Vauxhall is enjoying a boost to its market share on the back of a three-day test drive programme which saw more 50,000 British drivers and 550,000 customers across Europe visiting dealerships to take advantage of extra time behind the wheel.

Of those interviewed in dealerships, 90 per cent said their decision to visit was influenced by the three-day test drive opportunity, and more than seven out of 10 drivers came away saying they had a more positive opinion of Vauxhall cars as a result.

Vauxhall’s retail sales are up 1.3 per cent over the same period last year, despite a decline of more than 16 per cent across the rest of the new car market.

Almost half of those who took up the three-day test drive in the UK were under the age of 40, with 30 per cent of the total number of participants in the 30-39 age group.

A total of 27 per cent were looking to buy a new car within the next month, while more than half were looking to replace their car in the next three months.

The most popular Vauxhall model during the programme, which ran from April until the end of June, was the Astra Sport Hatch, accounting for 27 per cent of overall test drives. Astra 5-door and Zafira accounted for 22 per cent of the total each.

The programme also highlighted some interesting differences between the sexes, with over half of male drivers surveyed claiming they were most impressed by the ride quality and vehicle handling. The most popular features with female buyers were value for money and comfort.

Vauxhall began the programme, called the Million Mile Test Drive, involving 35,000 test cars in 40 countries in March. A total of a million miles were expected to be driven in the three-month campaign. In the UK, Vauxhall retailers had an extra 2,300 cars available to meet demand.