Expert answer

Hi Julia,

Yes on both! It's Golf-based, so the Eos is pretty solidly built and there seems to be a refreshing lack of reports of issues with the roof mechanism (not usually the case where folding steel hard-tops are concerned), but it is quite a pricey car, especially if you want one with a bit of decent poke. The problem is that the weight of the roof banjaxes the performance, even that of the model with the 200hp Golf GTI engine, and that heft, whether it's up above your head, or folded out back in the boot, doesn't do the handling much good either.

If you're looking for a classy cabrio, could we suggest going for something a year or two older and snapping up a nice Audi A4 Cabriolet instead? It's got a (proper) cloth roof, is nicer to drive than the Eos and built like an utter tank.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi F D,

They’re basically the same car, so the differences are, at most, fractional. The Leon SC is 4,428mm long overall and 1,975mm wide. That compares to 4,258mm and 2,027mm for the Golf, and an Audi A3 three-door at 4,237mm and 1,777mm. So the Leon SC is a little longer (longer than the five-door Leon too), but not by very much, and most of that extra length is actually in the bumpers.

Expert answer

Hi Aine,

Small car? Or small premium car? If you like your Audis, then a smart-but-small A1 could be a good choice, but to be honest you’d be better off buying the new SEAT Ibiza, which uses all the same mechanical bits, but is much, much cheaper. The Honda Jazz is always a good choice, too — roomy, really well made and enjoyable to drive — as is the MINI Cooper if you fancy something small but fun. Or, if you want to go really small, check out a Fiat 500. Here are our reviews of each:

SEAT Ibiza review

Audi A1 review

Honda Jazz review

MINI Cooper review

Fiat 500 review

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

You're in an enviable position and, before going into more detail, we'd be very happy with any of those cars as an ownership proposition.

Personally, I'd be sorely tempted by the Evoque. There are plenty of colour and wheel options to change its appearance to your liking, it's much more of an occasion inside and it drives like a hot hatch (the chassis is very much road-biased, though it does well enough off-road when needed). Admittedly, certain versions of the BMW and Audi may be more economical, but I'd look at it very closely.

When the current BMW X3 came out it really took a leap forward from its predecessor in terms of comfort, quality and refinement, but between that and the Audi Q5 I may too be swayed by the fact that the Audi has had a more recent update. I also prefer how the Q5 looks. There's very little between them depending on which engines you're looking at.

The best advice is to go test drive each car for as long as possible, paying close attention to the specifications of the test cars.

In terms of automatic gearboxes, unless you're looking at a petrol Q5 (which I doubt!) or the high-performance SQ5 TDI model (fantastic) then the only option is the dual-clutch S-Tronic unit. This helps with efficiency and allows the driver more control when he wants it, but is not as smooth as a traditional torque converter gearbox, as fitted to the Evoque and BMW. They're both smooth systems, but the eight-speed item in the BMW is the most impressive, managing to minimise fuel consumption increases.

Hopefully that's of help, but come back to us if you need more

Expert answer

Hi Norman,

Your best bet is your local Audi dealer. Manuals aren't usually too expensive. If it is too expensive perhaps search for it on eBay or similar.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Fion,

Basically excellent. As ever, with any car, you want to see a full and complete service history, and the MMI infotainment system can be troublesome (and damn near impossible to fix if it goes wrong), but the A5 is mechanically tough, so as long as the servicing has been done properly, you shouldn’t expect too many issues.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Interestingly, you haven't given us a budget to work with here, so that means a whole world of possibilities looked to be opening up, and then you hit us with the sub-2.0 clause, which instantly shut them down again.

So how about these for some suggestions:

Kia Sportage: you'll get a 2.0-litre diesel 4x4 auto for €35k and it's as stylish and good to drive as you could wish for.

Want something a bit more premium? How about an Audi Q3? Very stylish, but a bit more pricey. €41k gets you a 2.0 TDI quattro.

Finally there's the new Ford Kuga. Bigger and more practical than either of the other two mentioned, you'll pay €43k for a 2.0 TDCi diesel with Powershift auto.

What do you think?

Expert answer

Hi Shane,

As with any current turbodiesel model, the first thing to check is the diesel particulate filter. Drive the car at a steady 2,500rpm in fourth gear for around 16km and see if the DPF warning light goes out. If it does, all is fine. The 2.0 TDI engine needs a cambelt change every 110,000km so make absolutely sure that's been done as it's an expensive job and a total engine failure if it goes when you're driving.

If the car has the MMI infotainment system then make sure that all the functions are working, as problems are apparently hard to diagnose and expensive to fix. Check the front passenger floor mat for dampness - the air conditioning system can sometimes flood with water draining down from the windscreen and leak onto the floor. Glovebox catches and (more worryingly) seatbelt anchors are prone to wear, so check both. Watch for tracking issues on S-Line cars with sports suspension. A dull thudding noise from the front might be a worn anti-roll bar drop link too.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Hilary,

We’ve found a good few for sale on Carzone, so try having a look here. As for UK imported cars, we wouldn’t be too worried about buying one, as long as you’ve thoroughly checked out the history with Cartell.ie and background of the car first.

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

You've picked a car from a changeover year, but with that mileage I'm going to assume it's the older generation model you're talking about. If so, check the door handles for loose fit and make sure it has had a cambelt change at 130,000km. If it's a diesel make sure its oil has been regularly topped up (A4s seem to burn a lot), if it's the Multitronic auto then make sure the gearbox oil has been changed every 60,000 kilometres or so.

Other than that, engine sensors can fail and drop the car into creep-home mode, so make sure your test drive takes in a lot of different driving styles and speeds. Check the diesel particulate filter (drive for a steady 16 kilometres at 2,500rpm and if the DPF light on the dash doesn't go out then it needs replacing). Listen for noisy steering racks on full lock. A knocking noise from the front suspension could be a worn-out anti-roll bar too.

Hope that helps