Expert answer

Hi Sue,

That's quite a good selection of new EVs you're trying to choose from. Let's look at the facts first:

Exterior dimensions:

Kia EV4: 4,450mm long, 2,820mm wheelbase
Nissan Leaf: 4,350mm long, 2,690mm wheelbase
Toyota C-HR+: 4,520mm long, 2,750mm wheelbase

The wheelbase figures in particular tell us a lot. That's the distance between the front and rear axles and it's an indication of how much interior space a car has. And the Kia EV4 definitely has the most spacious cabin of the three. If you're regularly carrying larger people in the back, it's the one to go for, but it's also notably roomier up front.

Boot space with all seats in use:

Kia EV4: 435 litres
Nissan Leaf: 437 litres
Toyota C-HR+: 416 litres

The Kia and Nissan appear to be more or less identical on this metric, but the EV4's more upright rear means it can handle bulkier loads when you need it to.

Official range (battery capacity quoted as 'usable' figures):

Kia EV4: either 440km for 55kWh battery or 625km from 78kWh
Nissan Leaf: either 440km for 52kWh battery or 622km for 75kWh
Toyota C-HR+: 606km from 72kWh battery

This data reveals that the Nissan Leaf is a little more efficient than the other ones – in that it uses a bit less energy to go the same distance - so it should prove a little cheaper to run. The differences are slight, though. Note there is only one battery option for the Toyota.

Always remember that these are the official range figures the car makers have to quote according to a standardised test procedure, and it's very difficult to replicate them in real-world situations. Saying that, most people don't travel 400km a week, never mind a day, so it's worth considering the versions with the smaller batteries.

Pricing:

Kia EV4: from €39,940 for 55kWh model, €43,275 for the 78kWh version
Nissan Leaf: no Irish price confirmed as yet, but we'd guess €37,000 for the 52kWh model
Toyota C-HR+: from €42,160 (two grades available, but one battery)

Our opinions:

The Toyota and Nissan look similar in that they're curvy crossovers, while the Kia is a conventional five-door hatchback shape, albeit one with interesting design details.

They're all quite different inside in terms of style, though all of high quality and fitted with all the technology you'd need. The Kia is undoubtedly the most spacious feeling.

The Nissan is – marginally – the best of them to drive, with the Kia in second place, though there really isn't a lot between them in that regard.

In summary:

You'll have noticed that there aren't yawning gulfs between the cars – unless interior and boot space are top priorities - so it may well come down to your own preferences and the pricing. We'd highly recommend you go test drive each of them to see which you prefer.

Do let us know which you choose – and why.

Expert answer

Hi Tom,

A traditional 'dry' timing belt, mostly made of rubber, runs in air behind dust covers. A 'wet' belt is of similar construction but actually runs in oil behind sealed covers. The theory is that this reduces heat, friction and noise while enhancing reliability.

Unfortunately, the material of the belt can be damaged by contaminants in the oil itself, causing premature failure of the belt or other engine damage caused by bits of the belt clogging up other components.

Not every car that has a wet belt has an issue, but they certainly have a bad reputation.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Your Octavia's boot is rated to 600 litres, we believe, which is difficult to match unless you go for a much larger car. The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, for example, holds a little more than that, but it's out of budget. Same story for the VW Tayron eHybrid (PHEV), which has a bigger boot again.

Those cars are still relatively new, so you can't afford used versions yet, either, though we did find a selection of second-hand Skoda Superb PHEVs on the market within budget. They're massive in all directions and might well suit your needs, so long as you don't mind going for a car that's two to three years old.

The VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq have comparable boots of well over 500 litres and are in budget – though there's much more choice in the ID.4 lineup for that money.

Last but not least, and assuming you have nothing against buying an SUV, the Hyundai Tucson PHEV has a boot of about 560 litres and is within budget.

Let us know what you think of these suggestions.

Expert answer

Hi Jerry,

We'd not have put the EV3 up against the bZ as a rival, as they're different sizes. The Toyota is a much larger car inside, though the Kia's boot is bigger, oddly. 

Both are smooth, comfortable and refined on the road and have a similar range and energy consumption. The Toyota is a little faster and a little better to drive, but we prefer the dashboard layout of the Kia.

In short, we can't pick a clear winner. If passenger space is a priority, then the Toyota would win, but other than that it's pretty much down to personal taste.

Go test-drive them both and let us know what you think.

Expert answer

Hi Nuran,

This is a challenge that affects a lot of modern cars, not just the Yaris hybrid and the issue here is not the battery itself, but the entire system that takes energy from it.

The Aygo X's electrical system is very very similar to that of the Yaris so, unless Toyota has made changes to reduce the chances of the 12-volt battery draining while the car is left idle for long periods, we'd have to assume that the Aygo X also needs to be regularly started up to avoid issues.

Expert answer

Hi Chris,

You'll need to go through the usual change-of-ownership process for the UK to transfer ownership to your colleague in Northern Ireland. The UK government has streamlined this with the Tell DVLA you've sold, transferred or bought a vehicle website.

A few months down the line (Revenue has not said how many months it considers "a reasonable amount of time" to be), once you're ready to bring the car into the Republic of Ireland, you'll need to gather paperwork to prove that the car was indeed owned and used by your colleague in the North.

MOTs seem to be the most reliable source of this proof.

Just beware that Revenue has stated it will treat each case on its own merit, and if it gets wind of how you've gone about this, it may not look favourably on it.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

Morgan is distributed by Edgewood Automotive in Co. Cork, though obviously it's a niche brand.

Lotus cars are no longer on sale in the Republic for some reason, so you'd have to go to Belfast to get one.

GWM Ora still has a few dealers, but only one model to sell and no change on that for quite some time now.

Subaru dealers are awaiting news on a raft of new models that should be more competitive.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

There's no definitive answer to that as it will depend on how badly the dealer wants to sell their car and how badly they do or do not want your car on their forecourt. 

It's a wide ballpark, I know, but I'd estimate a cost to change in the region of €35,000-€45,000.

Expert answer

Thanks for the kind words, Parick.

Actually, Skoda already offers an optional USB port in the rear-view mirrors of some of its models.

A few brands have a camera system integrated as well, with footage that can be used afterwards. Tesla is particularly strong on this, but Mercedes, BMW and MINI also have the functionality available, while the previous-generation Citroen C3 also came with something similar. 

Expert answer

Hi Feilim,

You can certainly estimate the VRT payable, but that's all it will be. And you'll need proof of the car's CO₂ emissions as well.

With the CO₂ rating, go to our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland feature and find the corresponding VRT band. I'd assume it'll be in Band 7 or 8. Let's say 8 for the calculations.

Then you'll need to estimate the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) of the car in Ireland. This is the value Revenue believes it to be worth after registration in Ireland.

You've not told us the year so we can't do that for you. I suggest going to Carzone.ie to find similar spec cars to yours and taking the average price as a rough estimate.

From those two things you can then estimate your VRT. Beware it will only be that, though, an estimate.