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.

Hyundai goes hard on hybrids
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 Jul 2023
Hyundai in Australia is plotting a hybrid takeover, with the brand to offer an electrified powertrain in its most popular SUVs, including a probable hybrid version of the Palisade.
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What's Toyota up to now?
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 Jul 2023
A new and mysterious Toyota filing has appeared in Australia, seemingly pointing to the lengths the Japanese giant will go to seperate its new electrified HiLux from the rest of its petrol-hybrid range.
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Is BYD a threat to Mazda in Australia?
By Andrew Chesterton · 02 Jul 2023
I'll admit it: I was one of those who considered the arrival of the BYD Atto 3 in Australia as something of a curiosity when it was first announced.
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Petrol V8 looks sunk for Y63 Patrol
By Andrew Chesterton · 28 Jun 2023
An all-new Infiniti QX80 will reportedly launch in America in the first half of next year, giving us our best look yet at just what will be powering the related Nissan Y63 Patrol in Australia.And the big news, it seems, is that Nissan's big petrol V8 look
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Volkswagen Amarok 2023 review: Core & Life
By Andrew Chesterton · 27 Jun 2023
Sure, top-spec utes are great, but what if you don't have a pile of money so high you'd need a 4WD dual-cab to climb over it? Volkswagen reckons its Core and Life models are the answer, offering the cheapest way into the Amarok range, and plenty of bang for your bucks. But which is best? We put the Amarok Core and Amarok Life to the test to find out.
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HiLux goes hybrid!
By Andrew Chesterton · 27 Jun 2023
The Toyota HiLux has finally gone hybrid, with the brand adding a fuel-saving 48-volt electric system to its venerable workhorse as it continues to do battle with the Ford Ranger.
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Petrol power locked in for Y63 Patrol!
By Andrew Chesterton · 24 Jun 2023
Nissan says the Patrol will skip the e-POWER step and jump to full electrification, but only when solid state battery technology is available, which seemingly locks in petrol power for the Y63.Speaking at a recent Australia media event, Nissan's most seni
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Fire-breathing BYD Dolphin Sport confirmed
By Andrew Chesterton · 22 Jun 2023
The BYD Dolphin will arrive in Australia in three trim levels, with one of those being the country's cheapest EV, and another being a hot-hatch rivalling Sport model.
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Game-changing BYD Dolphin pricing confirmed
By Andrew Chesterton · 22 Jun 2023
The BYD Dolphin will arrive in Australia wearing a pice tag of just $38,890, making it officially the country's cheapest EV, undercutting the just-announced MG4 by just $100.Fellow Chinese brand MG held the mantle of Australia's most affordable electric v
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Toyota LandCruiser Prado GR Sport looks epic
By Andrew Chesterton · 21 Jun 2023
With the Lexus GX just revealed, we've now received what could be our best look yet at what the next-generation Toyota LandCruiser Prado will likely look like, and this render of an epic GR Sport version has got us very excited indeed.Just a render for no
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