A NEW survey suggests that three-quarters of drivers are unaware of the true cost of running a car.

Vehicle management group LeasePlan asked drivers to predict the cost of running a private vehicle and say 56% opted for an amount lower than the true cost.

Kevin McNally, managing director of LeasePlan, said: ‘Thanks to years of tax changes and confused messages, thousands of UK employees believe company cars, traditionally one of the industry’s most popular perks, have become significantly more expensive to run than privately owned ones.’