Articles by Laura Berry

Laura Berry
Senior Journalist

Laura Berry is a best-selling Australian author and journalist who has been reviewing cars for more than 15 years.

Much more of a Hot Wheels girl than a Matchbox one, she grew up in a family that would spend every Friday night sitting on a hill at the Speedway watching sprint cars slide in the mud. The best part of this was being given money to buy stickers. She loved stickers… which then turned into a love of tattoos.

Out of boredom, she learnt to drive at 14 on her parents’ bush property in what can only be described as a heavily modified Toyota LandCruiser.  

At the age of 17 she was told she couldn’t have a V8 Holden ute by her mother, which led to Laura and her father laying in the driveway for three months building a six-cylinder ute with more horsepower than a V8.  

Since then she’s only ever owned V8s, with a Ford Falcon XW and a Holden Monaro CV8 part of her collection over the years.

Laura began her career as a journalist in the entertainment industry writing about music for The South China Morning Post; television for tvChoice; fashion and celebrities for The Mirror before combining her passion for cars with her profession and moved into motoring.

In 2008 she joined News Custom Publishing as Managing Editor of its motoring titles, including Australia’s Best Cars and the official programs for V8 Supercars, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

In 2011 she joined CarsGuide (for the first time), back when it was part of a newspaper, and learnt to test and review cars.

This followed a move to Motor as Production Editor, then Wheels as News Editor while also writing for Street Machine and Top Gear Australia.

As the media landscape shifted she left print journalism and joined online motoring publication GoAuto as a senior writer.

A brief stint in automotive public relations then followed before she joined CarsGuide in 2015 (for the second time) as Senior Journalist where she remains to this day.

A wife and mother, and author of two books, her current daily driver is a chopped 1951 Ford Tudor with a V8, of course.

You can find Laura on LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram.

Expertise

  • Performance and custom cars
  • Family cars and SUVs

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts | Macquarie University

Featured Publications

  • The Mirror (UK) | 2002-2006
  • South China Morning Post | 2004-2006
  • tvChoice (UK) | 2004-2006
  • TVQuick (UK) | 2004-2006
  • Mercedes-Benz Magazine | 2005-2006
  • Australia’s Best Cars | 2008-2010
  • V8 Supercars Official Program | 2008-2010
  • Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Official Program | 2008-2010
  • Australian MotoGP Official Program | 2008-2010
  • Motor | 2012-2013
  • Street Machine | 2012-2015
  • Wheels | 2013
  • Top Gear | 2013-2014
  • GoAuto | 2014-2015
  • CarsGuide | 2015-present
Skoda tells Tesla to move out the way
By Laura Berry · 27 Jun 2023
Skoda Australia’s senior executives have put Tesla on notice as the brand reveals its plans for its electric vehicle onslaught with at least five new EVs touching down here by 2026.
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Nissan Ariya 2023 review: preview test
By Laura Berry · 22 Jun 2023
How much does the new Nissan Ariya electric SUV cost? How far can this electric SUV go on a full charge? How does it feel to drive in Australia? And is it true that the cabin space defies its dimensions? We'll try to answer all of these questions and more in this first Australian preview review.
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You're saying Skoda Enyaq wrong
By Laura Berry · 15 Jun 2023
Skoda’s first electric car is the Enyaq mid-sized SUV and CarsGuide were given the chance to meet this Tesla Model Y rival ahead of its Australian launch in 2024.
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Nissan Patrol Warrior 2023 review: off-road preview test
By Laura Berry · 15 Jun 2023
The Patrol Warrior is coming in 2023 and CarsGuide scored a drive in the prototype version ahead of this LandCruiser GR Sport rival's Australian launch
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Range Rover 2023 review: Autobiography LWB 7-seat
By Laura Berry · 05 Jun 2023
The V8-powered Range Rover Autobiography long wheelbase is fit for the Royal Family, but what about the Berry family? We found out when this luxurious large SUV and rival to the Bentley Bentayga came to stay for a week.
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P-platers can drive Ferraris in these states
By Laura Berry · 03 Jun 2023
People were furious this week when footage emerged of an L-plater driving a 552kW Lamborghini Aventador, even if it was completely legal. So, you might be surprised by the cars P-platers are allowed to drive or banned from depending on which state they live.
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How you could be breaking the law?
By Laura Berry · 28 May 2023
Driving, especially on Australian roads, is complex, multi-faceted endeavor where you have to constantly stay vigilant and make countless decisions and inputs to get to your destination.
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You bought an EV? You must be rich!
By Laura Berry · 21 May 2023
Tesla has just revealed that it’ll be bringing out a totally new model and this one could be the most affordable ever. It may even be Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle when it arrives. The truth is, the price will probably still put it out of reach for many Aussies - just like the cost of all electric cars. So why do electric cars cost so much and is it worth waiting for the price to come down
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Can trucks and cars co-exist?
By Laura Berry · 20 May 2023
The horrific crash between a truck and a school bus in Victoria this week urgently reminds us just how dangerous it is to have heavy vehicles on the same roads everybody else uses. But what’s the solution? Purpose-built roads for trucks? Mandatory high-tech safety equipment for heavy vehicles? Or just ban trucks from the roads altogether?
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Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Cruiser vs Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed vs Nissan X-Trail e-Power Ti-L 2023 comparison review
By Laura Berry · 19 May 2023
Don't fall into the trap of assuming all hybrids are the same, you may end up with a car which is impractical to use or offers barely benefit. That's why we've conducted this comparison of the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, Nissan X-Trail e-Power and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Three similar mid-sized SUVs with very different hybrid systems.
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