It's more likely those options will appear some way down the track, when another new HiLux is debuted. In fact, CarsGuide has previously reported on a potential two-model HiLux strategy, where this 'new' model is joined by a genuinely all-new ute primed for electrification.All will be revealed soon enough, with the new HiLux expected to debut in the coming months, ahead of a launch in either late 2025 or early 2026.

Mazda says the its new CX-5 has done enough to maintain its status as one of Australia's best-selling vehicles – and to hold back the tide against the waves of newcomer Chinese brands – despite the lack of radical changes or updates.

Fresh from conquering just about every segment Australia has to offer – from micro cars like the Picanto to performance cars like the 130 N and Ioniq 5 N and even big, electric SUVs like the EV9 and Ioniq 9 – Kia and Hyundai have now set their sights on only unexplored frontier left; the off-road crowd.

The long-promised electric revolution appears to have been pushed back, at least for a couple more years, with established brands and Chinese newcomers alike doubling down on big ICE-powered SUVs and utes – some without any electrification at all.

Surprising reports out of Japan suggest Toyota could be about to build what could be the word's toughest people-movers, with international media now referring to the "LandCruiser of vans".

For so long seen as purely a tool-of-trade, in recent decades the ute has grown into a Swiss Army-style work/family/lifestyle multi-purpose machine. And in his second month with the Ford Ranger Platinum, Andrew Chesterton is appreciating the family side of its character more than ever.

Nissan will develop a fleet of new ladder-frame SUVs to take on everything from the Ford Everest to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, according to new reports out of the USA.In fact, the brand is working on a plan that will use an American factory to tap into the tough off-roader market, according to US site Automotive News.According to the site, the brand will manufacture two "flagship" SUVs in the USA rather than Japan – presumably the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX80 – but will also develop two new ute-based SUVs.Ute-based means they will use a ladder-frame chassis as an underpinning, much like the Ford Everest and Toyota LandCruiser Prado.One vehicle is suggested to be the SUV version of the recently revealed Nissan Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute, which was revealed at the 2025 Shanghai Motor Show in April.That plug-in powerhouse develops a substantial 300kW and 800Nm from its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and a single electric motor.The second model remains something of a mystery, but is expected to be another ladder-frame SUV, powered by either Nissan's e-Power hybrid tech, or a PHEV system. It would potentially sit above the Frontier-Navara-based model, giving the brand three models that step from, in Toyota parlance, Fortuner, Prado and LC300.While Nissan is yet to officially confirm the plans, a person with knowledge of the plan told Automotive News that the brands is developing a “comprehensive body-on-frame product strategy” for the US plant.Further, a Nissan representative told the site that it is “actively exploring” ways to develop body-on-frame vehicles.The news fits neatly with the word earlier this year that the Xterra is at the top of the brand's product wish list, with one of the brand's most senior executives pushing for a "functional and affordable" ute-based SUV that would take on the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.Chairman of Nissan Americas, Christian Meunier, said he recognised buyers want "a return to authenticity and simplicity, not having all the gizmos and gadgets" in a ute-based SUV.Asked what white space Nissan has in its American lineup, the executive told Automotive News that "if I could bring a car tomorrow, it would be the Xterra", referencing the Navara-based SUV that was discontinued in 2015 before being reborn in the Middle East in 2021."This is a white space because many competitors target the higher end of the adventure market. People desire a sense of freedom," he said."There‘s a return to authenticity and simplicity, not having all the gizmos and gadgets. People want a comfortable, functional and affordable vehicle."