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.

Volkswagen Caddy 2023 review: Cargo petrol
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Feb 2023
Car-like in dimensions, but with a Tardis-like storage area, the VW Caddy Cargo promises an easy-to-drive delivery solution with more safety and tech than ever before. We put the entry-level petrol-powered version to the test to see if it's worthy of your business dollar.
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How the HiLux plans to top the Ranger in 2023
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Feb 2023
Ford might have won the January battle when it comes to the title of Australia's best-selling ute, but Toyota says it plans on winning the sales war, saying the arrival of the GR Sport, along with its homegrown Rogue, will ensure 2023 is another strong year for the brand's best-selling vehicle.
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Are we missing out on Toyota's best SUV?
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Feb 2023
Toyota has just unveiled what could be its finest family SUV – but there's something of a catch for Australia when it comes to the three-row, seven-seat Toyota Grand Highlander.
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Subaru is about to get serious on EVs
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Feb 2023
Subaru is about to get serious on its EV rollout, with the brand to launch "several" new all-electric vehicles by 2025.
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Mazda CX-90's international pricing revealed
By Andrew Chesterton · 09 Feb 2023
Mazda has confirmed the international pricing for its CX-90 SUV, giving us our best clue yet as to how much the premium-focused model will cost when it launches in Australia later this year.
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Ram is ready to rock the Ranger and HiLux
By Andrew Chesterton · 05 Feb 2023
Ram's long-awaited mid-size ute could be mere weeks away from its concept unveiling, with international reports pointing to a dealer showcase in March that will reveal much more detail about the brand's Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max rival.It's
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All-new Mazda CX-5 coming
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 Feb 2023
The Mazda CX-5 will live on post the brand's push upmarket with the CX-60 and CX-90, with the brand confirming that an all-new model will be arriving to take on vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Subaru Forester and Nissan X-Trail.
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New Ford Ranger trumps Toyota
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 Feb 2023
The new Ford Ranger climbed to the top of Australia's sales charts in January, with the Blue Oval's ute topping the Toyota HiLux to be crowned the country's best-selling vehicle.
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Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2023 review: Monochrome
By Andrew Chesterton · 02 Feb 2023
Can you have seven seats and style? VW reckons so, and it says you'll find exactly that in the Tiguan Allspace Monochrome. But there is a catch. This special-edition SUV misses out on some key tech and safety features that the brand simply can't get its hands on in a post-pandemic world. So what are they, and will you miss them? Read on.
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Why Mazda's rotary revival looks rocky for Oz
By Andrew Chesterton · 02 Feb 2023
Mazda's much-celebrated rotary rival is now looking less than likely to make it to Australia, with the brand suggesting the MX-30 range extender might be too "niche" to launch into our market.
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