Articles by Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson
Senior Journalist

Racing video games, car-spotting on road trips, and helping wash the family VL Calais Turbo as a kid were all early indicators that an interest in cars would stay present in Chris’ life, but loading up his 1990 VW Golf GTI Mk2 and moving from hometown Brisbane to work in automotive publishing in Melbourne ensured cars would be a constant.

With a few years as MOTOR Magazine’s first digital journalist under his belt, followed by a stint as a staff journalist for Wheels Magazine, Chris’ career already speaks to a passion for anything with four wheels, especially the 1989 Mazda MX-5 he currently owns.

From spending entire weeks dissecting the dynamic abilities of sports cars to weighing up the practical options for car buyers from all walks of life, Chris’ love for writing and talking about cars means if you’ve got a motoring question, he can give you an answer.

Audi S5 2026 review: snapshot
By Chris Thompson · 23 Jul 2025
The Audi S5 Sedan and S5 Avant join the new Audi A5 from launch as the more performance-focused variants in the line-up, coming in at $114,900 and $117,900 respectively.
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Hybrid hot hatches coming? Hyundai exec confirms hybrid car power for next-gen Hyundai i30 N and siblings, plus more high-performance electric cars in the works
By Chris Thompson · 23 Jul 2025
Hyundai’s top brass has hinted at the imminent electrification of its performance N division, with a clear direction towards hybrid hot hatches and cheaper EVs.
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‘Aggressively priced’ new electric car confirmed: 2028 MG2 locked in for launch to rival BYD and GWM’s cheapest EVs: report
By Chris Thompson · 21 Jul 2025
There’s a new entry-level electric car on the way, according to reports from the UK, and it’s one that could set the sales charts alight.
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Family champion returning as Euro brand’s backflip on electric cars: New generation 2026 Volvo XC90 large SUV confirmed by CEO
By Chris Thompson · 21 Jul 2025
The Volvo XC90 will remain a part of the Swedish brand’s line-up, according to its CEO, with plug-in hybrid power likely on the cards.
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Subaru Forester 2026 review: International first drive
By Chris Thompson · 21 Jul 2025
Subaru Australia wanted to wait until the Forester’s hybrid variant was available before launching the new model locally, which means Subaru is introducing a car that could properly rival the Toyota RAV4. Has the cult car brand finally delivered a vehicle that feels like it belongs in the 2020s?
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Audi A5 2026 review: Australian first drive
By Chris Thompson · 17 Jul 2025
As the Audi A4 badge goes electric for now, the A5 becomes its spiritual successor. The Audi A5 has just landed in Australia in Sedan or Avant wagon form, and there's a fast S5 version too. We sampled them all during the winter launch in Victoria to find out how it stacks up.
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'This freedom is not so common': How the 2026 Ioniq 6 N halo performance car was the result of a 'huge degree of freedom' given to engineers and designers
By Chris Thompson · 13 Jul 2025
Hyundai has a new fast car. You’ve probably already seen it if you’re reading this, but we’ll come back to that. First you should know who Manfred Harrer is.  As well as being one of Hyundai’s Executive Vice Presidents, he’s Head of the relatively new Performance Development Tech Unit.
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Hyundai's new hero! 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N revealed and ready to take on electric performance cars like the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron GT and Tesla Model 3 Performance!
By Chris Thompson · 10 Jul 2025
If you thought the Ioniq 5 N was the peak of EV performance when it comes to the capability of Hyundai’s N department, Namyang has news for you.
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Mazda's next top model! 2026 Mazda CX-5 debuts, but where is the hybrid car option to take on rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage
By Chris Thompson · 10 Jul 2025
The new Mazda CX-5 has made its global debut, with the third generation of Mazda’s popular mid-size SUV featuring an updated design and interior.
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