Expert answer

Hi Kamil,

Depending on the final spec and mileage, I’d say you should be looking at a VRT bill of around the €3,000 mark for that car. 

Expert answer

Hi Manav,

The Jazz basically has the Suzuki beaten in every metric you’ve mentioned here, except for boot space (the Baleno has a single, solitary, extra litre of boot volume) and, depending on which model you go for, power.

The Baleno can be had with either a 90hp 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 111hp turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol ‘BoosterJet' unit. The Honda comes with a choice of 1.3 or 1.5-litre VTEC petrol engines, with either 102hp or 130hp, but it’s worth remembering that the basic Baleno comes as a mild hybrid, so it has a tiny electric motor that can boost power for a few seconds at a time, and is very economical.

Expert answer

Hi Jan,

If you’ve owned the car for more than six months and have had it taxed and insured at your previous address during that time, then there’s no import duties (or Vehicle Registration Tax - VRT) to pay. Depending on where you’re moving from, there may be some VAT to pay, and you’ll have to pay for the inspection and valuation at the NCT centre, but other than that there should be no cost to bringing the car in.

The last generation of Honda Insight has a CO₂ rating of 105g/km, so that means you’ll pay €190 a year in motor tax.

Read our guide to How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland for more information

You can find much more information on the importing process here: https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/guide-to-vrt/vehicle-registration-tax/index.aspx

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

In this instance, the sales people are being entirely truthful — the new 1.0-litre turbo engines are indeed equivalent to an old 1.6 or even 1.8 engine in the way they drive. You certainly won’t find them too ‘revvy’ on the motorway, as the small turbo increases low-down torque and makes the car feel very relaxed and easy to drive. Certainly that’s true for the Volkswagen Group, Ford, Honda and Renault-Nissan engines anyway. The best ones to go for, in our experience, are the VW Golf or Skoda Octavia (both using the same engine, of course), the Honda Civic (which should be the most reliable in the long term) and the Ford Focus (which can be a little on the thirsty side). Read our reviews below for more detail:

Skoda Octavia 1.0 TSI review

Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI review

Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Turbo review

Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost review

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

The Hyundai or Kia will be more efficient than the 1.6 i-DTEC Honda, but only just and at the expense of a considerable amount of performance — the Honda feels much brisker and is more comfortable than the other two as well. In that size range, it’s also well worth considering the VW Tiguan, especially the current-shape model, which is very frugal in 2.0-litre 115hp form. Some reviews below to help you decide:

Kia Sportage reviews

Hyundai Tucson reviews

Honda CR-V reviews

Volkswagen Tiguan reviews

Expert answer

Hi John,

If you mean the new, current model HR-V, then the 1.6 iDTEC diesel has official fuel economy of 70mpg or 3.8 litres per 100km. That means around 50-55mpg in real world conditions. 

Expert answer

Hi Declan,

It’s actually really hard to pick a winner out of those three. The Auris Hybrid is a good choice, but works best if most of your mileage is in town. At 1,000km a week, it sounds like you’re doing longer journeys than that. Between the Golf and the Civic? Both have excellent 1.0-litre turbo petrol engines, but I think on balance we’d come down on the side of the Civic. It's roomier inside than the Golf and has  (slightly) better reliability prospects in the longer term.

Expert answer

Hi Garret,

I think a realistic trade-in value is going to be around €8-9,000, with a private sale price of around €10,500.

Expert answer

Hi Ray,

If you fancy a hybrid, then the best current model is the Toyota Prius. Its looks may divide opinion, but it is exceptionally economical, even on a long motorway run, and it has a roomy, comfortable cabin. Read our Toyota Prius review here.

If you fancy something a little more prestigious, then how about the Lexus IS 300h? Not quite as spacious as the Opel you have, but with exceptional build quality, decent economy and terrific refinement. Read our Lexus IS 300h review here.

BMW”s 330e plugin hybrid is another good contender, as is Volkswagen’s Passat GTE, but they’re both quite pricey and work better in downtown than they do on the open road. As far as hybrid SUVs go, Toyota’s C-HR is lovely, but rather small inside, so it may be worth waiting for Honda to launch its new CR-V hybrid next year. More reviews for you:

BMW 330e review

Volkswagen Passat GTE review

Toyota C-HR Hybrid review

Expert answer

Hi Dave,

It sounds as if it could be an issue with the actual fan that blows the air (both with and without air conditioning on) through the vents. Sometimes the blades of the fan can warp, or even melt slightly if you’ve been running the heat at full blast for a while (such as when defrosting the car on an icy day), and that can cause an odd harmonic effect in the airflow. Or, it’s also possible that leaves or some other sort of road debris has gotten in past the filter and is causing the whistling effect.

Either way, you need to get it looked at. It is possible to take the fan cover off and inspect it yourself at home (a Haynes manual is an invaluable aid here), but we’d always recommend asking a professional first.