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.

Kia's secret weapon against HiLux and Ranger
By Andrew Chesterton · 01 Jun 2023
Kia has pulled out all the stops to make sure its first-ever diesel-powered dual-cab has everything it needs to take on the might of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger - not to mention the Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and Volkswagen Amarok - with the br
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The GWM Ute has a new toughened-up flagship!
By Andrew Chesterton · 29 May 2023
Chinese brand GWM has today unveiled a new and muscular flagship for its Ute range, with the "tough and rugged" Cannon-XSR designed to take on utes like the Toyota HiLux GR Sport, Ford Ranger Wildtrak X and Nissan Navara Warrior.And we're talking more tha
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Ford fears China more than Toyota or Tesla
By Andrew Chesterton · 28 May 2023
Ford's chief says Chinese car makers are now his biggest EV rivals, rather than global brands like Toyota, Tesla or GM, with the executive calling out BYD, Geely, Great Wall and SAIC as his biggest threats.
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Kia ute locked in as diesel dual-cab monster
By Andrew Chesterton · 26 May 2023
Kia’s incoming ute will be a diesel-powered dual-cab benchmarked against the best in the business, the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, right here in Australia.
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Kia Seltos 2023 review: GT-Line long-term | Part 1
By Andrew Chesterton · 26 May 2023
The Kia Seltos has long been a shining light in the small SUV space, but competition has never been stiffer, with new (and sometimes cheaper) options coming in all the time.So, does the Seltos still stand up as a top urban pick? We let Chesto loose in a top-spec GT-Line to see how it stands up over a long-term test.
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Toyota spills on new mini-HiLux, the Stout
By Andrew Chesterton · 25 May 2023
Toyota's incoming mini-HiLux is beginning to take shape, with the brand promising it will be tough, cheap and likely not an EV, as the Japanese giant makes moves to take on vehicles like the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
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What is the Isuzu D-Max Blade?
By Andrew Chesterton · 24 May 2023
Isuzu has trademarked the name D-Max Blade in Australia, opening the door for a new dual-cab variant to do battle with the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
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Mahindra's big plans for game-changing ute
By Andrew Chesterton · 14 May 2023
Fresh of the launch of the Ford Everest-targeting Scorpio SUV, Indian brand Mahindra is planning an assault on Australia's dual-cab market, with an all-new ute coming to shake up, and undercut, the establishment.
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The 2024 Ram Dakota is coming soon
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 May 2023
Ram has at last confirmed it will bring a true rival to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger to market, with the Dakota to act as a little brother to the mega-popular Ram 1500.
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How high can Mahindra go?
By Andrew Chesterton · 06 May 2023
Indian automaker Mahindra might be better known to farmers buying agricultural equipment than it is to urban dwellers in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, but the brand says that is about to change as it pushes into the mainstream space for the first time.
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