Browse over 9,000 car reviews

    guides

    adventureguide

    evguide

    familyguide

    tradieguide

    urbanguide

    0 Logout

    Browse over 9,000 car reviews

    Articles by Chris Thompson

    Chris Thompson
    Journalist

    Racing video games, car-spotting on road trips, and helping wash the family VL Calais Turbo as a kid were all early indicators that an interest in cars would stay present in Chris’ life, but loading up his 1990 VW Golf GTI Mk2 and moving from hometown Brisbane to work in automotive publishing in Melbourne ensured cars would be a constant.

    With a few years as MOTOR Magazine’s first digital journalist under his belt, followed by a stint as a staff journalist for Wheels Magazine, Chris’ career already speaks to a passion for anything with four wheels, especially the 1989 Mazda MX-5 he currently owns.

    From spending entire weeks dissecting the dynamic abilities of sports cars to weighing up the practical options for car buyers from all walks of life, Chris’ love for writing and talking about cars means if you’ve got a motoring question, he can give you an answer.

    Tougher-looking Tasman? Local accessories teased for the 2025 Tasman as ARB gets its hands on the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger rival
    By Chris Thompson · 17 Jun 2025
    Will these local additions give the Tasman additional visual flair?
    Read the article
    Iconic Chinese off-roader closes in on Australia: 2025 Beijing BJ40 to launch in Hong Kong as brand looks to expand into new markets, could we be next for the GWM Tank 300 and Jeep Wrangler rival?
    By Chris Thompson · 13 Jun 2025
    Could Australia be next for this iconic Chinese off-roader?
    Read the article
    Ford Ranger 2025 review: PHEV - Australian first drive
    By Chris Thompson · 12 Jun 2025
    The long-awaited electrified Ford Ranger has arrived. The Blue Oval's plug-in joins a very short list of partly battery-powered rival utes, but Ford Australia says the Ranger hasn't been compromised for the sake of its new EV ability. We're here to find out if that's true.
    Read the article
    Ballistic new car confirmed! Hyundai on the path to electric sports car domination as 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N electric car reveal date confirmed
    By Chris Thompson · 12 Jun 2025
    Hyundai has confirmed the reveal date for its second high-performance electric car, the Ioniq 6 N, alongside a shadowy teaser image.The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, according to a brief press release from the brand, will be revealed at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.Hyundai said the Ioniq 6 N will build on the benchmark success of the Ioniq 5 N, so expect similar performance aspirations from the incoming electric car.The teaser images show the swoopy sedan in its most aggressive form, with Hyundai confirming lighter wheels, a wider stance and a notable wing mounted to the rear in addition to the existing ‘duck-tail’ style spoiler the standard Ioniq 6 wears.Based on the facelifted Ioniq 6, the N should also share approximately the same platform as the Ioniq 5 N, though Hyundai hasn’t confirmed technical details beyond the teaser as yet.This means it’s not certain if the brand has pushed any further than the Ioniq 5 N’s mega 478kW power output.It’s likely Hyundai will confirm these details upon the reveal of the Ioniq 6 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.“Ioniq 6 N will once again disrupt the high-performance EV segment to deliver exciting driving experiences to our fans,” said Joon Park, Hyundai Vice President and Head of N.“We chose to debut the Ioniq 6 N at Goodwood Festival of Speed to be as close to our fans as possible.”
    Read the article
    Is a Ford Everest PHEV coming? Electrified SUV sibling to plug-in hybrid Ranger not ruled out as Blue Oval gauges demand for petrol-electric models
    By Chris Thompson · 09 Jun 2025
    Ford Australia has just launched the highly anticipated Ranger plug-in hybrid, with the Blue oval soon to boast two plug-in hybrid models in its commercial vehicle range.
    Read the article
    BYD Sealion 7 Premium vs XPeng G6 Standard Range 2025 comparison review
    By Chris Thompson · 08 Jun 2025
    The BYD Sealion 7 and the Xpeng G6 are both alternatives to the Tesla Model Y with comparable specs but a slightly lower price.If you're a bit apprehensive about that particular brand, these two could end up on your shopping list so we're finding out if one, both, or neither are up to the task.
    Read the article
    GWM Cannon Alpha 2025 review: Ultra PHEV
    By Chris Thompson · 29 May 2025
    GWM's made some big claims about the Cannon Alpha PHEV. It's able to tow 3.5 tonnes, it's got a range of more than 1000km, and it can actually tackle proper off-roading.But is it really going to be the best plug-in ute in Australia? And why is there a spare wheel in the back? We went on a road trip in one to find out.
    Read the article
    'We've got a better proposition': GWM said the 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is better than the BYD Shark 6 and will go toe-to-toe with the Ford Ranger PHEV plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute
    By Chris Thompson · 25 May 2025
    Here’s a little peek behind the curtain for you. During a media launch event for a new car, journalists will often be presented with information about the new model and given the opportunity to ask questions of engineers and executives.
    Read the article
    Mini JCW 2025 review: Countryman, Aceman, Hatch & Convertible
    By Chris Thompson · 13 May 2025
    There's a new generation of Mini models here in Australia, and now the JCW performance variants have arrived to join them.To test out the new JCW range, we headed to a not-so-secret test facility in Queensland to do some silly driving in a bunch of cars that fortunately don't take themselves too seriously.
    Read the article
    Best utes and vans arriving in 2025
    By Chris Thompson · 12 May 2025
    Utes, and to a lesser extent vans, are often the first choice when it comes time for tradies to choose their workhorse.
    Read the article