Motoring

Driving holidays on the up: great places to stop on British road trips

a silver car driving past hills next to an expanse of water in the UK

Forget sweltering in a steamy sun-baked airport departure lounge; the driving holiday is the favoured way to take a summer break for many British travellers.

It coincides with the increase in popularity of the ‘staycation’, that sees a whopping 52% of Brits choosing holidays within in the UK. Furthermore, 34% love it so much they’re holidaying here more multiple times a year.

If you’re one of the millions planning a road trip this summer, we’ve compiled a list of places to enjoy while on the road around the UK.

Great places to stop during a UK driving holiday

Continue reading →
Chris Webb 1 Comment

Do you play fuel station roulette? All about when the low fuel light is on

Low fuel light
20 miles left, 2 miles or 200 metres? Fuel gauges vary (Picture iStock/Akchamczuk)

Most people have driven around with the low fuel light or low battery alert on. Some people even play fuel station roulette on a regular basis, driving as far as they dare with the warning light on and their car running on the dregs of its fuel or battery. But do you really know how many miles your car has left in it when the warning light comes on?

What is your car’s fuel light range?

Continue reading →
Chris Webb 4 Comments

Stressed drivers: How to stay calm when behind the wheel of your car

Angry man behind the wheel of a car

Stressed-out drivers seem to be a fundamental part of modern motoring. Whether the anxiety shows itself through rude gestures, aggressive driving or ignoring basic good manners and the rules of the road it’s there, eating away at many behind the wheel.

Earlier this year, the UK government’s Health and Safety Executive claimed that more than 33.7 million working days a year were lost in the UK in 2024 through mental health and stress, costing employers £51 billion. So, to help drivers stay chilled behind the wheel, here are some stress-busting tips that can be put to good use today.

Continue reading →
James Foxall Leave a comment

Why should you do a vehicle history check?

bonnet of a red car popped, showing engine with 'MAGNUM' showing on a central part

If you’re looking to buy a used vehicle, get a vehicle history check. It can reveal any pesky hidden details that might affect the vehicle’s quality, legality, or safety. The results may change how much you’d consider paying.

So, let’s look at why it’s so important to do a vehicle history check (and how you can get one).

Continue reading →
Chris Webb 4 Comments

Travelling with pets: expert advice

young, black lab cross looking out of the closed window of a car with its mouth open in a smile and the sun shining on its nose

Over half the UK population has a pet. We’re a nation of animal lovers, so when we’re travelling with our pets, we want to keep those furry friends safe.

From the Highway Code to general good practice on keeping everyone in your vehicle safe, we’ve put together some key tips for driving with pets.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Learning to drive: be confident before your test

reflection of traffic and tall buildings in side mirror of a car

Learning to drive is a big achievement. You can bask in your independence. You can do late-night big Tesco trips. You can drive yourself to training, work, wherever, whenever (with or without Shakira playing).

No pressure, right?

It takes a lot of confidence to take your driving test. So, we’ve put together some tips to help you get in the zone.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

10 tips for taking your driving test in 2023

two people pointing towards a car with a clipboard showing a manoeuvre

New year, new you. 2023 is an open road ahead of us and this may / will be the year you pass your driving test.

But, as only around 50% of drivers passed their test in 2021/22, how can you best prepare?

Well, you’ve done the first thing already – you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve put together 10 simple driving test tips to help cut out any worries you might have about the big day.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt 1 Comment

Four driving habits you didn’t know were illegal

dog leaning out of car window

Right, we’ll get straight to the big one here – is driving in flip-flops illegal? Or is it illegal to drive barefoot?

No, these aren’t illegal, they’re just not recommended. It’s much safer to drive in normal, flat shoes.

Now that the illegal flip-flop myth is out of the way, here a few things that could catch you out.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

The 2023 motoring forecast: innovation inbound

woman driving car with dog in passenger seat, pov from behind them looking forwards to the road

If you’re wondering what’s on the cards for cars in 2023, all eyes are on innovation.

Will we see a new way of powering our vehicles? Could this be the breakthrough year for self-driving vehicles? Here are the big motoring trends to look out for in 2023.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Christmas sales: only get what your car really needs

Christmas and January deals can be hard to resist. It’s on offer, so we need to get it… right?

Not quite.

This year, you could take advantage of the right deals and give your vehicle some TLC. Depending on what you buy, you could save money now and in the long run!

Here are some things that’ll help keep vehicles healthy and drivers happy.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Is it worth getting an automatic-only driving licence?

automatic only driving licence
Learning to pass an automatic only test is becoming increasingly popular (Picture iStock/Sturti)

Increasing numbers of young drivers are deciding that learning to change gear in a car is a waste of time. The past 12 months has seen an 11 per cent year-on-year jump in the number of drivers qualifying with an automatic-only licence.

In 2012, there were just 550,000 drivers holding automatic-only licences. In 2021, that figure had doubled to 1.1 million.

According to a recent survey by safety charity IAM RoadSmart, around six in 10 youngsters between 17 and 24 plan to apply for an automatic-only licence.

Others think the popularity of automatic-only licences could go further, faster. Approved driving instructor Karen Bransgrove revealed: “The market for people learning to drive just an automatic has increased 10-fold over the past few years. I now have an automatic and wouldn’t teach driving a manual.”

Why an automatic-only licence makes sense

Continue reading →
James Foxall 10 Comments

Pre-drive checks to help avoid a car breakdown.

Nobody wants to deal with a breakdown. In fact, that may be the only thing every driver has in common.

It can be a significant inconvenience, cost you money, and it could even pose a danger to yourself, passengers, and others around you.

But, it’s not all doom and gloom. We have good news. There are some simple pre-drive checks you can do that will (hopefully) lower your chances of breaking down.

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Weight a minute! Are heavy cars really law breakers?

heavy cars
Hummer EV weighs more than 4 tonnes (Picture GMC)

British drivers can now buy a car that is so big it won’t fit into our parking spaces. And younger owners will even need an HGV licence to drive it. The all-electric GMC Hummer EV might be exceptional but it’s an example of how cars are continually growing.

Some reports are even suggesting that drivers could inadvertently break the law because they might have the wrong licence to drive such heavy cars. We investigate.

How heavy are today’s cars?

Continue reading →
James Foxall Leave a comment

Watch out for the weather with our winter kits.

Heating is (begrudgingly) being turned on across the UK as the temperature drops, but our cars are sitting outside, feeling the frost on the cold mornings.

Getting our vehicles going during difficult winter conditions can be time-consuming and frustrating. We often don’t know we need something until the moment we need it, and by then it’s too late. It’s enough to put a chill down anyone’s spine.

To make winter motoring easier, we’ve put together our essential winter kit, complete with helpful items you and your vehicle may need. But what’s included?

Continue reading →
Amie Woodyatt Leave a comment

Weirdest world records with cars

weirdest world records
Pogo champ Dalton Smith in action jumping three cars (Picture Nissan)

The fastest speed going backwards, pulling cars with your teeth and even kissing them. There seems to be no end to the lengths people will go to in order to get their name in lights with Guinness World Records.

After American Scott Burner recently grabbed the record for the fastest ever drive in reverse, we thought we’d hunt down some of the weirdest world records involving cars.

Pogo-ing into the record books

Continue reading →
James Foxall Leave a comment