Britons are buying their first set of wheels almost a decade younger than their parents, despite the ever-increasing cost of car maintenance.

According to research from car insurer easyMoney.com, today's young Brits have their first set of wheels by the time they turn 20, compared to their parents who weren't on the road until their 29th birthday.

But far from a generation of spoiled little darlings rising through the ranks, close to half (42 per cent) of young Brits buy their own first car, with just a quarter (25 per cent) relying on Mum and Dad to fund the purchase.

And it's not cheap, today's generation of first-time drivers are shelling out an average of £5,350 on their first car, with eight in 10 (80 per cent) of these purchases being second-hand motors.