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).

New Holden should scare all car brands | Opinion
By Stephen Ottley · 21 Dec 2025
GWM was always in for a big 2025 - for better or worse.
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This car company is the biggest winner of 2025
By Stephen Ottley · 20 Dec 2025
Timing is key.
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GAC Emzoom 2026 review: Luxury - Australian first drive
By Stephen Ottley · 08 Dec 2025
GAC is just the latest in a long list of new car brands from China trying to make a mark in Australia. But while it may be late to the party, it has arrived in style, with the all-new Emzoom small SUV proving to be a surprising performer. We review this new small SUV to see how it stacks up against the growing list of competitors.
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GAC Aion V Luxury 2026 review: snapshot
By Stephen Ottley · 07 Dec 2025
The list of all-electric SUV options for a reasonable price has grown with the arrival of the all-new GAC Aion V Luxury.
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GAC Aion V Premium 2026 review: snapshot
By Stephen Ottley · 05 Dec 2025
The GAC Aion V Premium is the latest mid-size electric SUV to enter the market. The Chinese brand is going head-to-head with the likes of the Geely EX5 and BYD Atto 3 with this small SUV.
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Seriously?! New car rivalry will shock
By Stephen Ottley · 05 Dec 2025
Genesis wants to build a better Porsche 911. Or, at least, its own 911.
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GAC Aion V 2026 review: Australian first drive
By Stephen Ottley · 03 Dec 2025
GAC, otherwise known as the Guangzhou Automobile Group, is the latest in a seemingly endless armada of new car brands arriving in Australia from China. So what will make it stand out from the crowd? We drive its new Aion V electric SUV to see if it can make an impact on the Australian market, or will it just be another new arrival quickly forgotten.
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The brand pushing back against SUV boom
By Stephen Ottley · 03 Dec 2025
Just because SUVs dominate the current car market doesn’t mean you have to like them.
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'No, not really': Key car features don't matter
By Stephen Ottley · 02 Dec 2025
Hyundai is confident its newest model will score a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
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Rare Chinese car fail in Australia
By Stephen Ottley · 01 Dec 2025
It’s not breaking news that Chinese car makers are putting the more established brands to the test in almost every segment of the new car market… but there is an exception.
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