Expert answer

Hi John,

I assume you mean the Tucson, but anyway, yeah, the 192 Hyundai 1.6 diesel engine has a timing belt. 

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Hi Barry,

Assuming you might like to use the rear seats, the BYD is the least spacious option of the three as its boot is much smaller. It holds up to 425 litres with its rear seat in place, while the Santa Fe PHEV manages 621 litres in five-seat mode (it's a seven-seater in which you can easily fold down the third row of seats).

The Kodiaq PHEV (assuming you're only looking at the plug-in-hybrid versions of each car mentioned) is a strict five-seater, but it comes with the largest space behind at 725 litres. If can be had in seven-seat guise with a simple petrol or diesel engine if you need the flexibility of the interior.

One major extra bonus of the Santa Fe is that its tailgate reveals the widest opening of the three, though really, the Skoda is likely to fit the bill as well. Their load sill heights are about the same distance from the ground at in and around 760mm.

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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.

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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.

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Hi Raymond,

The only way to know for sure is to present the idea to a Hyundai dealer, but we suspect that no, you won't make back any cash.

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Hi Conor, 

There's a wealth of choice at that price point on the used market really. Here are a few options to consider, many of them early 2025 registrations:

Dacia Duster
Hyundai Kona (the newer model)
MG ZS (newer model)
Nissan Qashqai
Skoda Octavia
Volkswagen Taigo or ID.4 if you fancy going electric

I've added links to our reviews of the cars so you can take a look and see what you like the look of. Come back to us and let me know if we're on the right track here, and your thoughts on each of these as we help you narrow down your search.

Expert answer

Hi Rohit,

Browse one of the big car classifieds to find as new a version of the Tesla you have in mind as possible. Use that car's registration to obtain the insurance quote. It may not be exact, but it will give you a good feel for what to expect. It's likely your insurance will go up quite a bit as I'm sure you know.

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Hi Harvey,

I'd thoroughly recommend the Volkswagen Multivan for your needs. It comes in two lengths with seven seats. Both are highly versatile, and the boot is big even if you're using all the seats, especially the one with the “long overhang” body.

We've taken this car away on long holiday trips and it has been nothing short of phenomenal. We're only a family of five, but we all fitted in comfortably as well as a few bikes and way too much stuff for a couple of weeks away camping.

What's more, there are diesel and plug-in hybrid versions available, depending on your needs, and it drives more like a car than any of the actual van-based people carriers out there.

The Tourneo would do the job, too, but it's not as flexible and nowhere near as nice to drive.

Go test drive one for yourself and let us know what you think.

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Hi Lorraine,

In Ireland, the first NCT (the Irish equivalent of the UK's MOT) is not due until four years after the first date of registration of a car. That duration applies even if the car was first registered in the UK so, in the case of a 2022 Tucson, it is not necessary to put it through an NCT until 2026.

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Hi Dave,

Given you'll be on the motorway for an hour each way, presumably a few days a week at least, a diesel car seems to make the most sense in your case.

We'd also suggest that you stick to a car rather than an SUV as it will be better to drive, generally more comfortable and definitely more efficient.

Scouring the classifieds for options, here's what we reckon might suit:

Honda Civic 1.6 diesel
Hyundai i40 1.7 diesel
Kia Optima 1.6 diesel
SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel
Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel
Volkswagen Passat 2.0 diesel
Volkswagen Golf 1.6 diesel

Come back to us if you'd actually rather stick with a premium marque. The above are a good bet in general when it comes to reliability, though as ever, take your time to choose a good example with a detailed service history, and take test drives as well.