I-Spy, ‘First one to see’ and Yellow Car named among best car games

A poll of 2,000 adults found 88% will indulge in a time-killing challenge when on a road trip. Spotting car brands and various license plates also proved popular.

Other games to feature in the top 20 include the Alphabet Game, when you have to think of a word in a certain category beginning with each letter and the classic Rock Paper Scissors. Name That Tune, Would You Rather and even Truth or Dare are also popular.

It comes after Londoners playing 'Yellow Car' would have found themselves racking up the points, after images captured five new Renault 5 E-Tech Electric vehicles buzzing around the capital's most famous landmarks.

The fleet were all designed in the French carmaker's iconic yellow pop colourway, making them stand out from the crowd. The swarm of five in-sync cars drove past London sights including The Mall and past Big Ben.

A spokesperson from the automotive brand, which also commissioned the research, said: "The nation will be taking to the roads this Bank Holiday weekend and I’m sure many will be playing at least one of these classic car games. While I-Spy might still be the most popular, Yellow Car is one that many will be familiar with.

“Trying to spot a brightly coloured car while on the road can keep adults and children alike entertained and can help make any car journey go that little bit quicker.

“So, having launched Renault 5 with the option of vibrant, fun colours, we wanted to play a real-life version of the Yellow Car game on the streets of London, so anyone driving past would have had a bumper load of cars to shout about.”

The study also revealed that for 67% of those who play car games, the point doing so is simply to pass time and stave off boredom, but 43% rely on them to lighten the mood.

And 16% turn to them to reduce screen time or random scrolling on their phones. It also emerged 63% of adults claimed car games make them feel nostalgic for the car trips of their childhood.

UK car journeys were the most popular time to break out a game (53%), followed by when going a day trip (41%) and visiting friends and family (32%).

But 21% of adults also play them when driving with friends and 17% do so on the exciting journey to the airport. And nearly one in 10 (8%) of the parents polled, via OnePoll, turn to them to keep kids entertained on the school run.