Consumer news
Record complaints about car repairers blamed on cost-of-living crisis by garage watchdog
Record complaints about car repairers blamed on cost-of-living crisis by garage watchdog
The Motor Ombudsman has recorded its highest quarterly number of complaints about garage repairs, with rising financial pressures cited as the driving…
23 Apr 2024
Faulty smart motorway tech putting drivers in danger
Faulty smart motorway tech putting drivers in danger
BBC’s Panorama finds smart motorway tech is putting drivers at risk every day, with 397 power outages in last two years
22 Apr 2024
Labour to U-turn on 20mph speed limit in Wales after harsh criticism
Labour to U-turn on 20mph speed limit in Wales after harsh criticism
Wales’ Transport Secretary, Ken Skates says Labour will reverse its blanket 20mph rules “as soon as we can”
22 Apr 2024
Government says ‘no’ to new cash incentives for electric car buyers
Government says ‘no’ to new cash incentives for electric car buyers
A Lords Committee report backing car-makers’ calls for discounts to boost EV sales falls on deaf ears
19 Apr 2024
Tesla slashes Supercharger membership cost with 42 sites now open to all EVs
Tesla slashes Supercharger membership cost with 42 sites now open to all EVs
Tesla has cut the costs of its Supercharger Membership, which grants access to lower charging rates, by £2 per month
19 Apr 2024
Food or car insurance? Tough choices for low income households as costs spiral
Food or car insurance? Tough choices for low income households as costs spiral
Citizens Advice has told parliament’s Treasury Committee that people of colour pay, on average, £250 more for car insurance
18 Apr 2024
M25 weekend closure no.2 to bring “long delays” in May
M25 weekend closure no.2 to bring “long delays” in May
Further M25 closures are expected to take place throughout the year, with the next scheduled for 10-13 May
16 Apr 2024
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Banks told to brace for billions in potential car finance scandal payouts
Banks told to brace for billions in potential car finance scandal payouts
The FCA is investigating now-banned ‘discretionary commission arrangements’, which could result in huge compensation payouts for motorists
15 Apr 2024
Banned car number plates: naughty 74-reg number plates deemed too rude for the roads
Banned car number plates: naughty 74-reg number plates deemed too rude for the roads
The DVLA has revealed its list of new-for-2024 number plates judged too saucy for the streets, and there are plenty of potential shockers on the banne…
10 Apr 2024
Car tax 2024: how does UK VED road tax work and how much will it cost you?
Car tax 2024: how does UK VED road tax work and how much will it cost you?
Confused by VED road tax? Our comprehensive guide explains how much you'll pay to tax your next car in the 2024/25 financial year
9 Apr 2024
‘Greedy’ UK car insurers blamed as soaring premiums far exceed rise in payouts
‘Greedy’ UK car insurers blamed as soaring premiums far exceed rise in payouts
Do modest price rises abroad - as low as 2 per cent in France - prove car insurance companies are ripping-off British drivers?
8 Apr 2024
New ‘24’ plate boosts UK new car sales in March after “two tough years”
New ‘24’ plate boosts UK new car sales in March after “two tough years”
According to the SMMT, over 300,000 new cars have received the new ‘24’ registration plate so far, with new car sales up 10% year-on-year
4 Apr 2024
How to check a car’s MoT history online in 4 easy steps
How to check a car’s MoT history online in 4 easy steps
A car’s MoT history can give insight into how well it’s been looked after, and finding this information is easy.
3 Apr 2024
Tesla stock prices tumble as Elon Musk’s EV firm sees worst sales since 2022
Tesla stock prices tumble as Elon Musk’s EV firm sees worst sales since 2022
Tesla has reported its first year-on-year drop in sales since 2020, with stock prices dropping as much as 5% as a result
3 Apr 2024
Government to investigate car headlight glare as drivers report being dazzled
Government to investigate car headlight glare as drivers report being dazzled
Almost nine-in-ten drivers think car headlights are too bright and now the Government says it’s looking into the matter
2 Apr 2024
Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
‘Secret’ UK courts are fast-tracking speeding fines say magistrates
‘Secret’ UK courts are fast-tracking speeding fines say magistrates
New guidance from Magistrates’ Association calls for reform and aims to expose ‘secret’ Single Justice Procedure system
26 Mar 2024
Low on stock: Only 1-in-10 UK supermarkets offer electric car charging
Low on stock: Only 1-in-10 UK supermarkets offer electric car charging
A survey by Zap-Map and the RAC reveals only 13% of supermarkets are equipped with EV chargers, despite a 59% increase in the past year
22 Mar 2024
Mis-sold car finance scandal: could you be due compensation?
Mis-sold car finance scandal: could you be due compensation?
Did you buy a car on finance between April 2007 and January 2021? You could be owed thousands!
21 Mar 2024
Hydrogen and efuel cars can help save the European auto industry, says Renault boss
Hydrogen and efuel cars can help save the European auto industry, says Renault boss
Renault boss, Luca de Meo’s strategy to save Europe’s car industry includes a bigger role for hydrogen
21 Mar 2024
Home EV charger grant extended to those without off-street parking
Home EV charger grant extended to those without off-street parking
The government has now extended its £350 EV charger grant to those with “adequate” on-road parking, but there remains no electric car purchase incenti…
19 Mar 2024
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: many residents unaware of multi-million pound ‘cash cows’
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: many residents unaware of multi-million pound ‘cash cows’
58 per cent of residents don’t know they’re in an LTN, while less than a quarter say they improve air quality or encourage cycling
19 Mar 2024
HS2 funds can’t solve UK’s £16.3 billion pothole problem
HS2 funds can’t solve UK’s £16.3 billion pothole problem
The Asphalt Industry Alliance’s annual report suggests UK roads are at “breaking point”, despite extra cash promised by the government
19 Mar 2024
Jaguar I-Pace owners angry as firm cuts smart charging access
Jaguar I-Pace owners angry as firm cuts smart charging access
Surprise new security measures mean smart chargers can no longer talk to JLR cars, making smart tariffs untenable
15 Mar 2024
No full inquiry into UK car insurance costs but regulator will ‘assess state of the market’
No full inquiry into UK car insurance costs but regulator will ‘assess state of the market’
The Financial Conduct Authority maintains that the insurance market is ‘competitive’, in spite of driver fury over price hikes
14 Mar 2024
Exclusive: Some Chinese cars ‘almost uninsurable’ as parts and repair support falters
Exclusive: Some Chinese cars ‘almost uninsurable’ as parts and repair support falters
Parts shortages and a lack of technical support are giving insurance underwriters the jitters when it comes to the new wave of Chinese cars hitting th…
8 Mar 2024
No EV incentives in 2024 budget, but fuel duty’s frozen again
No EV incentives in 2024 budget, but fuel duty’s frozen again
The Chancellor extends the 5p fuel duty cut, but ignores industry calls for tax handouts to electric car buyers
6 Mar 2024
Touchscreen backlash? Euro NCAP says physical buttons will be “incentivised” in car safety tests
Touchscreen backlash? Euro NCAP says physical buttons will be “incentivised” in car safety tests
Car makers have been advised not to have important car functions on touchscreens
5 Mar 2024
New car registrations hit 20-year high in February after 19 months of growth
New car registrations hit 20-year high in February after 19 months of growth
The UK car market sees continuous growth despite the rapid diesel decline. EV sales to private buyers are up 21% year-on-year
5 Mar 2024
UK petrol prices take biggest jump in five months as regional inequality grows
UK petrol prices take biggest jump in five months as regional inequality grows
The rising cost of oil pushes up fuel prices, but there are big regional differences in the cost of filling up
5 Mar 2024
Cars are becoming unaffordable in cost of living crisis, say 60% of motorists
Cars are becoming unaffordable in cost of living crisis, say 60% of motorists
The cost of living crisis has seen drivers cut back on journeys, explore car-sharing and using public transport
4 Mar 2024
F1 ace Gerhard Berger’s £350,000 stolen Ferrari found after 30 years: Met police solve 1995 crime
F1 ace Gerhard Berger’s £350,000 stolen Ferrari found after 30 years: Met police solve 1995 crime
Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari Testarossa has been found three decades after its theft from the Imola GP circuit
4 Mar 2024
Electric car tax cuts needed to boost sales, says SMMT
Electric car tax cuts needed to boost sales, says SMMT
The Chancellor is under pressure to slash VAT on new EVs to provide a ‘fair tax for a fair transition’
1 Mar 2024
Plenty of UK car buyers still love a new car number plate
Plenty of UK car buyers still love a new car number plate
Is a new number plate still the status symbol it once was? Our exclusive poll suggests that car buyers do care
24 Feb 2024