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Hi Jacinta,

Essentially the old 1.9 TDI Pump Düse engine is just a bit less sophisticated than the newer, cleaner 1.6 TDI common rail engine. That said it's still pretty economical and while you could potentially get 60mpg from the 1.6 you should pretty easily get low-fifties-mpg from the 1.9.

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Hi Helena,

I presume you mean the diesel versions of both cars? If so, according to the official figures, a Qashqai 1.5 dCi diesel will return 54.3mpg on average, while a Corolla Verso 2.2 D-4D will return 44.8mpg.

Hope that helps

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Hi Raska,

Well, you haven't specified which model, but I'm going to take a stab that you mean Auris, Corolla or Avenisis. On that basis, the answer is yes (reliable, comfy, practical, lots of them around to choose from) and no (Auris and Corolla's 1.4 D-4D engine is underpowered compared to the competition, Avensis cabin feels a touch old-fashioned).

If you need a little more than that come back to us with a specific model.

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Hi Bernadette,

I'd say between €7,000 and €8,000 on a trade-in, depending on what you're trading it in against.

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Hi Bernadette,

You're most likely looking at a value of between €5,000 and €7,000 for your Corolla. If you're looking to trim your running costs then downsizing to a Yaris could be a good idea. You just need to do your sums carefully to make sure that the cost of upgrading (the price of the new car minus your trade in) isn't more than what you could potentially save in terms of petrol and road tax over the same period. 

Choosing an Auris isn't downsizing - it's the car that replaced the hatchback Corolla and is the same size. The only way it could save you money is if you went for the diesel version and that would only work if you're doing big mileages - 15,000km a year or more.

So, with that in mind, it may be worth looking at simply keeping your current car. A mileage of 89,000km is barely run in for a Corolla and it may be worth looking at simply getting your existing car serviced, valeted and maybe updated (new alloys? a nicer stereo?). It may work out cheaper in the long run.

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Hi Alanna,

I reckon the Qashqai +2 might be the best one to go for. The extra seats are pretty small but the boot on the +2 is simply massive when they're folded flat, so that's helpful when you're lugging around two small ones and their various chattels. Don't worry about running costs too much - the Qashqai looks like an SUV but it's really a hatchback with attitude and the 1.5 diesel engine is reliable, economical and has reasonably low emissions too.

That Toyota 1.4 diesel you mentioned would indeed be much less powerful than your Mazda's engine - it's about 20hp down and noticeably so. Volkswagen Jettas are indeed reliable, but I reckon that the Nissan would be slightly more so, so make that your first choice.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Rowland,

OK, there are a lot of parameters to go with here, but the basics are that you need a car that's cheap to buy (so it can't, sadly be too new), has affordable running costs and won't break down every time it rains. I reckon that gives you a choice of three or four key models: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Auris, Kia cee'd or Hyundai i30.

Have a shop around and you should be able to find several of those all well within your purchase price range, while they all have efficient engines and excellent reliability records. In the case of the Kia and the Hyundai, they also have lengthy warranties, which, even if there's none left on the one you buy, at least means that they're more likely to have been looked after. My personal choice would be the Honda. Track down a nice 1.4 petrol Civic and I don't think you'll look back.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Mossy,

Close call really. Both are excellent and the C-Max is far sweeter to drive than the Toyota. But, the Toyota is bigger inside and Japanese reliability means you'll be shelling out less for running costs. Go for the Verso.

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Hi Alan,

Hachis are notoriously hard to price as there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Gone are the days of cars being sold fresh off the boat for €12,000 - €13,000, but they still do command more of a premium than other cars of the vintage. The most important consideration of the AE86 is not the presence of a rebuilt engine but the lack of rust. Sill, floorpans and inner arches are all prone to rust and these are the first places prospective buyers will be interested in. There is also the UK/Ireland vs Japan consideration with original European cars being that bit rarer and more coveted than their Japanese cousins. All things considered somewhere between €7,500 - €8,500 seems to be the going price with some exceptional cars going for closer to €10,000.

Hope this helps.

Expert answer

Hi Eamonn,

It sounds as if you have a loose connection, which is quite common with newer designs of aerial that use small and often fiddly antennae. Anyway, your best bet is to bring it to your nearest Toyota dealer, as they’ll more than likely have a pretty simple fix for it.