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
Lexus UX 2022 review: UX200 and UX250h long-term
By Laura Berry · 03 Sep 2021
Here's the final instalment of the Berry family's long-term test of the Lexus UX 200 Luxury and its hybrid twin the UX 250h Luxury.
Read the article
Aston Martin DBX 2022 review
By Laura Berry · 03 Sep 2021
The Aston Martin DBX is a SSUV - a Super Sports Utility Vehicle, but is it super at practicality as well as performance?
Read the article
Tradies, the Tesla's new robot wants your job
By Laura Berry · 24 Aug 2021
Don’t panic, you should be able to overpower or at least outrun Tesla’s first robot, if things go wrong, the company’s boss Elon Musk reassured the world this week, but you if you’re a tradie, it could be after your job.
Read the article
Hyundai hopes for flying cars and robots
By Laura Berry · 14 Aug 2021
“We build trustworthy robots. We will not weaponise our robots.”
Read the article
Toyota no longer a car company
By Laura Berry · 13 Aug 2021
Toyota sold more cars than any other brand on the planet last year, but it has decided it is not a car company anymore. Instead, it's become a mobility company following the Australian launch of its Kinto rideshare business.
Read the article
Speed not the biggest killer
By Laura Berry · 08 Aug 2021
Speed cameras, particularly the undisguised mobile ones, are nothing more than money-grabbing machines that do more harm than good, and if the government truly cared about saving our lives, they’d invest more in the police force and driver education programs instead. There, I’ve said it, and I’ve spoken to former and current NSW police officers on and off the record who whole heartedly agree. 
Read the article
Lockdown new car buying hacks
By Laura Berry · 06 Aug 2021
The latest COVID-19 outbreak has sent Australian cities into lockdown, but you can still buy a new car. And not only that, there’s stock at dealerships now, which means you don’t have to wait. CarsGuide has done the digging here again, to track down where to buy cars without waiting, and we’ll tell you how to buy them during a lockdown, too.
Read the article
Is this the first cool people mover?
By Laura Berry · 05 Aug 2021
Hyundai Australia has announced local pricing and full specification details for its new Staria people mover, which will replace the iMax when it goes on sale this month.
Read the article
Abarth gives 595 Scorpioneoro treatment
By Laura Berry · 04 Aug 2021
Just 30 Australians will be able to get behind the wheel of the new special-edition Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro, which has now arrived in the country.
Read the article
Skoda updates new Scala small hatch for 2022
By Laura Berry · 04 Aug 2021
Skoda Australia has increased the pricing of its Scala small hatch, but it comes with a small boost to safety and a new grade for the range.
Read the article