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Articles by Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson
Senior Journalist

CarsGuide’s Senior Journalist Chris Thompson has never had a ‘real job’ outside being a motoring journalist, which makes him the perfect candidate to inform you about everything happening in the world of new cars.

Even as a teenager, while studying journalism at university and stacking shelves at a Brisbane bottle shop, he became a contributor to Unique Cars Magazine in 2014. There he specialised in covering classic car events and writing stories of his own and others’ car ownership.

Shortly after packing up his 1992 VW Golf GTI and moving to Melbourne, he worked stints as Deputy Editor at industry titles Australasian Bus and Coach Magazine, and Farms & Farm Machinery Magazine under then Bauer Media’s umbrella, but being a full-time motoring journalist remained his goal.

After a few months in Melbourne, he became the first digital journalist at performance car title MOTOR Magazine in 2017. He soon got to grips with the new car industry, becoming probably the youngest full-time journalist and road-tester in Australia at the time, at just 22 years old.

A few years at MOTOR saw him become a seasoned reviewer with a particular skill for on-road assessment, as well as becoming adept at video presenting and finding and writing left-of-field motoring stories, sometimes at a rate of several a day.

He traded track days and supercharged V8s for family SUVs and fuel efficiency tests when he transferred across the office to Australia’s longest-running motoring publication, Wheels Magazine. There he continued to hone his skills as a reviewer driving mass-market cars with more seats and less power. He also ran Wheels’ news section for a high-intensity period during Melbourne’s infamous lockdowns.

Now, Chris brings more than a decade of motoring journalism experience to the team at CarsGuide as a Senior Journalist. He joined in 2022 and works across areas ranging from the news desk and road tests to international new car launches. He also leads the editorial side of CarsGuide’s social media content.

He doesn’t get nearly as much time in his 1989 Mazda MX-5 as he would like, as he’s usually behind the wheel of a new car, constantly familiarising himself with the increasingly fast pace the new car industry is changing.

When he’s not working, he’s probably playing Australian Rules football, seeing live music, or answering everyone’s car questions at the pub.

You can find Chris on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Expertise

  • Road testing
  • New car news
  • Performance cars
  • Video presenting and broadcasting
  • Social media content

Education

  • Bachelor of Journalism | Queensland University of Technology | 2013-2015

Featured Publications

Next-gen 2026 Kia Seltos hybrid takes shape!
By Chris Thompson · 20 Oct 2025
As Kia’s much-anticipated next-gen Seltos approaches, so do estimations of what the small SUV might look like.
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All-new 2026 Hyundai Venue SUV leaked!
By Chris Thompson · 20 Oct 2025
Images of the second-generation Hyundai Venue have appeared online this week after the new light SUV was spotted testing ahead of its imminent launch.The 2026 Hyundai Venue, which is reportedly launching in India on November 4, 2025, has been given a totally new look and interior, spy photos reveal.Originally snapped by @casper_i.vory on Instagram and later published by The Korean Car Blog, the photos show an undisguised Venue on the streets presumably in Korea where the user is based.The Venue is set for a fairly hefty upgrade according to the images and word from Hyundai officials.The new look brings the light SUV into the brand’s more recent design language, with slim headlights and tail-lights, more muscular lines and silhouette, as well as elements which reference other Hyundai models.On top of the ‘Venue’ lettering across the tailgate, the model’s name is etched into the C-pillar. The daytime running light (DRL) bar across the front of the new Venue is now a Hyundai standard, and the outer-DRLs form a C-shape around the headlights.The roof rails and clamshell-style bonnet carry through design-wise to the new-gen car, though the haunches over the wheel arches are more muscular than before.Inside, the design is yet to be fully seen - only a photo of the seats with the steering wheel is visible - but Hyundai India confirmed at its investor day this year that the new Venue would feature higher-end additions like dual-12.3-inch screens as with many Hyundai models.The brand’s Indian arm also confirmed level 2 advanced driver assistance (ADAS), over-the-air (OTA) updates, and a new ‘super-strong’ structure for the light SUV.While the Indian market will apparently be the first to receive the new Venue, expect more information about a global launch including Australia to come closer to the new year.
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2026 Suzuki Jimny adds missing features, prices soar
By Chris Thompson · 17 Oct 2025
The Suzuki Jimny has finally been updated to gain new safety tech and some other simple features that most cars have had standard for years - including a colour digital driver display.The updated 2026 Suzuki Jimny 4x4 has been revealed for its home market in Japan, where pricing is up significantly.Japanese outlet Best Car reports the local pricing has increased by as much as 309,100 Yen, which directly converts to $3178.The pricing increase isn’t so extreme in its raw figure, but for the variant that price applies to it’s an increase of 13.6 per cent. Pricing rose from 1,962,400 Yen to 2,271,500 Yen.In Australia, the corresponding model is the Jimny Lite manual, currently $34,990 drive-away. A 13.6 per cent price jump would see it cost just over $39,700.The update, only available in Japan for now, adds much-needed dual-sensor AEB (autonomous emergency braking) and lane departure prevention. Auto models also gain adaptive cruise control.The Jimny also now supports Suzuki Connect with app functionality, and according to the brand’s Japanese website a colour display replaces the black and white unit currently found between the physical speedo and tacho dials - which remain as such even after the update.Expect to see an Australian market announcement for the updated Suzuki Jimny closer to its 2026 launch.
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Subaru will reveal two new STI models this month!
By Chris Thompson · 16 Oct 2025
Subaru to reveal performance duo in Tokyo
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Here’s the 2026 MG S6 EV before you’re meant to see it
By Chris Thompson · 16 Oct 2025
European media is today publishing what outlets are calling the first photos of the incoming MG S6 electric car, but the Australian government has had images of the mid-size SUV for some time.
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Mercedes-Benz GLC 2026 review: GLC350e - Australian first drive
By Chris Thompson · 16 Oct 2025
After years of on and off when it comes to plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrains, Mercedes-Benz Australia seems to have finally committed. The GLC350e SUV, a plug-in version of the brand’s biggest seller, is here to prove it, so we're taking a test drive.
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Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2026 review: C350e - Australian first drive
By Chris Thompson · 16 Oct 2025
Mercedes-Benz has dipped its toe in the plug-in hybrid space before, but now there are a more models on offer that suggest the brand is all-in. The newest to arrive is the C350e, a PHEV version of its most recognisable model, the C-Class. We hit up the Australian launch to test it out.
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Is the new Kia Tasman ute in trouble already?
By Chris Thompson · 14 Oct 2025
A limited-time offer on the Kia Tasman could be a sign the brand is trying to boost early sales of the ute to get closer to its lofty sales goal.
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New Aussie ‘advanced engineering centre’ complete!
By Chris Thompson · 11 Oct 2025
The newest automotive engineering facility in the country is Walkinshaw’s huge south-east Melbourne ‘super site’, which has just been completed, according to the company.The facility will house production lines set to continue the company's work converting full-size American pick-ups like the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra to Australian-spec right-hand drive.“Our new Walkinshaw Automotive Group super site is finally finished and we have begun slowly moving in!” said Ryan Walkinshaw in a post on Facebook.Ryan Walkinshaw, whose father Tom Walkinshaw was a key architect in creating fast Holdens wearing his own name and the HSV badge, has continued leading what is now Walkinshaw Group in the automotive engineering and development space.Walkinshaw says the 100,000 square metre facility will “house up to 1500 employees”, and be “capable of manufacturing 20,000+ vehicles a year for Australia”. “It’s one of the top-five largest manufacturing facilities in all of Australia, home to the most advanced engineering centre in the country, six-plus production lines and our Supercars championship racing team Walkinshaw Andretti United.“Proud to be investing and committing our business to a long future here in Melbourne.”This morning, Ram Trucks Australia confirmed it is moving into its new home, securing “the jobs of more than 270 factory workers, warehouse staff, quality inspectors and engineers”.Production is due to kick off in November for the Ram 1500 at the new site, though neither Walkinshaw nor Ram confirmed how many production lines will be set for the American brand.Toyota and Chevrolet are yet to confirm the move into the new Walkinshaw facility at time of publication.
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'Very important' change for popular ute
By Chris Thompson · 08 Oct 2025
Isuzu’s new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine takes the mantle from the outgoing 1.9-litre as the smaller option in the brand’s range, but it’s not solely a move for product improvement.
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