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Hi Derek,

We can only give you another estimate, I'm afraid, as there's no way to know what Revenue will actually value it at when it comes to its inspection.

There's a similar car on sale on Carzone as I write listed at about €37,000. Taking that as the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) and the CO₂ output putting it into Band 18 for VRT (156-170g/km) at 30 per cent of the OMSP, then the VRT bill would in theory be €11,100.

That's before the NOx levy, though it's only a few hundred Euro on a modern petrol car such as that.

Adjust what you think Revenue will value the car at (the OMSP) to see what effect it has on the VRT calculation, but I agree with you that €3,500-4,500 seems low and you should be prepared for more.

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Hi Christopher,

That is mostly correct, though the car must be registered to someone at the Northern Irish address and I don't believe that petrol receipts will suffice as proof. An MOT in the North should though. Revenue isn't very precise in its information around this, unfortunately.

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Hi Mary,

A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.

If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.  

You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.

Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.

If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.

One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.

The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.

Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.

Expert answer

Hi Francis,

Towing is certainly one of the strong points of diesel power with their low-down torque, but any hybrid with a big electric motor should be good too thanks to the instant-torque characteristics of the motor. For example, if you like the CX-60, Mazda does a plug-in-hybrid version with the same towing rating. You may find it difficult to find a non-plug-in hybrid to match the same rating though.

Come back to us with your budget and the weight you need to be able to tow, and we'll take a look around for other options for you. And let us know if you're willing to consider a PHEV.

Expert answer

Hi John,

The early Macan S certainly used a Porsche-developed engine, and even the later examples were hardly just Audi/Volkswagen engines with a different cover. 

Not that every engine Porsche has developed itself is reliable, but that V6 is generally solid so long as it has been maintained properly.

Expert answer

Hi Haris,

It will be difficult to find a car that will fit two large rear-facing child seats and a booster in a single row without going for much larger vehicles. The alternative is an SUV with a third row, but that comes with compromises as well.

Anyway, searching within your budget, there are options. Large SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 would fit you all in, but at €25,000 you'd be buying relatively old ones with high mileage and likely high maintenance costs. Same for the BMW X5.

The Hyundai Santa Fe would be a better bet, as would the Kia Sorento or indeed the Nissan X-Trail. All of these are large SUVs and well-priced, reliable and decently equipped.

Finally, and I think this might be the best option, there's the Peugeot 5008. It has three separate seats in the middle row, so should fit all the kids in and you can fold away the rearmost seats to maximise boot space. There are petrol and diesel variants within budget with far lower mileage than the premium-badge options mentioned above.

You've not told us about any other preferences in terms of fuel, size of vehicle or anything, so come back to us if you want us to help narrow down the search further.

No matter what you decide, make sure you bring the child seats with you on any test drive and ensure they fit in properly.

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Hi Pam,

You didn't tell us the model year, but anyway, the only 1.5-litre petrol engine in a Kuga that is not referred to as an EcoBoost unit is the 'Flex Fuel' engine of 2019-2021.

It uses a dry timing belt.

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Hi Ger,

No prices as yet, but the Irish media launch of the e Vitara will be towards the end of March, just a few weeks away, which means the car will be available to order imminently.

Once we have Irish prices, we will update our review of the car.

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Hi Shay,

That's all correct. In fact, the current HS PHEV (launched in 2025) can hit 130km/h on electric power alone.

Expert answer

Hi Edel,

Not many cars have the same windscreen demister that Fords do, so you may have to compromise on that. Most at your budget will have heated seats and auto lights though.

You can afford a 2023 Audi Q3 with a manual gearbox and there are plenty around within budget whether you want a diesel or a petrol engine.

For the same price, you'd get a year newer Mazda CX-5, again with a manual gearbox if you want it, and the option of petrol or diesel power.

The Mazda will be the better-equipped of the two and the more enjoyable to drive.

Then it just comes down to which you prefer the look of (the Mazda wins that one hands down).