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Hi Pat,

I can confirm it is a metallic paint. It says as much in the brochure here.

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Hi Wim,

This list of driver-assistance systems applies to the Mazda6e: Smart Brake Support Front/Rear (SBS), Distance ＆ Speed Alert, Forward obstruction Warning (FOW), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Door Open Warning (DOW), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Secondary Collision Warning (SCR) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

There's no specific mention of a system that keeps the car in lane when it's not an emergency situation, but then again, we've only had access to pre-production models so far and the car is not yet on sale.

Xpeng is rolling out a significant upgrade for the G6 at present that, depending on specification, would make it a little more advanced than the Mazda as it stands.

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Hi Eve,

First up, the car must be registered in Ireland much sooner than that after arrival - it's supposed to be done within 30 days.

There are a few UK companies that allow customers buy decent warranties, but moving the car to another country and re-registering it is likely to invalidate such a thing. You could try calling them up to check. Warrantywise is one of the better-known firms.

In Ireland, there don't appear to be as many options. MAPFRE provides such warranties to its business clients to offer their customers when they buy their cars, but does not deal directly with individual owners. Car Simple does sell warranties to individuals, but only for cars that are under eight years old, so they wouldn't cover your car.

Best bet is to talk directly to one of the UK providers to get a steer on whether the car can remain under warranty when you move it to Ireland.

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Hi Michael,

We've not conducted our own detailed real-world range test on this car. According to the official figures, the most efficient version can do up to 753km on the WLTP cycle. 

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Hi Michael,

Depending on the exact specification, Audi quotes 648-713 kilometres on the official WLTP cycle. We'd expect at least 500km in most circumstances so long as conditions aren't freezing and the car isn't weighed down with people and luggage.

It massively depends on how it is driven and how fast etc. as well. There really is no definitive “real-world” figure no matter what anyone tells you. That's why we have a test such as the WLTP to compare one car against another, as imperfect and as unrealistic as it is.

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Hi Michael,

New Audi prices may be the same across all its dealers, but each and every one of them will do deals differently, especially when there's a trade-in involved. No harm shopping around.

We know that Audi has an extended warranty, and it's briefly mentioned on Audi Ireland's website, but there's no further information about its cost that we can see. We've sent a message to our contact there to get an answer on that one for you. We'd certainly advocate for extended warranties on high-end cars.

Finally, only you can decide on which of the A6 Sportback e-trons you like, but do you need to absolutely max out the range you can get from the car? Enough to live without the reassurance of quattro four-wheel drive? If so, then perhaps invest in a set of winter tyres and wheels to use when you need them.

I'd just go for the quattro and accept it won't be quite as efficient.

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Hi Alex,

Offline you mentioned you'd like something stylish as well as solid and spacious. One of the first cars that comes to mind is the Audi Q3, which is decently practical, has a premium badge and is plentiful for your budget of about €20,000. I'd urge you to stick with petrol power given your annual mileage of no more than 15,000km.

The BMW X1 would do the same job, but it's very difficult to find one that isn't diesel. Same story with the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Series Touring estates, both of which we'd prefer over an SUV. And same thing for the excellent Volkswagen Arteon.

A hybrid-powered Lexus NX would be a good option for you, as would the Mazda CX-5, though neither are as common in the classifieds as the Audi above.

Have a look at some of those and test drive as many cars as you can.

Come back to us if you'd like us to help narrow down your search.

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Hi Joe,

No they're not. The Matrix LED lights have extra functionality - new or old.

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Hi Charles,

You've not mentioned which engine or which version of the car as the CO₂ emissions vary considerably. It could be as low as €210 per annum if the emissions are under 140g/km in a model with the 2.0 TDI engine, for example, while the plug-in hybrid models are only €140 a year to tax.

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Hi Richard,

We're not convinced that's a good move. While we really like how the CLA looks, it's far smaller inside than your Mazda. That 1.3-litre engine is a little gutless as well and will feel it after your 2.2-litre diesel Mazda. The CLA has proven to be mostly reliable, though, other than a few possible gremlins.

Make sure you go and test drive the car before you make any decisions.