Expert answer

Hi Julia,

We wish everyone gave us as much detail in their questions as you have done! You have loads of choice, so we'll pick out a few options that we'd recommend.

1 – You could actually afford a brand-new Hyundai Kona in electric or hybrid guises, and though it's bigger than the previous model, it might be smaller than you're looking for. Worth considering nonetheless as it's a very good car.

2 – The Hyundai Tucson is significantly larger and probably better suited to your needs. For just under €40k you'd get into a very new plug-in-hybrid version or have your choice of plenty of non-plug-in-hybrid variants. It's a solid option.

3 – Same story for the Kia Sportage. It's based on the same underpinnings as the Tucson so really, it's a case of which of them you prefer the look of, or which you can find the best deal on. Loads of them on the market either way.

4 – Now, if you do decide that you want a seven-seater, most of them are larger vehicles, but there are options within budget. The newest and best that come to mind are the Kia Sorento (available with seven seats as a plug-in hybrid) and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Again, they're effectively the same underneath and both are excellent.

5 – There are fewer Volvos about within budget. The newer options are plug-in-hybrid versions of the XC40 or XC60, both decent enough cars, the latter the bigger. To get a seven-seat XC90 you'd have to go back to a 2019 model to stay in budget and we'd suggest that would likely come with big repair bills in the near future so not really what you're looking for.

6 – We're not convinced that available Audis will suit you. You might find a few examples of the Q4 e-tron, which is all electric, though most within budget that are plug-in hybrids are either the Q3 or the Q5. These are fine for your own family size, but limited otherwise, and you'd have to compromise on newness to get into the larger Q5.

7 – Finally, one for the heart rather than the head perhaps, you could afford either a Range Rover Evoque or Land Rover Discovery Sport with plug-in-hybrid power from a few years back. Both of those have five seats, not seven.

Having done all that research for you, we'd suggest that the best options come from either Hyundai or Kia, whether you're going to go for a seven-seater or not. But of course, we'd understand if you're swayed by other factors.

Don't hesitate to come back to us if you want further help narrowing things down.

Expert answer

Hi Charlie,

What you need to register and tax a vehicle as a commercial are:

1. Current commercial insurance certificate for the vehicle

2. Evidence of registration for VAT

3. Tax Clearance Certificate

4.. Notice of Tax Registration Form.

If you don’t have all or any of those then you’ll have to register it as a private vehicle. That’s actually easy enough — you just ring up your local motor tax office and tell them what you want to do, and all of the listings are on the motor tax website — but it does mean that you’ll be paying tax on the engine capacity, which, with a 3.0-litre Discovery, is going to be pretty chunky. Equally, insurance can be tricky for commericals-as-private cars, so get hold of a good, reliable broker to get you some quotes.

For more on this, we recommend our sibling site, www.CompleteVan.ie.

Expert answer

Hi John,

You should have no VRT to pay as you will have owned the vehicles already for for than six months. There will be small re-registration fees, that's all. Have a read of these for more information:

How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland?

Guide to Importing Cars from the UK

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

Short answer: yes. The good bit is that you can still pick up second hand crew-cabs, or large SUVs that (briefly, technically) qualified as commercial vehicles and they are generally cheaper to buy than their regular passenger car counterparts. However, if you tax such a vehicle as a commercial, you can only use it as such — no social, domestic, nor pleasure use and there are some hefty fines if you’re caught out. 

Expert answer

Hi Ruth,

There are lots of good choices for commercial SUVs. If you wanted something really swish, you could go for a Land Rover Discovery Commercial, but it’s a bit pricey. Smaller and more affordable is the Nissan Qashqai van, which is also pretty decent to drive. There’s also the Hyundai Kona Commercial, or if you’re feeling really futuristic, the Kona Commercial Electric. But actually, to be honest, your best bet might be to just buy a compact crossover, most of which are already pretty affordable, spacious (if you fold the back seats down) and which mostly have lower annual motor tax than the flat-rate €333 commercial van tax anyway. We’d suggest starting your shopping list with either the new Ford Puma or, if you’re really looking for bargains, the Dacia Duster. Some of our reviews to help you choose:

Land Rover Discovery reviews

Nissan Qashqai reviews

Hyundai Kona reviews

Ford Puma reviews

Dacia Duster reviews

Expert answer

Hi Richard,

The phrase ‘can of worms’ springs to mind. In general, a car can be registered to a company, and taxed and insured by the company, and still used by an individual for social, domestic and pleasure use. That’s how company cars work, obviously, but equally obviously there’s a Benefit-in-Kind tax liability to be paid. So it’s possible that your friend with the Land Cruiser is trying to avoid paying BIK.

In the case of the SUV, in theory a car that’s taxed as a commercial cannot be used for personal, social, domestic, or pleasure driving and there’s a fine to be paid if you’re caught displaying incorrect tax. Now, we should state at this point that we’re neither legal nor tax experts, and that the people you’re talking about could be operating entirely above board, and we’re not going to cast any aspersions on anyone.

Of course, this is Ireland and as we know, we don’t like sticking to the rules...

Expert answer

Hi Emir,

You’re quite right — with kids of those ages, most seven-seat SUVs simply aren’t roomy enough, unless you go for something genuinely massive and expensive, such as a Land Rover Discovery. So, I’d say the Ford Galaxy is indeed your best choice — lots of space, seven proper seats for seven proper people and it's good to drive too. Other options well worth looking at are the VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra, and — if you can afford the running costs — the old Mercedes R-Class. 

Ford Galaxy reviews

Volkswagen Sharan review

SEAT Alhambra reviews

Hyundai Santa Fe reviews

Expert answer

Hi Rob,

Yes, if you have registered the car to your London address, and can show proof of continuous tax and insurance for six months prior to your move, then you’ll be able to avoid VRT when you import it here. On the Discovery Commercial, you’ll be looking at rather more than €200 VRT to import it, I’m afraid. N1 and Cat B commercial vehicles don’t pay a flat rate any more, they pay 13.3 per cent of the Open Market Selling Price, or the Irish market price as defined by Revenue. The same will go for a crew-cab, and 13.3 per cent is the lowest possible rate of VRT. 

Expert answer

Hi David,

Short answer, yes — the Discovery would be far, far more refined and comfortable than most pick-ups. That said, pick-ups are improving all the time, and models such as the VW Amarok are starting to get into the same ballpark as cars like the Discovery when it comes to comfort and quietness. They’ve still a little way to go yet, though.

Expert answer

Hi Fergus,

There should be no difference in VRT between a Transporter van and a a crew cab conversion. While the N1 commercial vehicle rules were tightened up this year to close off the loophole that allowed such big (often luxurious) 4x4s as a Land Rover Discovery or a VW Touareg to be registered as a commercial, ‘genuine’ vans with a crewcab setup should still qualify for the commercial 13.3 per cent VRT charge. Just make sure the vehicle has a ‘BE’ bodywork code and make sure to use a reputable specialist to do the conversion.