Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

Byron Mathioudakis
Contributing Journalist

Byron started his motoring journalism career when he joined John Mellor in 1997 before becoming a freelance motoring writer two years later.

He wrote for several motoring publications and was ABC Youth radio Triple J's "all things automotive" correspondent from 2001 to 2003.

He rejoined John Mellor in early 2003 and has been with GoAutoMedia as a senior product and industry journalist ever since.

With an eye for detail and a vast knowledge base of both new and used cars Byron lives and breathes motoring.

His encyclopedic knowledge of cars was acquired from childhood by reading just about every issue of every car magazine ever to hit a newsstand in Australia.

The child Byron was the consummate car spotter, devoured and collected anything written about cars that he could lay his hands on and by nine had driven more imaginary miles at the wheel of the family Ford Falcon in the driveway at home than many people drive in a lifetime.

The teenage Byron filled in the agonising years leading up to getting his driver's license by reading the words of the leading motoring editors of the country and learning what they look for in a car and how to write it.

In short, Byron loves cars and knows pretty much all there is to know about every vehicle released during his lifetime as well as most of the ones that were around before then.

Nissan Navara 2026 review - Australian preview drive
By Byron Mathioudakis · 26 Nov 2025
Nissan tried but failed with its previous (and maybe last-ever) in-house-developed diesel one-tonne ute, the D23 Navara. For 2026, the "all-new" D27 Navara is a mildly-restyled Mitsubishi (MV) Triton, and might only be Australia/New Zealand-only, for now. But there is one massive difference, and that is the retuned suspension, courtesy of Melbourne's Premcar, that is behind the Warrior series.
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The key to Chinese brand's domination
By Byron Mathioudakis · 21 Nov 2025
GWM has admitted there is still plenty of work left to do to boost the popularity of its entry-level Cannon 4x2 and 4x4 range in Australia. Whilst recording a decent 19 per cent volume rise year-to-date, to just under 7000 units, on the back of a significant diesel engine and transmission upgrade earlier this year as part of 2025 facelift, the keenly-priced Chinese mid-sized ute is only in seventh spot.
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China's new HiLux hunter just the start
By Byron Mathioudakis · 21 Nov 2025
Foton is on the comeback trail in Australia, but what comes next won’t be an SUV or a larger and more-powerful ute. Instead, the Chinese brand has at least one new value-focused van under consideration, as it seeks to cement its reputation as a provider of no-nonsense commercial vehicles in this country.
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Checkmate Ford Ranger Raptor!
By Byron Mathioudakis · 19 Nov 2025
Nissan and Australia’s Premcar are again collaborating on a Warrior version of the Navara – and this time everything steps up. Unveiled on the same night that the all-new D27 Navara series made its global debut in Adelaide as the Warrior Concept, the off-road flagship that is one of the few bright spots in the company’s floundering fortunes is now important enough to get equal top billing with Nissan’s crucial international mid-sized ute.
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Japan's new HiLux hunter revealed
By Byron Mathioudakis · 19 Nov 2025
Nissan’s last great hope of reversing a long-term sales decline in Australia has finally been unveiled in the form of the D27-series of Navara.
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Ford Mustang Mach-E GT 2026 review: snapshot
By Byron Mathioudakis · 19 Nov 2025
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is the high-performance flagship model in the American EV range, offering startling thrust and grip befitting that title.
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Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium 2026 review: snapshot
By Byron Mathioudakis · 17 Nov 2025
The Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium is the mid-range version of the Mexican-made, American electric vehicle, and is based on the GE1 architecture that is loosely derived from the Ford Escape mid-sized SUV no-longer available in Australia.
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Ford Mustang Mach-E Select 2026 review: snapshot
By Byron Mathioudakis · 15 Nov 2025
The Ford Mustang Mach-E Select from America (via Mexico) is the base version of Ford’s first electric vehicle (EV) in Australia. Prices start from $65,990 before on-road costs.
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WRX-like Ford we need | Opinion
By Byron Mathioudakis · 15 Nov 2025
Ford currently offers around half a dozen EV models around the world that Australians cannot buy. But arguably the absent electric Ford with the most potential in Australia is the one that may also be the easiest to import, since it is already part of an existing model range, and so has already been homologated for sale here. And it is also different enough to stand out in a growing crowd of EVs in the $60,000 to $100,000 bracket.
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Ford Mustang Mach-E 2026 review - Australian first drive
By Byron Mathioudakis · 13 Nov 2025
One of America's top-selling EVs struggles in Australia, but the 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E facelift ushers in welcome changes, including improved suspension, more range and better value. Plus, as the badge so controversially suggests, the Mustang connection also means greater driving enjoyment, something that many electric SUVs fail to deliver. If that's your focus, it offers more than expected.
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