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Showing 1 - 10 results (out of a total of 252) found for "SUV" in Ask Us Anything

Will the new MINI Countryman be sold as a PHEV?

Will the new MINI Countryman be sold as a PHEV?

Alan O'Brien (Dublin 12)

Jun 2025 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

As far as we are aware, there are no plans to sell this car as a plug-in hybrid. Only fully electric and petrol models have been confirmed.

If you'd like help choosing another SUV, please do come back to us with your budget and other preferences.


Which stylish family car for about €20,000?

Hi,

We are looking to purchase a new car and we're not sure where to start. We have a 2019 Dacia Sandero and a 2004 Skoda Octavia and are thinking of trading both in for something decent if we can manage with one car (we both work from home frequently and use public transport if needed). Aiming for a budget of about €20,000.

We have older children now, so we need something spacious for family outings or journeys. Any advice would be great thanks.

Alex O'Halloran (Naas)

Jun 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

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.


Any four-wheel-drive MGs on sale?

Hi,

Can you tell me do the MG cars come as four-wheel drive?

Paddy (Kildare)

May 2025 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Paddy,

The only new MGs on sale in Ireland right now that have four-wheel drive are the high-performance cars, i.e. the dual-motor MG Cyberster GT and the MG4 XPower. All the SUVs are two-wheel drive.


Which reliable car to go for with €15,000 to spend?

Hi folks,

I've recently accepted a new job that requires me to drive from Galway to Shannon (motorway more or less the entire trip). I'm now wondering what is the most reliable motorway car I should be going for. I was stung in the past by a 2015 Mercedes C-Class and don't want to end up with a money pit again!

Budget would be around €15k. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dave (Galway)

May 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Dave,

Given you'll be on the motorway for an hour each way, presumably a few days a week at least, a diesel car seems to make the most sense in your case.

We'd also suggest that you stick to a car rather than an SUV as it will be better to drive, generally more comfortable and definitely more efficient.

Scouring the classifieds for options, here's what we reckon might suit:

Honda Civic 1.6 diesel
Hyundai i40 1.7 diesel
Kia Optima 1.6 diesel
SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel
Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel
Volkswagen Passat 2.0 diesel
Volkswagen Golf 1.6 diesel

Come back to us if you'd actually rather stick with a premium marque. The above are a good bet in general when it comes to reliability, though as ever, take your time to choose a good example with a detailed service history, and take test drives as well.


Will I buy an MGS5 EV or something else?

Hi,

I am looking at changing my car, but no idea what to get. Mostly there would be only two adult passengers. I travel about 80km a day. Was looking at the MGS5 EV (If I go electric, I would like a range of around 350-400km).

Any suggestion of cars to have a look at or consider would be much appreciated.

Brona (Kildare)

May 2025 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Brona,

That's a pretty open-ended brief to be honest. If you're looking a the MGS5 EV then we can assume your budget is in and around €30,000-€35,000. Even the entry-level model – Excite Standard Range – officially manages up to 340km on a charge.

Given your low daily mileage, that should be more than sufficient for your needs, even if the real-world figure drops a little in winter. That is of course if you are planning on getting a home charger. We'd recommend buyers only consider an EV if they can charge up at home or work.

Another good option for your needs is the Volkswagen ID.3 if you're not set on an SUV and, if space isn't a priority, maybe even the fantastic new Renault 5.

Come back to us with your opinion on the above and we'll try to help you narrow things down further.


Looking to import an electric SUV from the North...

Hello,

I want to import an electric SUV worth £26,500 from NI with a UK registration. It is 2022 model. What extra charges will I have to pay? Do I have to VAT at 23 per cent? If I was to bring it in from the UK, what charges would I have to pay?

Hayley (Meath )

Apr 2025 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Hayley,

If the car was properly imported into the North by the current owner to be used in Northern Ireland (as opposed to being brought in for resale by a car dealer), and you can prove that, then no customs duty or VAT will be payable. If not, then VAT will indeed be 23 per cent, while customs duty is 10 per cent. Those will definitely be due if you bring the car from England, Scotland or Wales.

Either way you shouldn't have any VRT to worry about as there's up to €5,000 relief for cars worth less than €40,000 in Ireland.


Which seven-seat EV is the cheapest?

What would be the best (cheapest) seven-seat electric car with smallest deposit?

Diana Jakovljevic (Maynooth)

Apr 2025 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Diana,

The seven-seat EV market is tiny thus far and most of the vehicles are based on commercial vans. Here's a list in order of starting price:

  • Citroen E-Berlingo, from €38,693 (as 'LWB' model)
  • Opel Combo Life Electric, from €39,504
  • Peugeot E-Rifter, from €39,600 (as 'long' model)
  • Citroen E-Spacetourer, from €48,626
  • Opel Combi Electric, from €49,068
  • Peugeot E-5008, from €50,995
  • Opel Zafira Life Electric, from €62,495
  • Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB, from €67,785
  • Kia EV9, from €77,500
  • Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, from €114,111
  • Volvo EX90, from €117,910
  • Mercedes-Benz EQV, from €125,830


What to replace my SEAT Ateca with?

Hi guys,

I'd like your advice please on what to change my SEAT Ateca for or stick like for like (it's a lovely drive).

I live in north Donegal so very windy roads but now spend three out of four weeks in Louth caring for my father who's had a stroke, So wheelchair and Zimmer frame space is needed. I already have heated front seats in mine, that's a must, plus I mind my grandnephew and there's a new baby on the way so it needs to be easy to fit a car seat also.

Because Donegal is so hilly I need a good bit of power. I was thinking automatic for the longer drives but honestly don't mind manual. I'm also used to diesel, I'd like rear parking assistance, Bluetooth, anti-collision detection if possible.

So many to choose from my brain is addled, I've a 172 Ateca at the moment so want to go 2021+ and my maximum budget is €16,000 plus whatever I get for my car as a trade-in.

Any advice would be great thank you

Lorraine Rath (Gweedore)

Mar 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Lorraine,

There really is a lot of choice out there, but we will try to help you narrow things down.

With your car as a trade-in, and the €16,000 budget on top, we'll look for cars up to about €27,000.

First up, narrowing the search to automatic SUVs post-2021 really limits your options to the Nissan Qashqai, which isn't very powerful, the Peugeot 3008 (which is quite rare) or the Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen Tiguan. The latter two are potentially worth a look as they're built on much the same underpinnings as your Ateca and their 2.0 TDI engines have plenty of go. There aren't many of them about with automatic gearboxes though.

Removing the constraint on that opens up the options considerably and one car that stands out for us right away is the Mazda CX-5. It's perhaps not as common as some others, but it's great to drive in particular and it should tick all your other boxes. Try to get hold of one to test drive for yourself.

A newer Ateca is of course an option, and we're big fans of the SEAT, but all the newer ones we found haven't a very powerful engine.

The Peugeot 3008 is another car we like and would encourage you to try it out for size. There are plenty of them about with a manual gearbox.

All of these should have the niceties you're looking for as well.

Come back to us if you need help narrowing your search further, or if you want our opinions on any other alternative to the above.


What will I replace my Kia Rio with?

Hi,

I have a budget of about €7,000. I've been driving a 2009 Kia Rio for five years. I like how it handles, but I'd like a higher seating position and more clearance underneath because I live very rurally.

Things that matter to me: handling on curves and in bad weather, comfortable ride, fuel efficiency, ideally fold flat rear seats as I occasionally like to do DIY. Not too noisy (wind and road).

I do love to drive, and a bit of horsepower wouldn't go awry! But once it isn't crawling uphill, the other factors are more important. I rarely have passengers. Not concerned whether it's petrol or diesel, once it's manual.

Appreciate your advice!

Mary Alagna (Gweedore)

Mar 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

There's loads of choice on the market at that price level, and one car that stands out as potentially perfect for you is the Honda Jazz. Manual versions are rarer, but they do exist. The seating position should be a little higher than your Rio's, but it's still a car that handles well in the corners rather than a lofty SUV. The rear seats have loads of versatility built into them as well.

If you found your Kia dependable, a natural replacement could be the Kia Venga, a kind of tall hatchback. The Hyundai ix20 is effectively the same car, and they're not bad, though probably won't tick the "bit of horsepower" box for you...

Let me know if we're on the right track and if you need help narrowing down your search. 


I need a bigger boot for a budget of €20,000...

Hi,

I recently had a change of job, so I need a vehicle with more boot space. I currently drive a 182 Ford Focus. I do over 20,000km a year. I was wondering what vehicle, be it an estate or MPV/SUV you would recommend I look at for a budget of around €20,000?

Thanks

Gary (Gweedore)

Mar 2025 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Gary,

We'd definitely advocate for an estate over an MPV or SUV as they're more space efficient, more fuel efficient and generally better to drive, especially as you clearly spend quite a bit of time on the road.

Assuming you're on the motorway for much of that, then a diesel probably makes the most sense, though if you're generally at lower speeds, it's well worth considering a hybrid instead to keep your maintenance bills down.

Within budget are some lovely premium estates, such as the Audi A4 and A6 Avant, along with the BMW 3 Series Touring, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Superb, though you might have to compromise and go for high-mileage examples.

There are a few diesel Ford Focus estates around as well, along with the underestimated Kia Ceed estate. On the hybrid side, there's an estate version of the Toyota Corolla to consider as well.

Come back to us if you'd like help narrowing down your search, as you have loads of choice with €20,000 to spend.


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