Articles by Andrew Chesterton

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist

Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.

But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.

And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.

When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.

But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.

More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.

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.

Jeep throws down the off-road gauntlet
By Andrew Chesterton · 04 Apr 2022
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee might be yet to touchdown in Australia, but the brand is confident it will be the supreme adventure vehicle when it arrives later this year.
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Mazda silences critics: "We're going premium"
By Andrew Chesterton · 03 Apr 2022
Mazda's premium push has really only just begun, but already the brand is confident it has silenced its doubters, saying "it has exactly played out the way we thought it would".While some argued the brand's shift upmarket was off to a rocky start - when t
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New ute power wars!
By Andrew Chesterton · 29 Mar 2022
Ram's parent company Stellantis has whipped the covers off a fire-breathing new twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine that is heavily tipped to make its way to the brand's pick-up truck portfolio.And should it make its way into the brand's incoming mid-size (think
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Boom! Toyota GR Corolla launch date revealed
By Andrew Chesterton · 29 Mar 2022
The Toyota GR Corolla is not only finally officially confirmed, but it's got a live unveiling date - and the wait is almost over to finally see Japanese giant's answer to the VW Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N.It's felt like it has been on a teaser schedule si
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These are Australia’s biggest new-car fails
By Andrew Chesterton · 27 Mar 2022
It's safe to say that, generally speaking, car companies get it pretty right most of the time.
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Mazda CX-5 2022 review
By Andrew Chesterton · 25 Mar 2022
Mazda's CX-5 has undergone a little nip and tuck for the 2022 model year, but is that enough to keep up with Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Kia Sportage? We put the new model to the test to find out.
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Ram is ready to rumble!
By Andrew Chesterton · 20 Mar 2022
The long-awaited Ram 1200 is finally getting ready to rumble, with the brand's Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger rival to begin launching in South American markets in early 2023.
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Elon Musk justifies Tesla price hikes
By Andrew Chesterton · 17 Mar 2022
Elon Musk has today explained Tesla's recent price hikes, with global price increases seeing the cost of the Tesla Model 3 soar in Australia and around the world.In Australia, the Model 3 has been on a bad run in pricing terms, with price increases coming
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Queensland confirms new $3k EV subsidy!
By Andrew Chesterton · 16 Mar 2022
The Queensland Government will join NSW and Victoria in offering a substantial EV subsidy to inspire electric vehicle sales, with a $3k rebate to apply from July 1.But unlike its neighbours, the Queensland Government's subsidy will only apply to vehicle p
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Just how big can Tesla get?
By Andrew Chesterton · 16 Mar 2022
Tesla's booming popularity shows now signs of slowing down, with the latest registration data showing Elon Musk's EV brand out-performed mainstream premium players like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus so far this year.According to US site Automotive News - u
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