1.3m have said goodbye to their motors

The average car owner is now spending around £1,720.69 per year to fuel their vehicle, which is a 22.9 per cent year-on-year increase, Sainsbury’s Car Insurance said.

Some 76 per cent of motorists have changed their driving habits in the last 12 months as a result, according to the research, in a bid to cut the cost of driving.

The research comes amid challenging conditions for consumers as the soaring cost of living and muted wages growth stifles spending power.

The average cost of petrol is 136.07p a litre, according to most recent figures from the AA, down 0.86p on the mid-May average but higher than the 135.75p-a-litre figure on June 5.

Elsewhere, households are feeling the pressure from rising food prices, utility bill hikes and increased duty on alcohol and tobacco.

Some changes to motoring habits identified by the research include stopping filling up tanks fully, which 26 per cent admit to doing, and instead purchasing specific values of fuel.

Some 45 per cent of motorists – 16.5 million people – are now driving less and 7 per cent have started to car share, the research revealed.

A further 10 per cent – 3.53 million – have downgraded their car for one that is cheaper to run.