Expert answer

Hi Anthony,

The Pulsar or the cee'd would be the most sensible choices and both fall well within your budget. Both are reliable and decent to drive, and the Kia's not bad looking either. In fact, I reckon you should go for the estate version of the cee'd - it's one of the nicest, comfiest and most practical cars around.

Further reading to help you decide:

Kia cee'd review

Nissan Pulsar review

Kia Sportage review

Peugeot 3008 review

Expert answer

Hi Jerry,

All three will have excellent resale values, but I'd say the Hyundai has a nose in front in that regard, as it's a big-selling model and the five-year warranty makes it a desirable second hand purchase. 

Of the three, the Nissan is probably the best all-rounder when it comes to driving, the Hyundai is bigger and more spacious and the Kia is better looking (matter of opinion, I realise). It's worth noting though that both the Korean cars are up for replacement shortly wheras the Nissan is brand new and has more cutting edge technology.

Further reading:

Hyundai ix35 vs. Nissan Qashqai twin test review

Nissan Qashqai review

Hyundai ix35 review

Kia Sportage review

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

Yes they can, but they may not be the most cost-effective. If you're worrying about the diesel particulate filter in the exhaust getting clogged with soot and causing an expensive failure (and that can happen) then don't worry - a quick spin up and back the nearest motorway in a low-ish gear will heat the system up enough to let it burn off the soot and all will be well. Do it once a week for 30 minutes or so and you'll be fine.

The other issue is simple one of cost though. You will spend more money to buy a diesel car than you will a petrol and when you're only doing low mileage it's hard to generate the savings from fuel burn to make up the extra you've spent up front. That's why petrol makes so much sense for lower mileage drivers.

The thing is that the Qashqai can be had with a petrol engine, but it suffers much harsher depreciation when you buy it - so you're in a bit of a catch 22. Petrol is better for your driving profile, but worse for retaining value in this particular model. You may need to expand your search out to some other cars to make your sums add up.

Expert answer

Hi Domas,

Go for the diesel. It's a reliable and solid engine, but over and above that it can be very, very hard to move a petrol-engined Qashqai on again. People want the diesel models, so those old 1.6s tend to be very difficult to sell. That fact should offset the slightly higher servicing costs for the diesel.

Expert answer

Hi Tara,

Tough call, to be fair. I've been running a 2009 MINI Clubman for the last two years and it's been solidly reliable. That said, at the last service it would have set me back €3,000 for new bits and work had it not been covered by a warranty. 

Now, Qashqais aren't as perfectly reliable as you might think. Clutches, rear suspension and windscreen seals are all fragile. However, on average a Nissan would generally be more reliable than a MINI and slightly cheaper to service so if that's your priority, go with the Qashqai.

Expert answer

Hi Jack,

I'm afraid it's very difficult to assess such a problem from afar. If the car is under warranty and the dealer is fobbing you off by saying they can't sort it out, then you need to make a firm stance and say they have to. If that's not the situation, then bring the car to an independent mechanic who won't solely rely on a diagnostic machine to tell them what's wrong. Sometimes a more experienced mechanic will be better at getting to the root of a problem than a computer!

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Eva,

Actually, these are two quite different cars - the Tucson is a heftier vehicle. If we were comparing new Hyundai ix35 with new Qashqai then I'd have to give the nod to the Qashqai, but in the case of these older versions, I think the Hyundai just might shade it. It's bigger inside, with more space in the back seats and boot than the first generation Qashqai.

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

That us a very tough choice to have to make. Both are excellent - the Qashqai won the Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) Car of the Year award last year and trust me, we're a tough bunch to please. It's very good to drive, frugal and very comfy. Practical too, of course.

The Passat would probably be the better choice if you are doing lots of long motorway miles though - that 1.6 TDI engine is astonishing economical (I once did Galway-Dublin-Belfast-Glasgow-Dublin-Galway on one tank in one) and they're very comfy for long journeys. Both are about equally reliable, which means they're both pretty solid but don't accept anything that hasn't a full service history.

On the safety front, the 2014 Qashqai (that's the current shape model) got five stars on the EuroNCAP crash test, with an 88 per cent score for adult occupant protection, 83 per cent for child occupant, 69 per cent for pedestrian protection and 79 per cent for safety assist (which is a measure of how many electronic driver aids are fitted as standard).

The Passat achieved similar scores - five stars overall, 91 per cent adult occupant, 77 per cent child occupant, 54 per cent pedestrian protection, and 71 per cent safety assist.

Further reading:

2014 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi review (on Irish roads)

2010-2014 Volkswagen Passat EuroNCAP safety results

2014 Nissan Qashqai EuroNCAP safety results

Expert answer

Hi Tom,

It really does depend on what you mean by 'better'. The 1.5 has been around a long time so the 1.6 is more refined and more powerful, but the 1.5 is still more economical and emits less CO₂, so it's cheaper to tax. On top of all that the 1.5 is €1,500 cheaper. Our money would be on the old engine unless you value performance highly or you expect to do a lot of towing.

Further reading:

Irish road test of the current Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi

First drive of the 1.6-litre engine - in the old-shape Nissan Qashqai

Expert answer

Hi Willy,

Lots. Want something compact? Track down a Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 4x4. Surprisingly good off road, that one.

A little bigger you say? Well, I've got a big soft spot for the Subaru Forester, both the current and previous models. Permanent four-wheel drive, a peachy flat-four diesel and they're virtually indestructible. 

There is also the fleetingly rare Nissan Qashqai 4WD but good luck finding one if you're buying second hand.

Have a yen for something luxurious? Try a Volvo XC70. 

Of course, with all of these cars, and especially when buying second hand, make sure they're actually equipped with four-wheel drive. Most of them are sold with front-drive and a great many owners simply don't know or can't tell the difference.