Vauxhall Corsa

Although the supermini is the nation's favourite test car, a safety fault has forced the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to take drastic measures.

Parent firm General Motors has recalled more than 250,000 56-plate models across Europe, after a fault was found that could cause a loss of steering. It says 26,000 of these are in the UK, but only a fraction will be affected.

However, the DSA has issued examiners and instructors with a list of Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) to check learner cars as they arrive for their test. Novices with affected models will be turned away until essential checks have been carried out.