Unsurprisingly, these are actually not good for us, but they eventually disappear to be replaced by the smell of damp carpet and something slightly cheesy that you can’t quite locate.

Hang a few Little Trees vanilla-scented air fresheners from the rear-view mirror, and the minicab vibe is complete.

Thankfully, Chemical Guys sell a “New Car Scent”, which is probably as close as I’ll get to ever owning a new car.

This isn’t a problem everyone has, though, as we’ve officially past 1st March, which means the new 2026 registration plates are heading out of the dealerships into a wall of depreciation.

After a few patchy years for the car-punting industry, the UK car market shows signs of recovery.

Whether this continues in the wake of Donnie’s Middle Eastern Tour remains to be seen.

Registrations are at a 20-year high, with a plethora of different brands suddenly becoming visible.

Traditionally, the new car off-gassing champions were the likes of Ford and Vauxhall, but recent years have shaken this up with an invasion from the east – although you have to be careful about using words like “invasion” these days.

Brands you might not have heard of a couple of years ago, like BYD, Omoda, and Jaecoo, are no longer just niche players; they are genuine competitors.

I had a look around an Omoda in Aberdeen, and the bodywork’s fit-and-finish was up there with the best. Okay, this could be Temu sheen that dissolves after a Scottish winter, but they certainly have the “look”.

The Jaecoo 7, a rugged-looking SUV that gives premium European brands a run for their money, has remarkably surged into the UK’s top three best-sellers.

If you’re looking for a 2026 reg, chances are one of these tech-heavy newcomers is on your radar, and it will probably have this as standard equipment.

While the mass market is embracing hybrids and EVs, the ultra-luxury world is in the doldrums. Oh, what a shame, never mind.

For a while at least, it seemed every prestige brand was aching to go EV-only by 2030. No longer, it seems.

In a move that will tickle petrolheads that’ll never own one (and wealthy traditionalists), Rolls-Royce has officially put its full-EV plans on ice – ice which they’d typically use to chill Champagne.

They’ve confirmed that their legendary V12 engine will live on well into the next decade. Bentley, meanwhile, has run out of Premier League footballers to sell cars to, and has experienced a sales dip, announcing job cuts at its Crewe headquarters.

It transpires that the world’s one per cent still have a soft spot for petrol combustion, as long as it’s not in their refineries.

If you’re in a position to buy, keep one eye on the calendar. This April, the “luxury car tax” threshold is being increased from £40,000 to £50,000.

This is positive news for EV buyers.

As electric cars are often pricier upfront, many average family EVs are targeted with a chunky £425 annual supplement.

This change means many more cars will dodge that bullet, potentially saving a couple of grand over a few years of ownership, which you can give back to the energy companies.

However, it’s not all rainbows and bunnies. With diesel prices creeping up by 20p a litre recently, the economic arguments surrounding car ownership are back in the mix.

Some groups feel the government should cut the 20 per cent VAT on public charging to match the five per cent paid on household chargers.

Basically, the absence of a driveway should not be a barrier to EV ownership. However, in light of the war in the Middle East, the International Energy Agency is calling on consumers to alter their behaviours via a 10-point plan.

Among these are working from home, lowering speed limits (without a Bolts window sticker) and using public transport.

It’s a big question, though; if the bus is the sensible option, will they have “New Bus Smell” air fresheners or is it still Little Trees Ciggie-whiff?