Peugeot 208 took the crown this year to win the 2020 Car of the Year award at GIMS. Surprisingly not an all-electric vehicle, but available in diesel, petrol or electric versions. The French model was an instant hit with those who held the casting votes, albeit behind closed doors at the cancelled Geneva Motor Show. The model won with 281 points and 17 individual top votes. In second place came the Tesla Model 3, with the Porsche Taycan taking bronze in third.
Only day’s before, the Geneva International Motor Show 2020 was cancelled. Due to fears around fuelling the spread of coronavirus. Over 600,000 people from around the world attended the event back in 2019. GIMS is the car industry’s biggest annual event. The show’s organisers have insisted that the show will be back for 2021.
Matt Prior from Autocar made an intriguing observation regarding the cancellation of GIMS,
“The bad news for shows won’t be if car companies miss out this week. The bad news will come if they realise they haven’t missed out at all.”
Despite the event’s cancellation, the Car of the Year award went ahead on Monday 2nd March as planned. The draw was available via streaming on YouTube. It’s important to note that this is not the first time Peugeot has taken this title. Previous COTY winners include the 3008, 308 and now the new 208. Congratulations to Peugeot!
Looking for a new car? If you’re after a brand new 20 series registration plate, the wait is over. The latest 20 series released on 1st March 2020, closely follows the 69 registration plate that was across all new cars from September 2019. All new UK vehicles released from 1st March onwards will feature a 20 reg plate. It’s an especially nice number this time around, as we’re at the start of a new decade.
Are you getting one of the new registration plates? If the answer is yes, go ahead and share any pictures with us on Twitter @wearemotorly using the hashtag #wearemotorly. Or you can contact us on our Facebook page. We love to see our customer’s vehicles. It’s brilliant to see our customer’s behind the wheel of vehicles that our finance plans helped them own.
If you are thinking about getting a new vehicle, our easy to use finance calculator below will find out what your average repayments could look like. Our quick quote form only performs a soft search, which won’t affect your credit score. If you’d like to complete an application, there’s absolutely zero obligation to go ahead. You can find out what you’re eligible for.
UK car registration plates change every six months. The next registration plate release date will be 1st September 2020, with the 70 plate.
There are five people killed on UK roads every day. This shocking statistic highlights the importance of the work that Brake carry out all year round. With this in mind, we decided to support the road safety charity. After contacting Brake’s corporate fundraising department, who we found to be extremely helpful, we decided to go ahead and commit our support.
We are delighted to announce that motorly is an official corporate donor of Brake, the road safety charity. Brake is an influential organisation that is committed to supporting families bereaved in road crashes. Also, they run nationwide campaigns to make roads safer for all. Additionally, Brake provides essential road crash victim support, raises awareness of road safety and promotes best practice on the roads.
Running a helpline for bereaved and seriously injured road crash victims
Providing essential support literature for families and children
Organising awareness and fundraising campaigns all year round
Co-ordinating the worldwide campaign #RoadSafetyWeek every November
In support, motorly took part in #RoadSafetyWeek back in November 2019 with #BakeforBrake. We are looking forward to getting involved for the second time this year in 2020, as our first year as a corporate donor. We are eagerly planning more fundraising activities that we can carry out internally. There have been discussions to join a charity run as a team! We are researching as many ways as we can to support Brake’s fantastic work.
As an independent motoring comparison platform, we make sure our customers have access to the very best deals. Although, it is just as important to motorly that our customers understand the importance of safety on the roads too.
Owning and driving a vehicle is a big responsibility. Sadly, too many people die worldwide as a result of careless road traffic accidents. This is one of the many reasons why we decided to officially support Brake. We are committed to regularly share safety updates from Brake. Therefore, ensuring our customers are aware of the latest road safety information.
fundraising
We encourage our customers to visit brake.org.uk and support the incredible work that they do. Look out for Brake’s fundraising activities and opportunities across social media. Don’t forget to share your fundraising activities with us! Contact us on social media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You can drop us an email at info@motorly.co.uk. Update us with any fundraising activities that you get up to, at work or home.
Lastly, if you have been affected by a road traffic accident or bereavement and need support, Brake’s helpline is 0808 8000 401. This line is operated Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.
Brake’s vision is a world where people can get around in ways that are safe, green, healthy and fair.
Thinking about getting your next vehicle on finance? We have created an easy to use finance calculator to make this process easier than ever. Simply drag & drop the buttons up or down to suit your needs and reveal your estimated loan and repayment amounts. It’s that easy.
New look motorly homepage
It’s here! New year, new website. You may have noticed some things have changed over at motorly.co.uk. Our refreshed look and improved mobile-first design makes it even easier for our customers to save on all things motoring.
The motorly web team have been even busier than usual, working super hard behind the scenes to give our website a complete redesign and makeover – very nice work!
Our improved, minimalist design means we can help our customers even faster than before. As a result, we’ve increased the site speed so we are able to match you with the best car finance deal – quicker than ever!
previous website design
Previous motorly homepage
As you can see, we’ve taken a far more mature design approach to the motorly homepage, by phasing out the majority of the illustration. Replacing illustrations with a rendered image of a single-vehicle gives a coherent appearance and is more in-line with the motorly brand.
The motorly blog area has benefited from a complete redesign too. By splitting topics with viewable subject categories, it is now much easier to find the relevant information you need.
New look motorly blog
So, whether you are looking for money-saving tips on multi-car insurance, or simply want to browse the latest motoring news. There’s now only one place you need to visit – motorly.co.uk/blog
Previous motorly blog design
By listening to our customers and taking feedback on board, we have successfully made the motorly online journey easier and clearer. Above all, we are excited to launch even more amazing motoring products and services across motorly.co.uk throughout 2020 and beyond.
What do you think of the new motorly website? Share your thoughts with us on social media using the hashtag #wearemotorly
Look out for upcoming motorly updates. Let us help you on the road with the brand new motorly.co.uk
When buying a new car, many people will opt to spread the payment for the vehicle out over a period of time, rather than paying one lump sum. This is what is referred to as ‘car finance’ although as with any type of loan, there is an approval process and no guarantee that you will be accepted for the agreement. Not knowing what’s required in an application or whether you’ll be approved before you even apply can be a daunting prospect, so we’ve put together a brief rundown of how the approval process for car finance works.
Your first action to take is to research the car finance options that are available to you. There are several main types of car finance, which we will outline below (see table at the end for a quick comparison guide).
Hire Purchase (HP)
A Hire Purchase agreement is probably the simplest kind of car finance to understand and also one of the most common ways to finance a car. It involves paying an upfront deposit, followed by paying the remaining value of the car in fixed monthly amounts over an agreed number of years (usually up to five). At the end of the payment period, and once you have paid the final amount, you become the owner of that vehicle. In many ways, Hire Purchase agreements are similar to getting a mortgage on a house.
Hire Purchases are best suited to people who plan to keep their car for a long time, beyond the finance period and are able to pay a fairly large deposit up front.
Advantages of HP:
Usually easy to obtain.
Buyer can choose both deposit and term of repayment.
The car is yours to keep at the end of the agreement.
Finance period up to 5 years, which is longer than many other options.
In total, you will usually pay less for your car than with a PCP, especially if you are planning to keep your car long term.
Disadvantages of HP:
Monthly payments are usually higher than with a PCP, which means that the value of the car you can afford, is likely to be less.
They are usually a fixed contract so if your financial circumstances change during the finance period and you are unable to upkeep payments; your credit score could suffer.
You will usually end up paying a bit more for your car over the HP period than had you bought the asset outright.
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)
A PCP is a bit more complicated than an HP, although they are gradually becoming more common because they can be more beneficial for the dealer in the long run. Unlike an HP, you are unlikely to pay off the full value of the car and unless you choose to, you will not automatically own the vehicle at the end of the finance period. Like an HP, you will pay a deposit followed by monthly sums over an agreed period of time, however, the amount you pay each month is usually less and the term is usually shorter than an HP. This is because instead of paying off the value of the car, you are paying the amount it has depreciated between the start of your agreement and the end of it. As a result, at the end of the finance agreement, there will still be a significant sum of the car value that has gone unpaid. At this point, you have several options; return the car to the dealer, pay the difference, which is known as a “balloon payment” and own the car, or you can part exchange the car for a new one on another PCP agreement.
A PCP agreement would work best for somebody who wishes to regularly change their vehicle every few years.
Advantages of PCP:
Typically much lower monthly repayments than HP
More flexibility with several options available to you at the end of the contract.
You could be able to buy a car that is worth more than you could otherwise afford with low monthly payments.
Usually, PCP’s are only offered on new or nearly new cars.
Your car is guaranteed to be worth a minimum amount at the end of the deal.
You could get a new car every few years.
Disadvantages of PCP:
You won’t automatically own the car during or at the end of the finance period and will have to pay an additional sum (and sometimes an admin fee on top) if you wish to.
Most PCP’s will include mileage restrictions; should you exceed the limit you will usually have to pay a charge for every mile you go over.
You can also be charged if the car is returned in an unsatisfactory condition and may be subject to additional charges for regular servicing.
Personal Contract Hire (PCH)
PCH agreements essentially allow you to rent a car for private use over a fixed period of time, at the end of which you return the car without purchasing it. Some lenders might allow you to extend the rental period however unlike HP and PCP, you will not be able to own the car at any point. This makes it an ideal option for people who have no intention to purchase a car. At the end of the contract, you have no financial obligation to the lender and you will be free to hire, lease or purchase any other vehicle.
Advantages of PCH:
Simple to arrange.
You won’t have to think about the car’s depreciation or value at resale.
Lower monthly payments than if you were buying it.
Car maintenance and servicing extras can be added to the monthly payments.
Various mileage terms and finance periods to suit your personal requirements.
Disadvantages of PCH:
There are no options for buying the car at the end of the finance period.
If you exceed the agreed mileage amount, you will usually have to pay an additional charge.
If you wish to terminate the contract at any point you could be subject to an expensive fee.
Like with PCP, your car will be assessed for wear and tear and any perceived damage would have to be paid for by you.
You must have full comprehensive cover for the vehicle before you can drive it.
Personal Loan (PL)
The final way in which people finance their cars is through personal loans from a bank or building society. You can either take out a loan to pay the full cost of the vehicle or a sum that will partially cover the cost if you are planning to cash buy and don’t have the full amount ready.
Advantages of PL:
No deposit required.
You own the car whilst you are paying off your loan so, in theory, you can sell it (but check with your lender first).
You won’t be required to return the car back after you have paid off your loan and you will not have any mileage restrictions.
If you have a good credit rating, the fixed interest rate is likely to be quite low.
Full flexibility over loan period, however the longer you choose, the more interest you will have to pay.
Disadvantages of PL:
If you have a poor credit history, it is difficult to get approved or get the best interest rates.
You need to be able to commit to paying back the loan before you take it out. Your credit rating will be damaged if you are unable to repay your loan, and as it is unsecured any of your assets could be seized in the event of missing payments. This will prevent you from easily obtaining further loans in the future, such as a mortgage.
Because you are paying for the full value of the car, monthly repayments are likely to be higher than with say, a PCP agreement.
Be wary of dealers offering low or 0% interest rates, the APR is the figure you need to be paying attention to as this includes all additional charges, including interest.
To help you decide whether to apply and which form of car finance is best for you, you will need to take into consideration, your:
Credit Score
This is what lenders will be analysing when they are reviewing your application to see whether you are a reliable and low-risk person to lend money to. It is worth looking through it before you submit your application in order to ensure that your file is up to date and all information is correct. If you know that your credit score will reflect badly on you, car finance may not be an option so this should be one of the first things you check.
Budget for a deposit
The more money you have to put towards a deposit the better, as this means that the amount you’ll need to be loaned will be less. It may take a bit more time but saving up for a slightly larger deposit could increase your chances of becoming approved for a finance agreement.
Ability to Afford Repayments
Ensure that you will have enough money set aside each month to repay your car finance loan. This will require you to look at your current income and outgoings in order to calculate how much you can realistically afford to repay each month. You should think about how long a period of time you are prepared to pay off your loan over too; the longer the period the lower the monthly payments but you will end up paying more in interest. This could result in you paying more than the actual value of the vehicle.
Different Options
Make sure you know all of your options before you apply. Take time to shop around and research the kind of vehicle you will need and the finance options available to you. You’ll also need to decide whether to go through a dealer directly, car broker, lender or car supermarket to get your finance agreement approved (this will depend on the type of finance you want as not all providers offer all of the options above).
It’s also essential to become familiar with APR (annual percentage rate), which is the interest rate you will be paying over the course of your finance agreement. Look at how it compares on the different finance plans available as well as the rate on a personal loan if you are considering going for one of the first 3 options.
HP
PCP
PCH
PL
Deposit required
✓
✓
✓
✗
Fixed monthly payments
✓
✓
✓
✓
Mileage restrictions
✗
✓
✓
✗
Wear and tear fines
✗
✓
✓
✗
Risk of depreciation
✓
✗
✗
✓
Ownership of car
✓
✗
✗
✓
Balloon payment at end of contract
✗
✓
✗
✗
Early termination fee
✓
✓
✓
✓
Secured against an asset
✓
✓
✓
✗
The UK Transport Secretary Grant confirmed rolling out smart motorways has been suspended, due to serious safety concerns. Smart motorways remove the hard shoulder in times of busy traffic to allow ALR, all lanes running. A number of MPs have called for smart motorways to be scrapped, because of a number of motoring incidents and driver deaths.
“Five people have died in 10 months on a 16 mile stretch of the M1 in South Yorkshire operating ‘all lanes running’ (ALR) – when there is no hard shoulder.” – BBC News
MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion said, “The safety of motorists must always be paramount… it is totally unacceptable to risk lives in the name of cost savings”. Jason Mercer was involved in a tragic accident, he died after being hit by a lorry following a minor crash on the M1.
“A further investigation has uncovered that 38 people have people have been killed on smart motorways in the past five years.” – The Guardian
Smart motorways pose further issues for breakdown companies. Depending on whether a lane is open or closed, this can prevent a motorway rescue vehicle being able to reach any broken down vehicle. It appears that motorists can find themselves trapped in these lanes.
Areas of smart motorway in construction have been put on hold. Critics slammed the system for not spotting broken down vehicles, not having enough laybys available and causing fatal accidents. Incidents have previously occurred when a vehicle has broken down. In these cases, the additional lane has been opened to allow traffic to pass. Essentially removing the hard shoulder and with it any protection for broken down vehicles. The AA confirmed that they will not provide roadside assistance on smart motorways due to these serious safety concerns. This adds to the many reasons why a change needs to happen.
Grant Shapps said in the House of Commons, “The stretch of the M20 and all other stretches that are currently being worked on will not be opened until we have the outcome of the stocktake”.
The entire smart motorway system could be removed. Unless it can be proven that the safety issues have been addressed and resolved. Four areas of smart motorways were due to open across the M6, M23 and M62 throughout 2020. This is on hold whilst a decision is made.
We would like to see a change to smart motorways across all existing roads. Ensuring maximum safety of drivers and passengers.
Burns Night is an annual Scottish tradition and celebration of poet Robert Burns. His most famous poem being Auld Lang Syne, which we’ve all sang on New Year’s Eve, whether we really know the words or not! Traditionally, Burns Night celebrations consist of hearty haggis meals and a whiskey or two. But here at motorly, we’re celebrating Burns Night a little differently by shining a light on 10 Scottish Stars & Their Cars. See if you can guess who made our list…
Which football managing legend banned young players from driving supercars to training, and has a surprising passion for electric vehicles? Which famous actor loves an old original VW Beetle? Plus, which Game of Thrones stars drove off from their Wedding in an unexpected old four-wheeler? Find out in our celebration of Burns Night as we run through 10 Scottish Stars and Their Cars.
10. Rose Leslie
Everyone’s favourite wildling redhead Ygritte AKA Rose Leslie, married her fellow Game of Thrones star John Snow AKA Kit Harrington in June 2018, and their choice of wedding car was somewhat unexpected.
The couple drove off from their ceremony in Aberdeenshire, Scotland in a battered old 1991 Land Rover Defender 90.
9. Sir Andy Murray
Tennis champion and Scottish hero Sir Andy Murray has recently switched to being fully electric with the Jaguar I-Pace. Murray became one of the very early owners of this Jaguar all-electric model on World Environment Day 2018, to show his support for sustainable living and the environment.
8. Lulu
In 2019 there was an auction of both Sir Cliff Richard and Lulu’s vehicles. Lulu, or Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie once owned this Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupé, in deep red with black leather interior. The shout singer owned the vehicle for three years and its guide price at auction was a cool £65 – £75,000.
7. David Byrne
David Byrne the lead singer of Talking Heads is known for the lyrics from Once In A Lifetime,
“And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile”
Although famously known for singing of the above-mentioned automobile, Byrne is in fact, a keen cyclist. He has actively campaigned in support of cycling. He even published a book, Bicycle Diaries where the reader accompanies David on a round-the-world bicycle tour. David also created an art installation project throughout NYC, which consisted of several bike racks dotted around the city, as pictured below. We appreciate his care for the environment – and wanted to throw in a curveball!
6. Annie Lennox
Flashback to Annie Lennox posing on what we think is an MK 11 Ford Zephyr or Consul. Do you have any other ideas on what model this could be? We love the picture regardless. The Queen of cool.
5. Billy Connolly
The original Scottish alternative comedian and living legend Billy Connolly is a well-known petrol head – he also loves a trike too! For his ITV programme Ultimate World Tour, Billy drove across Florida in a Red Chevy Impala, and quite the outfit.
4. Ewan McGregor
This Scottish cinema icon has a lesser-known passion for classic VW Beetle’s. His obsession began when he bought his first one at 16, and it didn’t stop there.
But our favourite Ewan McGregor motoring moment is when Renton gets hit by a car in the opening scene of Trainspotting, with Iggy Pop’s iconic Lust For Life playing as he stomps down the pavement.
3. J.K. Rowling
There isn’t much information on J.K. Rowling’s vehicles, apart from that she is known to own several different cars. They aren’t as extravagant as you might expect from an almost billionaire. J.K. is famous for keeping a low profile. She has famously donated vast sums of money to charity, so much so that she lost her billionaire status through donations.
Given there aren’t many details on J.K. Rowling’s cars, let’s be honest, we all know the best J.K. Rowling vehicle is undoubtedly the Weasley’s Flying Ford Anglia. This gravity-defying motorcar from Rowling’s imagination mystified muggles everywhere as it flew across London in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Plus, a flying car just had to make our list.
2. Sean Connery
Back in 2018, Mr Bond sold his 1964 Jensen CV8 for a whopping £135,000. As the original (and arguably the best) 007 in movie history, we would expect him to have a major love for cars, and more than a few incredible motors in his collection when considering the iconic vehicles he drove as British secret service agent James Bond.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had disputes with younger players who dared to turn up to football training in their supercars. He insisted that young footballers had to drive normal cars to the training ground, to keep a sense of level-headedness that they were encouraged to carry into the changing rooms, training ground and ultimately the pitch.
“Sir Alex didn’t like young players getting above themselves. He hated anyone showing their wealth before they had done anything in life or the game.” Said former Manchester United striker David Bellion of his former boss.
Back in 2012, he couldn’t have looked any happier rocking up to Old Trafford in his electric chevy – ahead of the curve as always! This is certainly a different and refreshing approach to many football stars today, which is why Fergie gets our number 1 spot.
If you fancy a new car or want to take inspiration from any of our Scottish Starts, you can apply for car, bike, caravan or van finance with motorly – Apply Today!
Or if you want to drive like a star then simply enter this BOTB competition below! ?
Did you know that over one million cars have been sold in the UK so far in 2019? But when is the right time to buy a new family car?
Whether you travelled in the UK as a family over the Summer or perhaps opted for a staycation. Either way, we’re certain the family car took a hit over the past few months. There could have been any number of contributing factors from a mixture of long drives, food crumbs, spillages to possibly even a nightmare breakdown. So, how can you make those long journeys better for everyone?
Is it time for a new family car?
Whether you want to ensure reliability, better technology or simply fancy a larger vehicle with more power. We’ve rounded up the Top 10 Family Cars of 2019 to help make sure your next journey runs as smoothly as possible.
The new Peugeot SUV won AutoTrader’s 2019 ‘New Car Of The Year’, so we’re off to a good start with this one. This family favourite boasts large storage space and handy compartments, balancing functionality and style throughout the vehicle.
Peugeot’s 3008 SUV is distinct and innovative both inside and out, a great choice for families in 2019.
The Kia Niro is, in its own words, high in style, low on emissions – and big on choice. There are three different models to choose from, electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid to suit your needs as a family. The huge 451 litres of space will allow for those extra sports bags to fit in the back with absolutely no problem at all.
Plus Kia offers their fantastic 7-year/100,000 mile new car warranty. This is great for families as it makes sure you have that extra protection, without the worry of extra costs. The warranty also transfers to owners, which helps the car retain its value. Win-win.
Take a look at the new VW hybrid family estate car, with low emissions and distinctive interior. The combination of top quality interiors and intuitive technology, such as the optional voice control system, makes this a great option for busy families in 2019.
Waving your foot under the back of the vehicle opens the boot hands-free, another great feature for families. Useful for when you have your hands full – which let’s face it, is most of the time!
The Ford Focus has long been a family favourite, you can see that by simply looking at the UK roads today. The new 2019 model does bring this car into competition with more desirable brands on the market.
New features such as Ford Co-Pilot 360, Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Park introduce smart technologies that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without.
Vauxhall focuses on safety, connectivity and versatility in their latest model of the Grand Sport. You’ll love the space and the Grand Sport’s interchangeable storage options. The rear seat split-folds for even more room.
Don’t be fooled by its practicality, Vauxhall match this with design and innovation too. A brilliant option for a sensible yet stylish family car.
The Skoda Superb brings new and exciting options to their family range, with both Hatch and Estate models. This famously-reliable brand is back with more brilliant equipment to suit any sized family.
The latest Skoda Estate holds a massive 1,950 litres capacity with the rear seats down. So there’s room for everything needed for that next trip. Whilst the hatch offers luxury legroom in the front and back, ensuring maximum comfort for all passengers.
The new addition to the Citroën family car range offers a fantastic mix of practical needs and a great driving experience. The updated design offers the signature Citroën look with additional useful features.
New additions are roof arches with integrated bars which double up as accessory holders, great for those family trips when you need that extra bit of space – now there’s room for the kid’s bikes!
Features such as split-folding seats, crossbars and huge interior cargo space mean that the new 2019 Toyota Pruis builds on the existing family offerings from this vehicle. The safety features and awards won by Toyota are a winning combination for families too.
The 2019 Toyota Prius is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, and also received the NHTSA 5-Star Overall Safety rating for 2019.
If your family is ready to go fully electric then the Hyundai Kona Electric is an excellent choice. The design is surely set to divide opinion, but you can’t deny it’s certainly eye-catching!
The excitement around the new Hyundai Kona Electric model has meant there’s now a waiting list that you will need to join if you’d like to reserve one of the next available models. Take a look, it’s an eco-friendly option worth considering.
This is absolutely the budget option from the range of vehicles we’ve selected, nevertheless, the family-size Duster is great value for money. If you’re looking for a family car with minimal gadgets and gizmos, then the Dacia Duster could be the right one for you.
Consider what the Dacia makes up for in price, it lacks in interior design and a low safety rating.
