A new study finds ‘Sexism is prevalent in showrooms’. On average, women are routinely charged over £500 more than men to buy the same car. The study did mystery shops at 45 car dealerships in the UK.

The undercover survey used hidden video cameras and microphones to find out how many single men, single women and couples were charged for the same five models of cars in dealerships in the north, the Midlands and the south of England.

One woman was charged £1,800 more than a male counterpart.

Sales staff were generally polite and professional, but they offered women poor deals.

Just 40 per cent of women were offered a discounted price compared to 86 per cent of men. Just over half of couples were offered a bargain.

The magazine has 1,500 minutes of film footage to support its findings, showing women being pressured more to purchase a car on the spot and dealers using sharp practices and giving customers misleading information on finance terms.

Of the discounts offered, the best for a man for a BMW 320I was £1,395 (the worst was £1,048) off the list price of £22,395. Women were offered £896 and £395 respectively.

Seven per cent of women felt the sales staff did not take them seriously. All the men felt they had been taken seriously.

David Motton, the editor of What Car? said: Women are getting a raw deal when buying a new car. They pay more and feel under more pressure to buy than men.

Christopher McGowan, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said approaching buyers differently on the basis of their sex was absolutely unacceptable. He added: We know that women influence around 80 per cent of all car purchases, so it simply isn't in a dealer's interest to treat such a huge customer base poorly.

Manufacturers carry out rigorous 'mystery shopper' exercises to ensure dealer networks perform to expected customer service standards. However, the industry knows it must improve its reputation and the customer experience. That's why the industry is united in developing a robust new code of practice to give customers peace of mind.

Explanation of finance terms was a problem for all, but particularly for women. More than half the females and couples felt finance packages were not fully explained, compared with 27 per cent of men.

A recent study by scientists at Bradford University has indicated that women are safer drivers than men because the female hormone oestrogen enables them to shift concentration more quickly and respond to the pressures of the road.