Expert answer

Hi Fergal,

I presume you mean something small to medium if you're contemplating three doors. If you want to go really small, the best ones are the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen up! (as well as the Skoda and SEAT versions) and the Renault Twingo - a car I know isn't quite as technically good as the others but I personally really like it. 

If you want to go a bit bigger, then your best bets are the Honda Jazz (pricey but really well equipped), the Skoda Fabia or the Mazda2. The Hyundai i20 is also worth looking at but it might be better to wait until it gets Hyundai's new 1.0 turbo engine.

Here are some relevant reviews:

Hyundai i10 review

Volkswagen up! review

Skoda Citigo review

SEAT Mii review

Honda Jazz review

Skoda Fabia review

Mazda2 review

Hyundai i20 review

Expert answer

Hi Shirley,

I think you need to be looking at diesel with that kind of mileage. A €10k budget would slot you nicely into a 2009 Honda Civic 2.2 i-CDTi (don't worry about the size: it's cheap to tax). It's ood to drive, massively spacious, economical and reliable. 

There are also some Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDIs and Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4Ds around for this budget that are well worth looking at. 

Expert answer

Hi Joan,

There's no new alternative I'm afraid, but you could try to track down a Honda FR-V, which uses the same seating layout. They're getting thin on the ground now too though, as production ceased in 2009.

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Hi John,

The critical question here is how much road tax and insurance pain are you willing to take? An early 2000s Porsche 911 will crack 5.3 seconds 0-100km/h all day long but you'll pay through the nose for tax, disc and servicing. And never, ever buy one without a full Porsche or Porsche Specialist service history.

Most Mercedes-AMG models from the same era will do similar but again the same caveats on servicing and running costs apply.

A BMW M3 Evolution will do 5.5 seconds, but watch for ones that have been badly fiddled with or modified.

Probably better would be a Ford Focus RS or a Volkswagen Golf R or R32. Both are pretty rugged in the reliability stakes but again you have to be wary of cars that have been modified or altered from standard. 

However, possibly the best bet is a Honda S2000. As long as you don't need back seats it's a fantastic thing to drive, will do 6.0 seconds 0-100km/h and it's rock solid in reliability terms. Loads around well within your price band but again watch carefully for badly done modifications or cars that haven't been cared for.

Expert answer

Hi Enda,

I'd tread carefully here. If you don't like the semi-auto box on the Citroen then just let it go - it's not going to get any better and it'll bug you for the rest of your time with the car. 

As for the Renault, I'm just not confident predicting reliability. Generally, Renaults are now a lot better built than they used to be, but long-term they can still be a bit shaky. Also, the reason it's a high-spec 2010 model for such a small price is because Renaults depreciate faster than snow in summer. 

So, I think you might need to shop around a bit and buy something on the basis of reliability and condition rather than year. Have a look at the likes of a Ford S-Max, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Touran or, if six seats rather than seven will do the trick, a Honda FR-V. You might need to go back to a 2008 or 2009 model to get one within budget, but buy with a full service history and keep the maintenance up and any of those should give you long and hopefully reliable service.

Last, but not least, Shane, our Editor, is in the same position as you right now and he has homed in on the Mazda5, which has an exceptional reliability record.

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

Both are excellent cars and the 175hp X-Trail's extra grunt could be very useful when hauling trees and trailers. That said, the Honda is still plenty grunty and a bit more plush inside than the Nissan. Actually this is a hard one to choose - I know from personal experience that the Honda is close to indestructible, but I also happen to think that the X-Trail is a really underrated car.

Coin toss so - go for the Honda.

Expert answer

Hi Barry,

The Insignia's really nice and I do have something of a soft spot for it. A car that feels more sophisticated and more engaging the more you drive it. The Passat and Mondeo are nice choices too, but to be honest, the one I'd go for out of all of them would be the Accord. Comfy, smooth, frugal, nice to drive and above all it will almost certainly never break down. There's nothing quite so nice as the feeling you get from driving an utterly indestructible car.

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Hi Barry,

OK, all are good, solid choices and in terms of reliability, I'd rate them as Accord the best, the Volkswagen slightly behind and the Ford and Opel together, slightly behind the Volkswagen. The Ford would be the most fun to drive, the Volkswagen probably had the nicest interior but the Opel is arguably the most handsome and, as you point out, really very good to drive. If it were me, I'd go for the Accord - no question. It'll be the most reliable and that sells it for me.

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Hi Patrick,

I'd say probably in the region of €8,000.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

Full pricing for the new HR-V has yet to be confirmed but we have been told that the entry-level 1.6 i-DTEC diesel model will be €25,995.

Read our review of the new Honda HR-V here