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 ute looks to rumble the Ranger and HiLux
By Andrew Chesterton · 13 Mar 2023
While the incoming Kia ute will look suitably tough outside, new reports point to the Korean brand's diesel dual-cab offering a tech-heavy and premium cabin experience to seperate it from vehicles like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton.
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Get ready for the LC300 i-FORCE Max!
By Andrew Chesterton · 12 Mar 2023
An electrified LandCruiser 300 Series is inevitable, with even Toyota in Australia confirming hybrid technology will be coming to the model sooner rather than later.
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Ford Ranger ready to roar in 2023
By Andrew Chesterton · 11 Mar 2023
The Toyota HiLux suddenly finds itself in an unfamiliar position, with the top-selling ute — and the country's best-selling vehicle for years on end — kicking off its 2023 campaign trailing the all-new Ford Ranger for two consecutive months.
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Ready for an e-Power Patrol or Navara?
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Mar 2023
Nissan says development work is already underway for an electrified solution for the Nissan Patrol and Nissan Navara, seemingly confirming e-Power technology is coming to its large SUV and commercial vehicle fleet.With Toyota yet to introduce electrificat
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Cheaper Nissan EVs could be coming soon!
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Mar 2023
Price parity between ICE vehicles and EVs is inching ever closer to reality, with Nissan today unveiling a new production strategy it says will cut its production costs by a significant 30 per cent.
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Ferrari Purosangue 2023 review
By Andrew Chesterton · 08 Mar 2023
The Purosangue is the first high-riding, four-seat, four-door vehicle ever produced by Ferrari.
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Why Walkinshaw is better off without Holden
By Andrew Chesterton · 06 Mar 2023
Walkinshaw produced around three times as many vehicles in 2022 than HSV did in its biggest year with Holden, with the Victorian engineering outfit helping drive a manufacturing boom in Australia.
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Ford Ranger rumbles the HiLux again
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 Mar 2023
The Toyota HiLux's record as Australia's best-selling vehicle is now officially under threat, with the Ford Ranger the country's most popular vehicle in February, making it consecutive months that the all-new model has finished on top.
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New Tesla Model Y coming in 2024
By Andrew Chesterton · 02 Mar 2023
Tesla is reportedly planning a major overhaul of its top-selling Model Y EV with key interior and exterior updates coming as early as 2024, according to international reports.One of Australia's most popular EVs, the Tesla Model Y has only been on sale for
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Power shock for Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ!
By Andrew Chesterton · 01 Mar 2023
The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ performance twins look set for a shock new engine choice, with reports out of Japan suggesting both will receive a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with hybrid technology in their next generation.
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