Expert answer

Hi Michael,

There are no major reported issues for the SEAT Exeo (and SEATs tend to be pretty solidly reliable) and the Insignia generally only suffers from minor electrical issues (usually in the central locking and alarm system) and the boot seals (which can leak and let in water). Of the two, we’d go for the Insignia - it’s roomier, it’s nicer to drive and looks and feels a bit more prestigious.

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Hi Sean,

It probably won’t. Opel confirmed at the Paris Motor Show last year that there won’t be right-hand drive production of the Ampera-e and that position has not yet changed. If there’s a sudden jump in demand from the UK and Ireland for electric cars, then Opel may well reconsider, but for now, we won’t be getting it. 

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Hi F D,

Yes, they will, though probably not at the new car level. Although some car importers in Ireland are connected to their UK equivalents (BMW and Opel for instance) unless it's market driven, they probably won't do the same here. However, those lower UK prices will lead to lower second hand values, which will make imports cheaper, which will have an effect on second hand values here. How much? We'll have to wait and see...

Expert answer

Hi Declan,

Yup, it's exactly the same car. Opel changed the styling at the front, tidied up the dashboard design and gave it some new engines, but the overall structure, body and dimensions remained the same. 

Read our Opel Mokka X review here

Expert answer

Hi Luke,

We certainly have done a few reviews... The closest cars to your Galaxy in terms of size and space are the Ford S-Max (a little smaller,  but still very roomy) and the SEAT Alhambra (not as swish to drive as the Galaxy, but very spacious and with sliding side doors). There's also the Volkswagen Sharan, which is basically identical to the Alhambra, but a little more expensive. It wasn't on sale in Ireland for a while but it's back now and there are a few second hand ones knocking about.

If you fancy something a little smaller, then try the Opel Zafira Tourer. It's a really underrated car - nice to drive, well made and with decent cabin space.

After that, you're into the smaller MPVs such as the Volkswagen Touran, Kia Carens and so on. Good cars,  but much smaller than your Galaxy so you'd be trading down in size terms.

With our practical hats on, we'd go for the SEAT - it's big and useful and those sliding side doors are great.

Here are the reviews themselves if you'd like more detail:

Ford S-Max review

Ford Galaxy review

SEAT Alhambra review

Volkswagen Sharan review

Volkswagen Touran review

Kia Carens review

A few others worth considering as well:

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso

Toyota Verso review

Renault Grand Scenic review

Expert answer

Hi Gerry,

Of the two, I’d prefer the 1.3 diesel. Neither is an especially refined engine by modern standards, but the 1.7 is a terrible old thing – incredibly noisy, rattly and prone to stalling when driving in stop-start traffic. The 1.3, if you get it with the 90hp output, has decent performance, is very economical and doesn’t seem to give too much bother. Great that you’re doing your own servicing, but beware of what effect that may have on the resale value as most buyers prefer to see a healthy book of dealer service stamps.

Expert answer

Hi Gerry,

They’re generally fine, but that 1.7 diesel is a rough old thing, and not the most reliable engine around. You can do better.

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

With a short commute like that, you’re definitely better off with petrol and the Hyundai i20 is a fine car – roomy and well made and quite good to drive. Here are some of our reviews to help you decide:

Hyundai i20 review

Ford Fiesta review

Opel Corsa review

Volkswagen Polo review

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

The best compromise of value and oomph is probably to be found somewhere in the Volkswagen Group. I'd say if you want to mix a decent 2.0 diesel engine with low emissions and an auto box try out a SEAT Leon FR, preferably in very handsome ST estate form. It makes 150hp, but has Band A4 emissions. 

Expert answer

Hi Bridie,

It depends what you mean by ‘the engine’, but we’ll assume for now that you mean the most commonly-sold Insignia, the 2.0-litre CDTi. As far as our research goes, these are reasonably robust units and only have three common areas for faults – the diesel particulate filter, which, as with any diesel engine, can get clogged up if you don’t do regular long journeys; the turbocharger, which can fail; and the dual-mass flywheel,  which can also fail.

Now, fair enough, turbo or dual-mass flywheel problems can be very expensive, but the Insignia is far from alone in suffering from those issues, and it doesn’t seem to be that the problems are endemic, nor even all that common.

When you say reviews, do you mean comments on internet articles? Not the same thing I’m afraid – someone who can be bothered to comment online generally already has a problem with their car, so you don’t get to hear from those who’ve had faultless miles of service. It’s called confirmation bias.

Instead of ruling out a given make/model, it's best to take a close look at examples that are offered for sale.