Articles by Stephen Ottley

Stephen Ottley

Contributing Journalist

Steve has been obsessed with all things automotive for as long as he can remember. Literally, his earliest memory is of a car. Having amassed an enviable Hot Wheels and Matchbox collection as a kid he moved into the world of real cars with an Alfa Romeo Alfasud.

Despite that questionable history he carved a successful career for himself, firstly covering motorsport for Auto Action magazine before eventually moving into the automotive publishing world with CarsGuide in 2008. Since then he's worked for every major outlet, having work published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Drive.com.au, Street Machine, V8X and F1 Racing.

These days he still loves cars as much as he did as a kid and has an Alfa Romeo Alfasud in the garage (but not the same one as before... that's a long story).

Watch out Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, these are the new utes from Kia, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more that are headed our way

23 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

MG won't quit on cheap cars despite premium push

16 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

MG has good news for Australian new car buyers, but bad news for its...Read more

The electric van looking to take the commercial crown from the Toyota HiAce

14 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Burgeoning Chinese commercial vehicle specialist LDV has set its sights...Read more

Forget the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T, the LDV GST is set to be the first all-electric 4x4 ute in Australia

13 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

If at first you don't succeed, try again with more power and a tougher...Read more

Ford. Volkswagen. BYD? Why China is pushing to create a global automotive juggernaut to challenge the established order | Opinion

10 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Empires rise and fall, it has been that way since the dawn of time. Don...Read more

Rivian R1T 2024 review

9 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Tesla started from nothing to become one of the most recognisable brands across the automotive industry in less than two decades. Rivian is hoping to do the same. If you haven't heard of Rivian that's okay, it's currently only available in the US market. It shares a lot in common with Tesla, though...Read more

What do you get when you cross Tesla with Isuzu? The answer could be Australia's next big thing | Opinion

9 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Hyundai can’t do it. Neither can Mercedes-Benz or BMW. Tesla has become...Read more

Gang of youths: Why V8 fans should celebrate the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E and embrace the new, hi-tech coupe

6 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Ford's decision to build the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV caused an...Read more

Future classics: Why Ford is banking on iconic names like Bullitt and Mach 1 for Mustang

4 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

The seventh-generation Ford Mustang hasn't landed in Australian...Read more

Australia is flooded with utes, and the solution is more utes! Why the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz would be game-changers in Australia | Opinion

3 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Australians love two types of vehicles at the moment - mid-size SUVs...Read more

Why MG could be about to change the face of new car safety in Australia | Opinion

2 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

No-one should question the great work the Australian New Car Assessment...Read more

Ford Maverick 2024 review

1 September 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Is this the car Ford Australia is crying out for? It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves from afar ever since the Maverick first appeared in the USA in 2021. In simple terms this is an SUV disguised as a ute, or if you prefer to look at it another way, a ute designed for the urban environment...Read more

Ford Performance Vehicles: How the Blue Oval is reviving its glory days | Opinion

27 August 2023 by Stephen Ottley

There are hundreds of cars revealed every year that we write about here...Read more

MG prepared to skip five-star ANCAP rating to keep cars affordable

26 August 2023 by Stephen Ottley

MG has vowed to continue to offer affordable models to Australian...Read more

Hyundai i30 2024 review: Sedan Hybrid

22 August 2023 by Stephen Ottley

Watch out, Toyota, Hyundai is trying to muscle in on your turf. Specifically, the booming market for hybrid vehicles, which at this point in time is dominated by Toyota and its Corolla, RAV4 and other models. Hyundai wants a piece of that action, and as we’ve already reviewed, the Tucson Hybrid is...Read more