Expert answer

Hi Brian,

Yes it is. All CR-Vs up to the latest 1.6 diesel have had four-wheel drive only. The latest 1.6 is the first offered with front-wheel drive only.

Best of luck with your purchase.

Expert answer

Hi Donagh,

All of the cars you've listed there will be both a lot more reliable and much more economical than your 407, but potentially your best bet is to stay within the Peugeot dealer network where you'll most likely get the best deal on your trade-in. The new 308 is looking pretty impressive, comes with a five-year warranty and Peugeot's build quality has come on a long way since the 407...

Let us know which way you go

Expert answer

Hi Paxton,

Well, it depends what you mean by SUV. Large? Small? Proper 4x4 or front-wheel drive? Our favourites run the gamut from Peugeot 2008 to Skoda Yeti to Honda CR-V to Kia Sorento to BMW X5, but it just depends what you’re looking for.

Expert answer

Hi Christopher,

I think what you need here is a car of medium height, not low slung like a hatch or tall like an SUV, but in the middle, so that it's easy (apologies for being indelicate) to get your bum on the seat and swing your legs in more easily. A tall hatch, essentially. So perhaps have a look at a five-door Ford C-Max, or possibly a Honda Civic or Volkswagen Golf Plus. They usually present an easier entry-exit setup than something more low and rakish. Try a few out and see what works best for you.

Expert answer

Hi Caroline,

That's pretty much the only one, to be honest. At least so far. The front-wheel drive version of the RX 450h has CO₂ emissions of 140g/km, which means you'll pay just €280 a year to tax it. Not bad for a car like that. The problem is that you'll never get the kind of fuel economy that Lexus quotes for it. Around 30mpg will probably be the best you'll achieve. 

Later this month though, Honda will launch a 1.6-litre diesel version of its CR-V. It's not quite as big as the Lexus but is really very spacious and has a massive boot. With Band A4 emissions (€200 a year) of 119g/km, a smooth chassis and impeccable build quality, it could be your best bet.

Expert answer

Hi Dympna,

Really nice car, the Soul and one that's often overlooked as every other car maker rushes out its own compact crossover. The cabin can feel a little cheap in places and it's a bit noisy compared to the likes of the Peugeot 2008, but other than that, it's a canny buy. Not only do you get Kia's excellent seven-year warranty, but you also get a chassis that was tuned by sports car legends Lotus. A good buy.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Sarah,

Tricky one this. It's very, very hard to find an MPV of any size that can take lots of people and their cargo at the same time. 

I think you might be best going for either a Fiat Multipla or a Honda FR-V. Their two-rows-of-three seating allows you to seat six (albeit the front centre passenger had better be someone small and/or young) and they still have usefully big boots behind.

Otherwise, you need to go up a size and maybe even think about a compact minibus. A Mercedes-Benz Viano or Volkswagen Caravelle perhaps. There's also the option of a Chrysler Grand Voyager, which has a bit more room than the standard model, but I'd suggest you try it with a full load of people and wheelchair before buying, just to make sure you'll all fit.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Darlene,

Realistically, you're going to have to go down the MPV route to get three seats across the back. There are few, if any, conventional saloons and hatchbacks around now that can accommodate three full-size child safety seats next to each other. 

The obvious choices are the three French MPVs: the Citroen C4 Picasso, Peugeot 5008 and Renault Scenic, all of which have three individually adjustable rear seats and all of which will easily swallow three car seats in the back. The seven-seat versions of each (the 5008 comes only as a seven seater) will also give you some extra seating flexibility for when you need it. Ditto for the Volkswagen Touran, but not for the Ford C-Max or Mazda5, both of which use a narrow central-rear 'jump seat' layout, which isn't wide enough for what you need.

You could also, if you're looking for something a little more affordable, go the van-derived car route and the Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo and Volkswagen Caddy will all swallow three side-by-side car seats.

But actually, the best two tips of all are the Toyota Corolla Verso (or latterly, just plain old Verso) and the Honda FR-V. The Toyota is a car we keep coming back to for recommendations here, as it's massively spacious, massively reliable and actually pretty nice to drive. There are also plenty of them around. That's sadly not the case with the Honda, but it's worth seeking one out if you fancy something a little more left-field and the six seats (in two rows of three) give you lots of options for loading people and/or luggage. Like the Toyota, the FR-V is hugely reliable and it's a bit more engaging to drive than its Japanese rival.

Expert answer

Hi Emilie,

Well, there are other Almeras around of that age and mileage for that kind of price, so perhaps we're jumping to conclusions here. It's also not unknown for a car to have multiple owners. Apparently there's a Honda Civic out there somewhere currently on its 40th owner! 

Nevertheless, if your antennae are twitching, it's always a good idea to follow up your suspicions. Check the service record. Does the car seem to have been back to the garage a lot? Can you contact any of the previous owners or a garage where the car has been looked after?

If you're still concerned, get the AA to inspect the car. They'll find out pretty quickly if there's anything wrong with it.

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

Easy: Toyota Verso. Or, if you're looking for something bigger, the SEAT Alhambra. A Honda FR-V would also be spectacularly long-lived, but it's now becoming hard to find a good one.