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

Unique Cars Magazine | 2014-2017
Australasian Bus and Coach | 2016
Farms & Farm Machinery | 2016-2017
MOTOR Magazine | 2017-2020
WhichCar | 2018-2022
Wheels Magazine | 2020-2022
CarsGuide | 2022-present

Hotter GR Yaris to go automatic - report

By Chris Thompson · 26 Sep 2023

Toyota’s not finished with the GR Yaris, it seems, as reports from the brand’s home nation suggest a more powerful version of the hot hatch is on the horizon.

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Mazda says keeping manual ‘an easy choice’

By Chris Thompson · 25 Sep 2023

Alongside the entry-level Mazda CX-30 Pure, several variants of the BT-50 ute, and of course the iconic Mazda MX-5 sports car, the Mazda2 Pure is among a small crew helping keep three-pedal cars accessible.

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Mazda 2 Evolve 2024 review: snapshot

By Chris Thompson · 24 Sep 2023

The Evolve is the most popular badge in the Mazda2 hatchback line-up, with its updated version starting from $25,910 before on-roads and including plenty of extra kit over lower variants.

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The $22K Mazda2 still 'first car priced'

By Chris Thompson · 23 Sep 2023

During the launch of the updated Mazda2 hatchback, the country's third-most-popular car brand was keen to position the entry-point into its range as an ideal first car.

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Mazda 2 Pure SP 2024 review: snapshot

By Chris Thompson · 22 Sep 2023

The Mazda2 Pure SP is a step up from the entry point into the Mazda Australia line-up, starting from $25,210 before on-roads and adding a host of styling extras over the base model Pure..It comes with the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels as the rest of the range, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.Its outputs and efficiency has been tuned compared to the pre-facelift, though at the cost of a tiny amount of power and torque - it makes 81kW and 142Nm, using 5.0L/100km of fuel, which is 0.3L/100km less than before. The Mazda2 can run on 91RON or E10.Standard features for the range include a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a six-speaker sound system, plus new auto headlights and windscreen wipers. The Pure SP adds to this with a decorative front panel replacing most of the mesh grill at the front, coloured to suit the body paint, as well as a similar styling panel across the dash in a more striking colour, and a carbon fibre-style roof with shark-fin antenna.Pure SP scores a set of black 16-inch alloy wheel, unique to this variant and larger than the 15s found on the base model Pure..The dimensions of the Pure SP are the same as the rest of the range, with the hatch coming in at 4085mm long, 1695mm wide, 1504mm tall, and with a 2570mm wheelbase.The Pure SP score the brand's standard suite of 'i-Activsense' safety tech, which includes 'Smart City Brake Support' for operating forward and reverse, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.It has six SRS airbags as well as ISOFIX anchor points and top tethers for child seats in the rear.The Pure SP is covered by Mazda’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

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Germany’s e-fuel push garners little support

By Chris Thompson · 21 Sep 2023

Germany’s push for the acceptance of e-fuels as an alternative to a full transition to battery electric cars and vehicles seemed to be gaining momentum for some time.

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Mazda 2 Pure 2024 review: snapshot

By Chris Thompson · 20 Sep 2023

The Mazda2 Pure is the entry point into the Mazda Australia line-up, with its manual hatchback version starting from $22,410 before on-roads and claiming its place as Mazda’s cheapest car.It’s also available with a six-speed automatic transmission, the same number of gears as the manual, and with the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels.The automatic version is slightly more expensive at $24,410 before on-roads, and can also be had in a sedan body style.Its outputs and efficiency differ for each though, with the manual slightly more powerful at 82kW and 144Nm, using 5.4L/100km of fuel. The Mazda2 can run on 91RON.The auto has been tuned for more efficiency, though at the cost of a tiny amount of power and torque - it makes 81kW and 142Nm, using 5.0L/100km of fuel, which is 0.3L/100km less than before.Standard features for the Pure variant include a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a six-speaker sound system, plus new auto headlights and windscreen wipers. New seat designs and a decorative panel is also found in the Mazda2 Pure, as with the rest of the range.Where the rest of the range gets 16-inch wheels, the Pure has a set of 15-inch alloy wheels finished in silver.The dimensions of the Pure are the same as the rest of the range, with the hatch coming in at 4085mm long, 1695mm wide, 1504mm tall, and with a 2570mm wheelbase.For the slightly longer (but less tall) sedan, those measurements are 4360mm long, also 1695mm wide, 1479mm tall, and with the same 2570mm wheelbase.The updated Mazda2 Pure is equipped with the brand's suite of 'i-Activsense' safety tech, which includes 'Smart City Brake Support' for operating forward and reverse, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.It has six SRS airbags as well as ISOFIX anchor points and top tethers for child seats in the rear.The Pure is covered by Mazda’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

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Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SUV priced

By Chris Thompson · 20 Sep 2023

Chery's entry into the mid-size SUV market in Australia is set to land in Q4 this year, with the brand now confirming pricing for the Tiggo 7 Pro.

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2024 Volkswagen Tiguan finally debuts

By Chris Thompson · 20 Sep 2023

With a revamped suite of digital features and new drivetrain options, VW’s most popular model is set to enter the high-tech electrified car era, though it’ll be a while until we see the new Tiguan touch down here, likely from late next year.

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Updated Mazda2 price confirmed for Australia

By Chris Thompson · 18 Sep 2023

The entry into one of Australia’s favourite car brands has gone under the scalpel for a facelift almost a decade into its current generation, with the Mazda2 having been updated with a fresh look.

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