Rory Reid

Car and technology expert

Rory Reid is a car and technology expert. He serves as the main presenter on Auto Trader’s YouTube channel and was previously a host on the BBC’s Top Gear and its sister show Extra Gear. He was also a presenter on Fifth Gear.

Previously, he hosted Sky TV’s Gadget Geeks, CNET’s Car Tech channel, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Saturday Edition and on the YouTube channel Fast, Furious & Funny.

You can find Rory at mrroryreid.com.

Rory’s experience

AutoTrader

In 2019, Rory joined AutoTrader as Director of YouTube content. Also appearing as the channel’s presenter, Rory produces car reviews and guides to help motorists find the right set of wheels for them.

Top Gear & Extra Gear

Rory’s passion for motor journalism shone through when he joined BBC’s Top Gear as a presenter. Top Gear is an internationally renowned motor show, watched by millions around the world. Rory appeared on the show for four series, from series 23 through series 26.

Rory also featured on Top Gear’s spin-off show, Extra Gear, and was a contributing editor to Top Gear magazine.

CNET

As the Editor of Cars & Computing, Rory helped CNET win the Association of Online Publishers award for Best Use of Video for his Car Tech video series.

Rory Reid commenting on...

Buying a second-hand car

“Dealerships are typically more expensive than private sellers but can offer additional benefits. Unlike private sellers, dealers often offer part-exchange deals and warranties.

Also, if you buy from an established, trustworthy trader you can be confident the car has been checked, which reduces the chances of it breaking down as soon as you get it home.”

Should you buy a manual or an automatic car?

“An automatic is usually easier to learn in – you put your car in ‘D’ for ‘drive’ and off you go. With a manual car, you’ll need to make sure you’re in the right gear for the speed and road conditions.

Manual drivers will tell you the ‘skill’ of driving a car depends on your ability to select the right gear at the right time and perfecting your clutch control. But if you’re not bothered about that, then learning in an automatic could be for you.”

Remapping a car engine

“Remapping the software and fine-tuning the engine can increase a car’s power and torque output, maximising its overall performance by 20-50bhp or as much as 35 per cent. But this will vary between makes and models, and the type and quality of remapping done.”

Rory Reid elsewhere on the web...

topgear.com: Hyundai has reinvented the [steering] wheel

“The system still needs a lot of work before it’s ready for public use, but top secret customer clinics are underway. Hyundai, to its credit, seems pretty serious about the project, and has invested plenty of time and effort into developing ever more effective iterations of the system - moving from mouse touchpads to what you see here.”

Rory Reid in the press...

fleetworld.co.uk: 2050 car honed for business travel

“The development of autonomous vehicles could completely transform the role that cars play in the business world, enabling motorists to reclaim the commute and fully make use of their time en-route to meetings and events. We can see the car of 2050 becoming an extension of the office, creating new levels of efficiency within the workplace.”

expressandstar.com: Employees that travel for work could turn to caravans instead of hotels

“We’ve recently seen a huge spike in interest for caravans and motorhomes across our app and website. Whilst a large portion of this is down to people needing a staycation this year, there’s a really interesting trend emerging of using caravans for contact-free ways of working, or even self-isolating to keep key workers safe.”

mirror.co.uk: Bikes set to boom: Huge increase in moped, scooter and motorbike searches

“It’s no coincidence that this has followed Boris Johnson urging the public not to go on buses, trams and trains wherever they can avoid it.

It seems to be part and parcel of getting into a ‘new normal’. They’re relatively cheaper options for commuting, they can help you get around easily in congested urban areas, and they’re easier to park in tight spots.

They can also be a much more viable option than walking or cycling for the majority of people whose commute is longer than five miles.”