"The Cupra Ateca VZ is a Swiss Army knife of family cars: fast, fun, and practical." It turns out that the real embarrassment for many motorists isn’t their driving or parking skills — it’s their messy cars. A recent survey by Skoda reveals that nearly half of parents are too mortified to offer their friends a lift, thanks to the chaos created by their children.

From crisps to random toys, the back seat quickly becomes a child-made disaster zone. Nearly 30pc of drivers dread the thought of a relative seeing their car’s state, and one in 10 avoid parking at work to keep colleagues from seeing the mess. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.