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Hi Maike,

The process of importing a car into the UK is a lot easier and cheaper than it is in Ireland. If the car is quite old you probably won't have to pay any import fees on it in fact, you'll just have to get it MOT'ed and pay a small fee for the new registration.

But, buying the car in Ireland will represent much worse value than buying in the UK. Not only will you find fewer cars to choose from (the Freelander was always a much bigger seller in the UK than in Ireland),  but the Irish cars will probably be more expensive. I think you would be better off transferring your money to Sterling (using a low-cost service such as Transferwise) and shopping in the UK.

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Hi Eoin,

I really like the Discovery Sport - it's gorgeous to look at and really nice to drive, but even though Land Rover has made many improvements to its build quality over the years, there's still a slight question mark over its long-term durability. So, my advice would be to go for the Disco if you like it, and you go in with your eyes open (and preferably with a good warranty backing you up), but the Hyundai would be the safer bet. In terms of comfort, the Hyundai also wins out, but not by a big margin. We'd expect there not to be much in it when it comes to resale value either.

Relevant reviews:

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Land Rover Discovery Sport review

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Hi Oonagh,

Not many; you really need to be looking at MPVs such as the Volkswagen Touran and Toyota Verso, or the Ford S-Max or SEAT Alhmabra if you fancy something bigger. That said, the recently introduced Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are just about wide enough, but it depends on what seats you're using. Also, larger seven-seat 4x4s such as the Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery will take three-abreast, but they're expensive to buy.

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Hi Brendan,

There is no specific market data for Ireland in this respect. The old rule of thumb still holds true - if you want ultimate reliability, buy a Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Subaru or Mazda. You could probably pretty easily add Kia and Hyundai to that list too now.

The best I can do for you is to point you towards the results of the JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study for the UK market in 2015. An independent research agency, JD Power ranks the various brands surveyed by problems per 100 cars - although it's worth remembering that those problems can range from minor electrical niggles to total engine failure, so you can't read everything into the stats. The last set of figures, ranked from best-performing to worst, were:

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Hi John,

The Q7 and BMW X5 would both be good choices, as would a Land Rover Discovery (although you'd definitely want to take out an aftermarket warranty on any of those three at that price level).

Better options are out there though. Volvo's XC90 is hugely spacious and built to last, but if you want something totally indestructible, track down a long wheelbase Toyota Land Cruiser.

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Hi Louise,

Yup, the Outlander is a cracking car (although you'll have to accept that it's not as spacious as the Discovery) and Mitsubishi does indeed have PCP plans available. Your local dealer will have all the details.

Read our review of the Mitsubishi Outlander

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Hi Ed,

Land Rover's quality has been getting better and better and it seems as if the current Discovery model has shaken off a lot of its reputation for weak gearboxes and electrical maladies. I think it's probably worth the punt, but there are two other good options - both the Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Land Cruiser are also available in 'business versions' that mean you can buy them for the price of a commercial but you get the back seats and luxury touches. That said, you'll have to tax them as a private car if you're going to carry the kids around - it's a €4,000 fine if you're caught with the incorrect tax.

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Hi Cesar,

Yes, pretty much an instant fail there. If you take out the cat and the EGR valve you're going to push your emissions readings up significantly. Please don't do it - that equipment is there for a reason.

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Hi Mark,

I'd say you're looking at in and around €45,000 for it.

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Hi Steve,

Tread carefully. If it's the second-generation Freelander (the one that's only just been replaced by the new Discovery Sport) then you need to keep a careful eye on the engine, the gearbox and anything electrical for any potential trouble. It's not a terrible car from a reliability point of view, but they do suffer their little niggles. If it's the older model, the one originally launched way back in 1998, then to be honest we'd just avoid it - they were never built properly.