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.

Ford Ranger takes over!
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 Nov 2022
The all-new Ford Ranger is officially Australia's best-selling vehicle, knocking the Toyota HiLux into number-two position across October.
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The incredible shrinking Ram Dakota
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 Nov 2022
RAM is "actively and aggressively" developing a new truck smaller than the current 1500, with the company's chief suggesting the brand could produce vehicles even smaller than the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
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Has Kia solved cut-price EVs?
By Andrew Chesterton · 02 Nov 2022
Kia's EV rollout is about to step up a gear, with the brand targeting a new European production hub in order to deliver a slew of new electric vehicles, as well as an Indian EV manufacturing facility that should lower the cost of EVs.
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Is Mazda ready to go electric?
By Andrew Chesterton · 01 Nov 2022
Mazda is expected to rethink its electric strategy as a part of a new mid-term plan, with the brand expected to apply more focus to electrified vehicles, as well as rotary-powered range extenders, according to new reports.
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MG HS+EV 2023 review: Essence long-term | Part 1
By Andrew Chesterton · 31 Oct 2022
An EV in the city, and a petrol-powered mid-size SUV when you want to take longer trips - the MG HS + EV can do it all. Well, that's what it says on the box, at least. So we're putting the MG HS + EV Essence to the long-term test to see if it really lives up to that promise.
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Ford to launch most hardcore Raptor ever!
By Andrew Chesterton · 31 Oct 2022
Ford Australia is poised to unveil a mystery hardcore Ranger Raptor variant, with the brand teasing the new model ahead of the covers coming off tomorrow.
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Is Australia ready for an electric ute?
By Andrew Chesterton · 28 Oct 2022
Chinese brand LDV is betting big on Australia's first electric ute, with the brand to beat mainstream heavyweights like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, VW Amarok, Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton to the party when the eT60 launches in just a couple of weeks time.
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Tesla to launch Australia's cheapest EV?
By Andrew Chesterton · 26 Oct 2022
Trying to forecast the future through Elon Musk announcements is a bit like reading any kind of future-prophesying horoscope – you tend to bend and manipulate them until they're telling you something you want to hear.
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Toyota takes on Tesla
By Andrew Chesterton · 25 Oct 2022
Toyota will hit reset on its electric vehicle ambitions, with the Japanese giant reportedly altering, and speeding up, its EV rollout to better take on the growing might of Tesla in Australia and around the world.
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China's cheap EV car takeover of Australia
By Andrew Chesterton · 23 Oct 2022
To understand just how big a threat the traditional auto makers consider Chinese EV brands to be, look no further than the recent comments from Stellantis' chief, Carlos Tavares, when faced with BYD (or Beyond Your Dreams) expansion into Europe.
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