72% of motorists admit their vehicles ‘pong’, according to new research from motor oil and car care product supplier Comma.

Whilst most people hanker after the fresh ‘new car smell’, the reality is that the vast majority of the 27m cars on the road are more likely to smell of fish, vomit and stale milk.

The most common smell motorists would like to be rid of is the aroma left by food – most notably fast food and takeaways. The lingering perfume of stale cigarette smoke also features prominently in the top 5 of both men and women drivers. Exhaust fumes were the only external smell noted by 17% of men and 11% of the women.

Almost a third of women complained about the smell left by their children and vomit. This compared to just 8% of men.

Men were also more likely to complain of animals making their cars smell – 12% against 6% of women.