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Hybrid cars explained

OK, here’s your starter for 10: what was the first hybrid car to go on sale in the UK? It was the Toyota Prius, wasn’t it? Of course it was; this was the car that all around the world went on to become synonymous with hybrid technology. Except the Prius wasn’t the first hybrid to … Continued

Britain’s Worst Drives

Everyone has their own driving dreads, whether it’s something that affects them on the daily commute or just worries they have when driving in an unknown area. Being caught by speed cameras, stuck behind cyclists and confusing one-way systems are just some of them. These aspects make up some of Britain’s worst drives, but at … Continued

Speeding fines explained

In April of this year the Government introduced a new set of guidelines for tackling speeding offences in England and Wales. This passed many people by, and of those who do know about the changes, many are confused by how the new system works. So here at hpi we’re going to spell it all out … Continued

How black box insurance works

Young drivers have a habit of crashing cars, sometimes through inexperience and often through bravado – and frequently because of the two combined. Not all young drivers behave so recklessly of course, but until relatively recently, insurance companies could only go by statistics, so they’ve long struggled to treat drivers as individuals. Not any more, … Continued

Heat Map

Where is the Most Expensive City to Park in the UK?

Every car owner and dweller will know that finding suitable parking in the centre of any UK metropolis can be a nightmare, with the charges sometimes high enough to break the bank! Well, here at HPI Check, we’ve done some research into the UK cities with the most expensive bays and found an easy way … Continued

10 great first cars

Few purchases are as exciting as your first car, which provides a ticket to independence like you’ve never enjoyed before. Last year we published a guide on the key things to consider when buying your first car – once you’ve read and digested that, these are the models that should be on your shortlist.

autonomous cars

Autonomous cars – the latest

For decades, the idea of a car that could drive itself was the stuff of science fiction. As early as the 1930s US giant General Motors created a vision for a self-driving car. But in a world devoid of computers there was never any prospect of this becoming a reality; that early concept relied on … Continued

New insurance write-off categories on the way

It’s always the same. Just when everyone has got used to something, along comes someone who just has to change things around so nobody knows what’s going on any more. The perfect example is the insurance write-off system; for years we’ve had category A, B, C and D write-offs, but that’s all set to end … Continued

How to check if your tyres are safe and legal

Uk motorists are pretty rubbish when it comes to doing their own simple checks to ensure their cars are in fine fettle. A few minutes spent each week can stave off big bills and potentially a big accident, but despite this we’re either too lazy or lacking in confidence to make the time.

What’s the coolest car for dads on the school run?

Automotive experts at hpi have revealed the Top five list of cars guaranteed to boost the ‘school gate cred’ of UK dads following a poll amongst its team of motoring editors. The poll comes ahead of Father’s Day (Sunday 18 June). James Dower, senior Black Book editor at hpi, said: “With Father’s Day this month … Continued

10 great used convertibles for the summer

We love our convertibles here in the UK and the good news is that no matter what your budget, you can buy something open-topped to enjoy the wind in your hair. With the summer now here it’s the perfect time to splash out on a soft-top to enjoy the warm weather. Whether you’ve got just … Continued

An introduction to electric cars

Once the car had been invented in 1885 by Karl Benz, it didn’t take long for a massive global industry to spring up, with thousands of tiny companies around the globe each building small numbers of cars. The thing is, while the internal combustion engine (ICE) was in its infancy at the turn of the … Continued

Consumers in driving seat with new look one-stop hpi website

Car buyers and sellers are gearing up to receive convenience and peace of mind all in one place from automotive data experts hpi, following the relaunch of its new look website www.hpi.co.uk The customer friendly website provides one destination for motorists to find a complete vehicle history check, get free valuations and has an instant … Continued

How to be a safer motorbike rider

Summer is finally here and once again our roads are filling up with motorcyclists keen to make the most of the great weather. If you’re one of those motorcyclists you need to be seriously careful because according to government statistics, bikers make up 1% of the total traffic on UK roads, but account for over … Continued

Petrol or diesel?

Open a newspaper or surf the web for just a short time and the chances are you’ll come across a news story about how diesel cars are killing us all, thanks to their heavily toxic emissions. It’s so unfair. After all, we were coerced into buying diesel-powered cars thanks to their low CO2 emissions and … Continued