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
Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 review: Exceed long-term | Part 1
By Laura Berry · 06 Jun 2022
The Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed became the first car the newest Berry family member had ever been in when it ferried the newborn home safely from the hospital in Part 1 of this special long-term test.
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Ioniq 5 joins the boys in blue
By Laura Berry · 02 Jun 2022
Western Australia's boys and girls in blue are turning green with the recruitment of two new electric vehicles to WA's police force - the Hyundai Ioniq 5 battery electric EV and Toyota's Mirai hydrogen fuel cell EV.Fully decked out in police livery, inclu
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Volkswagen Caddy 2022 review: Maxi people mover
By Laura Berry · 09 Mar 2022
You might have seen the Volkswagen Caddy before. It's usually white, often dirty, and typically full of boxes or tools. But this one - it's the VW Caddy Maxi people mover - and you can fill it with your family! Richard Berry has done just that for his family review on the 2022 VW Caddy people mover Maxi seven-seater.
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Hyundai Kona Electric 2022 review: Standard Range
By Laura Berry · 07 Mar 2022
Surely a $55K EV like the Kona Electric would be good for a family? Maybe not...
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Peugeot 3008 2022 review: GT Sport PHEV
By Laura Berry · 02 Mar 2022
The Peugeot 3008 is a great mid-sized SUV, but has the newly arrived plug-in hybrid version made that great thing better or worse?
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Peugeot 508 2022 review: GT Fastback PHEV
By Laura Berry · 02 Mar 2022
The 508 GT Fastback Plug-In Hybrid is Peugeot's first electric car to come to Australia, but should it be your first electric car?
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Hyundai Ioniq 5 2022 review: AWD
By Laura Berry · 25 Feb 2022
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is electric, has a 400km-plus range, futuristic retro looks and you can even use it as a mini power station, but is its Kia EV6 rival a good urban car? Richard Berry tested it, with a little help from Spot - the world's most advanced robot dog
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Hyundai Tucson 2022 review: Highlander
By Laura Berry · 09 Feb 2022
Not all SUVs are perfect for families, so how does the Hyundai Tucson Highlander rate?
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Rapidly growing MG, GWM spook Kia Australia
By Laura Berry · 23 Jan 2022
The rise and rise of Chinese brands like MG and GWM in Australia have Kia’s local boss, Damien Meredith, feeling jumpy - but he’s happy for them, as long as they stay cheap and cheerful.
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Picanto micro hatch can stay: Kia Australia
By Laura Berry · 22 Jan 2022
Kia Australia has confirmed that its tiny Picanto hatch will be staying in its local line-up for a long time yet, even though the micro segment it competes in has almost evaporated completely.
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