Expert answer

Hi Jay,

Revenue's VRT calculator is far from perfect, so you'll have to estimate the VRT yourself and hope you're close. For starters, the model you're looking at should have a CO₂ rating in Band 18 for VRT (156-170g/km), meaning 30 per cent of the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP).

Now, as you probably know, the OMSP is what Revenue believes the car to be worth once registered in Ireland and with a niche model such as the MX-5, it's not easy to guess what it will say.

If you believe it will be €30,000, for example, then the VRT bill will be 30 per cent of that, i.e. €9,000.

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Hi Shah,

That isn't very high mileage, regardless of how the car was used, so we doubt that has caused any issue.

The Mazda2 hybrid is effectively the same as the Toyota Yaris, so any seats that fit in that car will slot in seamlessly to yours. It won't be cheap to replace the seats, however. 

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Hi Evelyn,

I drive a petrol-powered Mazda3 hatchback.

Expert answer

Hi JJ,

I believe the two-tone finish is exclusive to the Edition-R model. That's still listed on the Mazda Ireland configurator so it may be possible to buy one. Contact your local Mazda dealer to enquire.

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Hi Wim,

This list of driver-assistance systems applies to the Mazda6e: Smart Brake Support Front/Rear (SBS), Distance ＆ Speed Alert, Forward obstruction Warning (FOW), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Door Open Warning (DOW), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Secondary Collision Warning (SCR) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

There's no specific mention of a system that keeps the car in lane when it's not an emergency situation, but then again, we've only had access to pre-production models so far and the car is not yet on sale.

Xpeng is rolling out a significant upgrade for the G6 at present that, depending on specification, would make it a little more advanced than the Mazda as it stands.

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Hi Conor,

Undoubtedly the Octavia is the most spacious of those three. The Mazda is arguably the most stylish and the Toyota probably the most reliable. Come back to us with full details of each of the cars if you want us to delve further into this with you.

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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.

Expert answer

Hi Alex,

Offline you mentioned you'd like something stylish as well as solid and spacious. One of the first cars that comes to mind is the Audi Q3, which is decently practical, has a premium badge and is plentiful for your budget of about €20,000. I'd urge you to stick with petrol power given your annual mileage of no more than 15,000km.

The BMW X1 would do the same job, but it's very difficult to find one that isn't diesel. Same story with the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Series Touring estates, both of which we'd prefer over an SUV. And same thing for the excellent Volkswagen Arteon.

A hybrid-powered Lexus NX would be a good option for you, as would the Mazda CX-5, though neither are as common in the classifieds as the Audi above.

Have a look at some of those and test drive as many cars as you can.

Come back to us if you'd like us to help narrow down your search.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

First up, if you're not going to be able to charge a car up at home, we'd recommend you do not buy the MX-30. Yes, it's much improved with the 'range-extender' engine on board, but it's still a car designed to be plugged in and charged up. Without that, it would be a very frustrating petrol car with a tiny fuel tank. Read our review of the MX-30 R-EV here if you're still interested.

We're big fans of the Qashqai e-Power. It feels very like an EV at times to drive, giving you a flavour for that, yet you don't plug it in to charge it up. Go take a test drive for yourself to see if you agree with us. And read our detailed reviews of the Qashqai e-Power here. https://www.completecar.ie/car/search/car-reviews/Nissan/Qashqai

There are 2021 examples of the plug-in hybrid Velar in the classifieds varying from about €49,000 to as high as €75,000, though none are as low-mileage as your car, so that will help get a strong price for sure. That €75,000 example is an anomaly though so bank on somewhere slightly north of €50,000.

Expert answer

Hi Cathal,

The Audi Q3 is a bit smaller than the Kia and Hyundai mentioned so make sure you try one out for size if you're serious about that. The equivalent Skoda (to the Sportage and Tucson) is the Karoq, though the larger Kodiaq would also be in budget.

I'd have a little more confidence in the Kia and Hyundai in terms of reliability in comparison to the Audi and Skoda, but only a little as all of these are decent cars. The Hyundai is the most common by far, which means you could afford to be picky in terms of mileage, condition and specification. The Sportage and Tucson are effectively identical under the skin, though the Sportage may come with more of the original warranty in tact, which is another consideration.

In terms of alternatives, we've always liked the Mazda CX-5 for how it drives and, if you're not set on diesel, then the Toyota RAV4 hybrid shouldn't be ignored, either.

Feel free to come back to us if you need further help narrowing things down.

Let us know how many in the family and on which car seats if applicable, plus your annual mileage.