"A very, very good start" was new manager Peter Taylor's happy verdict after rampant Hull welcomed their new boss with their best performance of the season.
Taylor's Tigers ruined high flying Torquay's unbeaten home record with a ruthless display of finishing.
The first half was a cat and mouse affair, with second-placed Torquay just about having the edge, but no-one was prepared for the goal that broke the deadlock.
Two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Torquay only half-cleared a Carl Regan cross and midfielder Ian Ashbee unleashed a 30-yard first-time volley, which screamed into the top right-hand corner.
Torquay head coach Leroy Rosenior described it as "a wonder goal."
But Hull were far from finished. Two minutes into the second half striker Phil Jevons made it 2-0, driving an angled shot under the body of Torquay keeper Kevin Dearden.
In the 65th minute Torquay grabbed a lifeline when midfielder Kevin Hill volleyed home David Graham's left-wing cross, but Taylor's men immediately regained the initiative.
Taylor, who took over from Jan Molby last week, sent on Gary Alexander and Ryan Williams for the tiring Jevons and Stuart Elliott and Hull never looked back.
Three minutes after Hill's goal, Scottish defender John Anderson volleyed his first goal for the club and five minutes from time Stuart Green swapped passes with Alexander in a slick counter-attack and went clear before drilling the ball past the advancing Dearden.
"I thought two of our goals were top quality," Taylor commented. "Ian Ashbee showed outstanding technique and the last goal was a really good passing move.
"The dressing room has a lot of quality in it. If we work hard when we haven't got the ball, we've got a real chance.
"When we've got it we can certainly handle it," Taylor concluded