Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

We'll do our best to answer your questions, though you may be as well off to pop into your local Toyota dealer to talk it over and take the car for a test drive yourself.

1 – The 18-inch wheels are only available on the GR Sport model and yes, they will be more susceptible to damage than the 17-inch rims fitted to most versions, but not drastically so.

2 – Yes, the tall wheels help give the Aygo X higher ground clearance than most small hatchbacks, that's for sure. It's not an off-road vehicle, though.

3 – There is no official figure for how far the hybrid Aygo X will travel on battery power as it only has a small battery, and it is not a plug-in hybrid. The system shuts the engine off regularly when driving in slow traffic. Though there is an “EV mode” button to force the car to use the battery charge, there's no reliable way to observe how far it travels on purely battery power for a single charge of the battery.

4 – The entry-level touchscreen measures nine inches across the diagonal, while a 10.5-inch screen is available on the higher specification models.

5 – No, Toyota does not use a Google-based operating system in the Aygo X. If you want Google Maps then you'll have to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in conjunction with a smartphone.

6 – We managed to beat the official fuel consumption figure – of 3.7 litres/100km (76.3mpg) – recording 3.2 litres/100km (88.3mpg) on a day of mostly slow enough driving, but including one section of motorway.

7 - The coefficient of drag is 0.31.

Expert answer

Hi Kieran,

That's frustrating on the resale value of your car, but we're in no better position than the dealers you've spoken to and they hold the 'power' in that regard so the cost-to-change will all come down to the deal any one showroom is willing to make. Anecdotally, you'll get a better deal if you go back to a BMW outlet, but it doesn't sound like any BMW is on your radar this time around. 

The three cars you've listed are decent enough, but I'd strongly urge you to test drive them before you make any decisions as they'll all feel a big chunky and heavy next to your BMW i4. 

Have you considered Polestar at all? Both the Polestar 2 and Polestar 4 are within the same price ballpark as you're looking and are both great to drive with a bit of an SUV vibe. The Polestar 2 has been around for a while (I own one as it happens) but it was significantly upgraded last year for more performance, spec and efficiency. It's now either rear-drive or all-wheel drive.

Again, take the time to go and test drive all of these cars before you bother trying to make deals, as the driving experience of the BMW i4 is a hard act to follow.

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Hi Elaine,

The BMW X3 diesel is what's called a "mild hybrid", so it can't be plugged in. The plug-in hybrid only makes sense if you can plug it in at home to charge up the battery at every available opportunity. If you don't do that then it's essentially the same as fuelling a heavy petrol-only model.

In general, a diesel car is more efficient than a plug-in hybrid when it comes to long journeys and it sounds like that's what may suit your needs better.

Expert answer

Hi Grady,

That sound like a binding brake calliper to us, but as you also mentioned the all-wheel-drive system there could also be something up with the differential up front. Only thing to do is get a good mechanic to have a look at it.

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Hi William,

There are plenty of good new EVs on the market within budget to consider, though most are crossover or SUV-style vehicles. That's a good thing in terms of ease of access, as their door openings are usually large and the roofs are not too low. It also usually means a relatively high-set seating position, to the benefit of comfort and visibility.

We prefer to drive regular car-shaped vehicles, but there just aren't enough all-electric options, unfortunately. While there's some negativity towards SUVs in general, we reckon a compact electric SUV ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of buyers, while not being completely inefficient.

Before giving you a few potential EVs to book test drives for, I'd urge you not to focus on the range too much. Assuming you can get a home charger installed, then going by your usage as described, you'll do the vast majority of your charging at home.

Prioritising a longer-range car means getting one with a bigger - i.e. heavier - battery, which will cost more up front and result in worse efficiency day to day. Relying on the public network a few times a year is no reason to compromise your car for the rest of the time.

The first car to come to mind is the excellent Renault Scenic E-Tech electric. It's probably bigger than you need, but the long wheelbase helps with comfort, and it sits somewhere between a hatchback and an SUV in terms of design and shape. With your budget, you could probably get the larger (87kWh) battery pack or choose the smaller one and a higher specification.

Sticking with Renault for a moment, another cool option is the new Renault 4 E-Tech, launching in Ireland imminently, though it doesn't have as long a range as the Scenic.

If you can wait a little, then it's also worth considering the new Nissan Leaf. This is a really excellent car that will certainly be in budget. It's quiet and comfortable to drive and efficient, too. The Nissan Ariya is already available, but I suspect it's larger than what you were looking for. It is comfortable, though, so no harm test-driving it for yourself.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is another great option, with a fantastically comfortable interior, good efficiency and a decent range for the money.

I could go on and on, so let us know what you think of these by submitting another question and we'll try to narrow things down for you.

Expert answer

Hi Ciara,

Out of those options, we'd likely choose the Renault Clio or the MG, as both are comfortable even at higher speeds on larger roads, while also being quite economical - more so than the other cars mentioned.

You really should try to get a proper test drive on such roads as you'll be spending all your time on them.

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

As I'm sure you know, the 330e was updated late in 2024, so if you can find one of those within budget, you'll appreciate the upgrades. Read our review of the revised BMW 330e here.

We're big fans of the 330e as well. It's difficult to beat its blend of performance, driving dynamics, style and efficiency. Here are a few alternatives to consider, nonetheless:

Mercedes-Benz C 300 e: I love the look of these, and it feels like a proper luxury car inside, more so than the BMW. Its chassis is more comfort-focused though, so you need to choose which you prefer. There's not much to choose between this and the updated 330e when it comes to performance, electric range and space, but the Mercedes is very expensive.

Volkswagen Passat GTE: I suspect this is not what you're looking for in terms of badge appeal, but the GTE is a very decent car. It's much bigger inside than your BMW and exceedingly comfortable, with perky performance when you need it (ok, not as perky as the 330e's). Its electric range isn't great, but fine for short commutes. And this car is more affordable than most on this list.

Skoda Superb iV: Much the same can be said about the Superb as for the Passat above, though the Superb is larger again and it doesn't always come with a sporting badge, which some will like. It's not massively common in the classifieds though.

Volvo V60: Now this is a hidden gem and would be my choice of the lot here, even as a serious fan of rear-drive cars such as the 330e. And yes, it is an estate body style, which you might not have been looking for, but it is such a fantastic, polished car that is great to drive, looks sensational and packs a bigger punch than many will expect.

Give our review of the V60 T6 Recharge a read and go test drive one for yourself to make up your own mind. Same advice really for all of the above cars, but this one stands out.

Expert answer

Hi Colm,

Glad you're enjoying our reviews and that's a good selection of cars to be choosing from.

The Born is, as you probably know, a five-door hatchback, with a relatively low-set driving position, sporty detailing inside and out and a boot volume of under 400 litres. It has a flat rear floor so three can sit across there, but it's better for two. It drives in a much sportier and more dynamic way than either the MGS5 or the Tavascan, no matter which version you go for, yet it's also really efficient in terms of energy consumption. The cheapest model officially does up to 426km on a charge, while the longest-range version manages up to 593km.

The Cupra Tavascan very much sits above the Born in the lineup, with a larger boot (540 litres) and interior space. Unsurprising given how much bigger the Tavascan is on the outside. It also gets a higher driving position, befitting the 'coupe-SUV' genre. It's not as efficient as the Born as it's bigger and heavier, but the entry-level model comes with a range of 568km, nonetheless. It's a quick car by any measure and drives well, if not with the vim of the Born.

In terms of interior space, there's not much to choose between the MGS5 and Tavascan, though the MG's boot is smaller (453 litres). The Cupra's cabin is more distinctive looking and, given the price gap between them, it should be of no surprise that the Tavascan's feels a grade above. The MG has the lowest performance of the three, but that's not important to many people. Its range of up to 465km is of use, but again most people don't need all that.

In summary, we'd never have put these three up against each other as natural rivals. One is a sporty hatch, one a sporty crossover and another a sensible SUV and they're only vaguely similar in terms of price. The MG is undoubtedly the best value of the three, though you can't expect it to be better than the Tavascan in all ways, either.

As ever with these things, we highly recommend you go and test drive all three for yourself to form your own opinions and then balance that with the maths of the deals you can get.

If there's anything specific you'd like us to cover that I've not mentioned above, please come back to us.

And please do let us know what you end up with.

Expert answer

Hi Jon,

At that mileage, your car is likely suffering from voltage fluctuations and ageing wiring and connectors, all of which can lead to the issues you are describing. 

I'd suggest you go back to basics and have the battery, alternator and each and every earth connection checked and cleaned for starters. Then plug the car into a diagnostic computer (any good mechanic can do that) and clear the faults before driving it and plugging it in again to see what comes up.

Some common 307 HDi issues we know of:

- Boost control solenoid
- EGR valve or position sensor
- BSI (Built-In Systems Interface) can act up with water ingress or voltage surge

In summary, there's unlikely to be a simple fix to this, but it's almost definitely electrical.

Expert answer

Hi Zoltán,

Those comments from the writer appear to stem from how poorly the car drives. It's summed up in this paragraph:

"The suspension in that car is soft and sloppy, which makes the car lean and lurch around corners, particularly if it has to deal with a change in elevation, direction and road surface all at once. Yet despite that, the ride is still as firm as that of a hot hatchback, with an unsettled feel over even the smoothest surfaces and a sharp thump over any potholes. Combine that with the wheelspin and slow steering that feels as detached and lifeless as a cheap games console's wheel, and the driving experience goes from being unremarkable to unacceptable."

Anyway, Jaecoo is not sold in Ireland yet, so hopefully all the teething issues will be sorted out before it is...

For others interested in the story, read our Jaecoo 7 SHS review here