Which reliable car to go for with €15,000 to spend?

Hi folks,

I've recently accepted a new job that requires me to drive from Galway to Shannon (motorway more or less the entire trip). I'm now wondering what is the most reliable motorway car I should be going for. I was stung in the past by a 2015 Mercedes C-Class and don't want to end up with a money pit again!

Budget would be around €15k. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dave (Galway)

May 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Dave,

Given you'll be on the motorway for an hour each way, presumably a few days a week at least, a diesel car seems to make the most sense in your case.

We'd also suggest that you stick to a car rather than an SUV as it will be better to drive, generally more comfortable and definitely more efficient.

Scouring the classifieds for options, here's what we reckon might suit:

Honda Civic 1.6 diesel
Hyundai i40 1.7 diesel
Kia Optima 1.6 diesel
SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel
Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel
Volkswagen Passat 2.0 diesel
Volkswagen Golf 1.6 diesel

Come back to us if you'd actually rather stick with a premium marque. The above are a good bet in general when it comes to reliability, though as ever, take your time to choose a good example with a detailed service history, and take test drives as well.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor