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Rob Hull, Motoring Editor

Rob has been Motoring Editor across Daily Mail and ThisisMoney since 2021 having joined as Motoring Reporter in September 2015. He's been writing about the automotive sector for 20 years and specialises in all things that impact motorists in Britain. He previously worked at consumer watchdog Which? as a Senior Researcher overseeing vehicle testing and the UK's largest survey of car drivers. Before that, Rob was a reporter, road tester and serial crasher at Motorcycle News (MCN).

Coverage: Cars Electric Cars

MOST RECENT ARTICLES FROM ROB HULL

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New car buyers stung an extra £417 on average for road tax next year when Labour's vehicle excise duty hikes arrive

04/12/24 06:00

First-year VED rates for all new petrol and diesel cars will double from April as part of a 'stealth tax' on fossil fuelled motors from 1 April 2025, which was confirmed in the Autumn Budget. A new report has estimated that the result of this increase in taxation on new cars will see the average motorist fork out an extra £417 from next year....read

One vehicle stolen every five minutes in England and Wales in 2024, police data reveals
04/12/24 12:01
There were 72,888 vehicles reported stolen between January and September 2024, according to 39 of the 43 police forces responding to an FOI request.
- 83 comments
- 2 shares
Jaguar bosses break silence on woke backlash as new Type 00 electric concept car is unveiled
03/12/24 11:09
Speaking at the Type 00 EV concept's launch in Miami in the early hours, managing director Rawdon Glover (inset top) said: 'We want to be bold and disruptive'.
Jaguar is blasted on social media as under-fire manufacturer's 'ugly' fuchsia concept car is leaked after disastrous brand re-launch
02/12/24 07:39
With the images doing the rounds on social media, people have already likened the car's colour and extended body to the Panthermobile in Pink Panther.
Jaguar's new electric vision leaked hours before official unveiling: Concept car breaks cover - and it's very pink
02/12/24 02:05
Images of the futuristic GT car, dubbed the 'Design Vision Concept' ahead of its full reveal at Miami Art Week in the early hours (1am UK time), have been shared on online forums.
Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares resigns amid rift in board just days after announcing closure of Vauxhall's Luton van factory
01/12/24 09:50
Carlos Tavares, 66, who had led Stellantis since it formed in 2021, sensationally departed with immediate effect over the weekend.
- 79 comments
- 19 shares
New Range Rover EV to be 'the most capable electric luxury SUV'
29/11/24 03:46
With sister brand Jaguar preparing to embark on its ambitious bid to become an exclusively electric brand from 2026, Land Rover is putting the final touches to its first battery powered car.
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New Range Rover EV promised to be 'the most capable electric luxury SUV'
29/11/24 10:16
With sister brand Jaguar preparing to embark on its ambitious bid to become an exclusively electric brand from 2026, Land Rover is putting the final touches to its first battery powered car.
Drivers still paying too much for fuel as retailers continue to pocket higher margins, says competition watchdog
28/11/24 02:48
In the decade leading up to the Covid pandemic, the average retailer margin on petrol was around just 8p. Currently, they are taking a profit of 13.5p from every litre of unleaded sold.
- 46 comments
- 1 share
Car production falls for eighth month in a row as factory closures and job losses loom over UK automotive industry
28/11/24 12:25
Car production fell again in October with 2024 outputs now down 11%. It comes in the wake of Vauxhall's parent company announcing plans to close its Luton factory.
The old-school car scam that's made a comeback - and is said to be fleecing drivers out of £750m a year
28/11/24 06:00
A new report estimates that around one in fifty second-hand motors have been tampered with to artificially inflate the perceived value.
- 87 comments
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Car key fob stopped working? Here's how to gain entry using a hidden feature
27/11/24 06:00
Problems with keyless fobs appear to be an increasingly common problem for motorists as technology has shifted the market away from the traditional key and lock.
Most optometrists see at least one patient a month who drives despite being told their eyesight is ILLEGAL
27/11/24 12:01
The Association of Optometrists wants changes to law to require that all drivers to have their vision checked when they first apply for a licence as well as each they renew.
- 44 comments
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Classic Mercedes set to sell for £42M: 1954 racer driven by legends Fangio and Moss could become the second most expensive car ever sold at auction
26/11/24 08:07
The 1954 W 196 R Streamliner is one of four and has been driven by two of F1's most celebrated greats. It is set to become the world's second priciest car sold at auction.
Is your car one of the most likely to fail an MOT? Ten models with pass rates below 50% this year
26/11/24 08:27
While the average pass rate for the year so far is 71.8%, the ten cars listed have meagre MOT success statistics between 45.3% and 48.9%. Do you own one of them?
Jaguar will slash UK dealer network by around 75% as part of radical EV rebrand
25/11/24 11:41
Jaguar will cut its showrooms from 80 to around 20 by 2026, as it looks to target the wealthiest parts of the country with its upcoming range of premium EVs.
Drivers fuelling epidemic of blinding incidents on Britain's roads by illegally fitting super-bright headlights into cars, research suggests
23/11/24 11:50
Motoring campaigners say the trend to replace worn-out halogen bulbs with LED 'upgrades' may be a key factor in the epidemic of blinding incidents on Britain's roads.
- 230 comments
- 24 shares
The cars that are TOO BIG to park in British garages - and would yours squeeze into one?
23/11/24 07:00
Some 37% of motorists with garages told insurer Churchill they never use them for the purpose they were originally intended - and it's because the latest cars are simply too large.
- 519 comments
- 14 shares
The 'new' classic Jaguar that's the antithesis of its electric rebrand: TWR Supercat is a reborn XJS for the 21st century
22/11/24 08:57
In the same week Jaguar unveiled a radical rebrand for its bold electric future, a small Berkshire-based car maker revealed the antithesis; a 'new' classic Jag with a roaring 12-cylinder engine.
- 240 comments
- 8 shares
Jaguar is not looking back on its radical rebrand... quite literally: British car maker teases concept EV with NO REAR WINDOW
21/11/24 11:22
Jaguar has shifted up another gear with its controversial rebrand by teasing a first glimpse of its radical new electric concept car - and it doesn't have a rear window.
Just ONE new car launched in the last year has this traditional interior part that is nearing extinction
20/11/24 06:00
Fewer than one in ten models in showrooms today have one, despite the item formerly being a staple of every interior.
Our top 10 winter driving tips - including what to pack in the car and how to react if you skid on snow or ice
19/11/24 11:49
With icy temperatures predicted for the coming days and the chilly conditions expected to cause disruption on the roads, now is the time to make sure you and your motor are winter ready.
- 247 comments
- 24 shares
How to avoid being dazzled on the road: Our 10 tips to help you tackle being blinded by oncoming drivers
19/11/24 06:00
Being dazzled by oncoming headlights is becoming an increasing issue for motorists. But how can you go about limiting the impact of the blinding glare?
The 10 theory test questions learners get wrong most: See how many you can answer correctly
16/11/24 07:00
AA Driving School analysed 55m answers to theory test questions on its dedicated app to discover which ten have posed the biggest problem for learners.
- 167 comments
- 134 shares
These 10 new cars will cost £5,490 just to TAX next year...
15/11/24 07:00
As part of government's efforts to encourage drivers to go green, first-year road tax costs for petrol and diesel cars will be doubled from 1 April 2025.
Jaguar boss says having NO new cars on sale for a year is part of a 'strategic decision'
13/11/24 01:37
Jaguar has ceased selling all petrol and diesel models for the first time since WW2 as it terminates its 102-year relationship with the internal combustion engine.
- 401 comments
- 14 shares
Barely-driven Citroen 2CV that a father hid from his daughter for 15 years before presenting it as a 21st birthday gift sells for £22,500
12/11/24 11:49
It was ordered new by the vendor's father when she was just 6. On delivery, he placed it into storage with the plan to gift the quirky vehicle to her as a 21st birthday present some 15 years later.
The £200k Ford Escort: Rare 1992 RS Cosworth with just 2,200 miles sets new world record auction price
11/11/24 05:06
Following what auctioneers described as a 'frenzied bidding war' between two parties vying for the keys at the weekend, the price rapidly escalated to a new world record.
Car makers slash EV prices by a third to meet binding sales targets
11/11/24 04:17
New data suggests car makers falling short of EV sales targets are slashing prices by amounts similar to fines they'll face it they don't meet the required quota.
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Car makers slash new EV prices by up to a THIRD in desperate bid to meet binding end-of-year sales targets
11/11/24 02:01
New data suggests car makers falling short of EV sales targets are slashing prices by amounts similar to fines they'll face if they don't meet the required quota.
E-scooter riders 'more likely to jump red lights than cyclists', London study finds
08/11/24 02:27
A shocking 41% of e-scooters observed across 80 different busy junctions in the capital ran red lights.
Sales of used electric cars hit record levels - and prices are starting to RISE
08/11/24 10:36
Experts say that the second-hand EV market had been at rock bottom but has now taken a turn with prices increasing - while every other fuel type dipped in value in October.
- 334 comments
- 111 shares
Now Bentley backtracks on its EV pledge: British luxury brand to delay going fully electric by five years to 2035 due to slump in demand
07/11/24 03:06
The British luxury firm's original 2030 deadline to transition away from the internal combustion engine has now officially been scrapped.
'We'll keep selling petrol and diesel cars for as long as we are allowed,' vows Kia's UK boss
06/11/24 04:40
Paul Philpott, president and CEO at Kia UK, said the company would not be 'abandoning non-EVs any time soon'.
Inside the ultimate pimped-up motorhome used by footballers
06/11/24 01:16
German tuning company Brabus has unveiled its Big Boy 1200 - its first venture into the motorhome market with a 26-tonne house of wheels.
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Elvis Presley's last ever car - and the one he drove the night before he died - is for sale
06/11/24 11:20
This 1977 Cadillac Seville is understood to be the last car Elvis purchased before his untimely passing on 16 August 1977.
- 22 comments
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Ultimate pimped-up motorhome: Brabus, the car tuning company loved by footballers, releases £1m Big Boy 1200
06/11/24 09:54
German tuning company Brabus has unveiled its Big Boy 1200 - its first venture into the motorhome market with a 26-tonne house of wheels.
MP calls for big fines for utility firms who cause gridlock with roadworks that almost always overrun
05/11/24 02:26
Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, says telecoms and water companies should face higher charges for a' lack of any palpable sense of urgency' during roadworks.
Motorists banned from driving through central Paris - its Limited Traffic Zone explained
04/11/24 03:11
Motorists will be banned from driving through the centre of Paris. A Limited Traffic Zone will be introduced on 5 November though won't be enforced until spring 2025.
Drivers skipping MOTs and refusing to replace badly worn tyres to save money
04/11/24 09:43
A 'very worrying' percentage of motorists aged under 44 told the RAC that they are openly breaking the law by using faulty tyres or avoiding an MOT to cut costs.
Fury as driver with 176 points on their licence is STILL not banned from driving
04/11/24 12:01
The 26-year-old with 176 points is one of three male licence holders with more than 100 points.
- 279 comments
- 38 shares
Happy birthday M1! The UK's oldest motorway turns 65 - but do drivers love it or hate it today?
02/11/24 12:01
The first 73-mile stretch between Watford and Rugby was completed on Monday 2 November 1959 having taken 19 months to construct.
Hyundai Inster review: Is this the affordable small electric car we've been waiting for?
01/11/24 09:25
Hyundai bosses say the new Inster will 'redefine ultra-small EVs'. We've driven it months before it arrives in the UK to test the claims.
What the Budget fuel duty freeze really means for you and your wallet
30/10/24 06:04
Here's everything you need to know about the impact on your motoring bills as Rachel Reeves freezes fuel duty for a 15th consecutive year.
- 115 comments
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Chancellor's stealth tax on new petrol and diesel cars: First-year VED rates to DOUBLE next year to as much as £5,490
30/10/24 05:35
Rachel Reeves will double the first-year tax rates on new petrol and diesel cars from April in a bid to force more drivers to choose electric vehicles.
Rachel Reeves urged to introduce pay-per-mile road pricing in Budget - to replace fuel duty and road tax
29/10/24 02:48
The biggest charges would be levied on motorists travelling at peak times on the busiest roads under proposed system, which could help cut congestion.
Volkswagen to lay off tens of thousands of staff, cut salaries and close three factories in Germany amid electric car slowdown
28/10/24 04:33
Europe's biggest car maker has been negotiating for weeks with unions over intentions to revamp its operations and slash costs.
- 1161 comments
- 99 shares
Rare 'junkyard' 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing that's been kept in a barn for 47 YEARS and hit with a forklift truck sells for £7m
28/10/24 01:15
The Mercedes is one of 29 lightweight aluminium-bodies examples of the German marque's most famous sports cars, but it's not had the cherished life it arguably deserved.
- 74 comments
- 32 shares
The E-Type is back... sort of: Jaguar has built two NEW examples some 50 years after production of the icon ended
25/10/24 12:36
The British brand has built two completely new examples from the ground up for a deep-pocketed customer in South East Asia, using the original blueprints.
Risk of being in a crash near an airport is twice the national average, analysis finds
25/10/24 11:10
Heathrow, the busiest airport of all in the UK, is identified as being particularly hazardous.
- 28 comments
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Only 1% of drivers answered these five car theory test questions correctly - how many can you get right?
25/10/24 05:01
Results from a recent poll found that only 18 out of 2,000 licence holders could provided the correct answer to all five questions - a lousy success rate of just 0.9%.
- 690 comments
- 86 shares
The 28 best used cars experts say you should consider in 2024 with a Volvo picked at number one
23/10/24 03:34
One Volvo narrowly beat a wide selection of EVs, which have become far more appealing to motorists having suffered massive depreciation in their first year to fall to affordable prices.
How to spot counterfeit car parts as fake components worth £1bn are imported to Britain each year
23/10/24 05:00
The Government's new 'Fake Always Breaks' campaign is designed to alerts drivers to the life-threatening dangers of buying counterfeit vehicle parts.
- 22 comments
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Revealed: The car makers who now don't sell ANY new diesel models in the UK
22/10/24 02:00
Drivers are finding it increasingly difficult to get their hands on new diesel cars as manufacturers have dramatically slashed their availability in Britain.
10 cheapest cars models that cost the least to buy and run in the UK
22/10/24 06:51
This is Money can exclusively tell you which 10 new models in showrooms today offer the cheapest ownership costs over a three-year period.
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Number of people killed in road rage incidents hits record high: Urgent warning after figures show at least two people a week die during rows on the road
21/10/24 12:22
A record number of people died in accidents that were triggered by 'road rage' incidents.
Ten cheapest cars to own from new: Models that cost the least to buy and run - but also hold value so you get more money back when you sell
19/10/24 11:06
This is Money can exclusively tell you which 10 new models in showrooms today offer the cheapest ownership costs over a three-year period.
Is an EV really for you? Now you have time to decide! Cupra launches three-month return offer on its £35k Born electric hatchback - what's the catch?
17/10/24 03:31
Cupra says you can return the electric family hatchback after three months of buying it if you simply don't like it or living with an EV in general. But there's a catch...
Paris Mayor's latest bid to drive cars out of the French capital: Sale of diesel fuel BANNED at busy filling stations on city ring road
17/10/24 02:16
Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo has this month also slashed the speed limit on the Périphérique - the capital's busy eight-lane motorway ring road - to just 31mph.
- 248 comments
- 10 shares
Sadiq Khan and TfL vow to get tough with drivers evading ULEZ penalty charges by using bailiffs to chase non-payers for £370m in outstanding debt
16/10/24 12:03
TfL says a 'cohort of people' are refusing to pay penalty charge notices, which has resulted in 'significant' outstanding debt amounting to more than £370million.
Is there greater demand for EVs than what industry figures show? Lobby group says 'skewed' stats are downplaying electric car sales
16/10/24 09:35
EVUK, a campaign group formed to dispel 'myths and lies' around the electric car market, said reporting on registrations had downplayed the level of private demand for battery cars.
- 243 comments
- 30 shares
BMW boss says ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars needs to be CANCELLED to reduce China reliance
15/10/24 12:27
Oliver Zipse, BMW's CEO, wants a 'correction' to the EU's petrol-diesel ban in 2035 to reduce a reliance on Chinese batteries and tech.
Car makers plea to Chancellor for incentives to help slash EV prices as 'demand isn't moving quickly enough'
15/10/24 10:36
Bosses from 13 major car manufacturers have written to Rachel Reeves pleading for a fresh wave of electric vehicle incentives to turbocharge floundering sales.
DVLA's private plate cash cow: Revenues from sales TRIPLES in a decade - here's how much it rakes in a year
14/10/24 01:36
According to revenue records shared by the DVLA, it has earned some £2.09bn from drivers buying and transferring private plates in a decade.
Nine ambulances and four bin lorries among 106k vehicles stolen last year - which other obscure motors were pinched?
14/10/24 10:06
Government data shows there is 'literally no type of vehicle that someone won't steal' as owners even reported hearses as missing in 2023.
There's a Tesla on our roads that's covered 700k MILES and is still going
09/10/24 01:46
The UK-registered Tesla, which has clocked 697,744 miles, has already covered the equivalent of theoretically driving around the world 28 times.
Energy Secretary says motorists deserve a 'fair deal' on petrol prices but refuses to rule out fuel duty hike
09/10/24 09:21
Ed Miliband said the Government is 'very sympathetic' towards the nation's drivers in regard to the slow progress implementing a PumpWatch scheme.
- 215 comments
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Best and worst motorways and A roads in England ranked by drivers - how did YOUR local major route score?
08/10/24 11:01
The lowest-scoring motorway was lambasted by drivers, especially for its sections of smart motorways with variable speed limits that users said were reduced 'for no apparent reason'.
Potholes cause half a million breakdowns so far in 2024 as AA says callouts hit a seven-year high
07/10/24 11:01
The AA, Britain's biggest breakdown assistance provider, has responded to 480,000 callouts from stranded motorists after hitting potholes between January and September.
Citroen 2CV with just 550 miles on the clock and 'remarkable love story' heads to auction with £20k estimate
07/10/24 01:15
With just over 550 miles on the clock the 2CV being sold at a Birmingham auction has a 'remarkable tale of love' between a father and his daughter...
Ultra-rare Jaguar XKSS set to sell at London auction for £11MILLION - only six British motors have sold for more at the block
05/10/24 07:34
The fifties sports car could sell for a record eight-figure sum in November. Only these six British cars have sold at auction for more.
- 113 comments
- 44 shares
Car insurers using new 'Vehicle Risk Rating' system to calculate the price of premiums - here's why EV owners could be stung
03/10/24 02:49
The 'fairer' VRR system will replace the existing group rating system, which places specific models in an insurance group from 1 to 50. But it could be bad news for EV drivers...
- 121 comments
- 88 shares
Electric car comedown continues as brands react to fall in EV demand
03/10/24 01:00
Car makers continue to respond to a slowdown in demand for EVs with a raft of new announcements regarding price cuts, halted production and new model delays.
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Car makers slash EV prices, suspend production and extend petrol model availability as electric demand wanes
03/10/24 05:00
Car makers continue to respond to a slowdown in demand for EVs with a raft of new announcements regarding price cuts, halted production and new model delays.
Car recalls are up tenfold in 30 years but motoring expert ROB HULL says that's welcome not a worry
19/09/24 11:01
While recalls are often frowned upon, MailOnline and This is Money's Motoring Editor says they instead should be welcomed for a number of different reasons.
- 19 comments
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End of the road for the car CD player - no new models now sold with them as the last car maker calls time
19/09/24 11:01
When the in-car entertainment feature first arrived 40 years it instantly became one of the most desired features on a new model - but now time has been called.
EVs written off FAR less frequently than petrol and diesel cars
19/09/24 01:03
Automotive data experts Cap Hpi says internal combustion engined cars are written off at over double the rate of fully electric vehicles.
- 353 comments
- 1 share
Almost two in five dangerous driving endorsements issued to motorists aged 17 to 25 - so is it time for graduated licensing?
18/09/24 11:01
DVLA records show that between January and the end of May, 38% of all dangerous driving 'DD40' endorsements were issued to 17 to 25-year-olds.
- 46 comments
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Majority of drivers still can't afford EVs despite the arrival of cheaper models
18/09/24 11:01
According to the car sales platform's latest report, the median retail price of a new fully electric car is £51k; 31% higher than a new petrol or diesel model.
More than one in five vehicles FAILED their MOT last year - here's six little-known reasons your car won't pass
18/09/24 10:49
Some 9.9m out of the 43.7m tests conducted in 2023 were unsuccessful, according to analysis of government figures by the RAC Foundation.

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