Expert answer

Hi Anna,

Yes, it’s an odd one, but the compact three-door SUV has really fallen out of favour and pretty much no-one makes one anymore. There are three we can think of and they’re at the opposite ends of the scale. One is the Suzuki Jimny and that’s not really a realistic option unless you’re planning to drive off-road a lot. There’s the Jeep Wrangler, but it’s quite pricey and not all that practical in three-door form and then there’s the Range Rover Evoque Coupe, which looks nice but again is quite expensive.

I think the best option, if you want something that looks a bit three-door-ish, is to have a look at the new Toyota C-HR, which is a five-door but which has Alfa-Romeo-style hidden rear door handles, so it looks kinda-sorta like a three-door. Read our review of it here.

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Hi Marie,

If it's running costs that concern you, you should probably consider coming down in price and, a little, in size a bit. Both the Evoque and the Q5 are premium-badge SUVs and while neither is excessively thirsty, both will be expensive to run and service.

I'd suggest, instead, checking out a Honda CR-V - tonnes of space, hugely reliable, comfortable and with the 1.6 I-DTEC diesel engine and four-wheel drive, both frugal and ideal for country roads. Good to drive too.

Other good options are the Mazda CX-5, the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Santa Fe, Volkswagen Tiguan or Toyota RAV4. Here are our reviews to help you decide:

Range Rover Evoque review

Audi Q5 review

Honda CR-V review

Mazda CX-5 review

Kia Sportage review

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Volkswagen Tiguan review

Toyota RAV4 review

Expert answer

Hi Garoid,

Well, it depends on the car and how you're taxing it. If you're taxing any vehicle as a commercial then it's €333 a year, but there are strict limits on usage, which include no personal driving, doing the school run, stopping at the shops etc. If you've taxed a car as a commercial but are using it for personal use then you're liable for a massive fine. 

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Hi Des,

It depends on just how big a car you need, and if you need a full seven-seater. The Volkswagen Golf SV, for instance, has the space for three seats across the back, but doesn't have the folding seats in the boot of the bigger Touran. Both are excellent cars, but you'll save a considerable amount of money by going for the SV. Others worth considering are the Toyota Verso (available in both five- and seven-seat forms), Citroen C4 Picasso (ditto) and the Kia Carens (only a seven-seater).

Peugeot's 5008 and Ford's C-Max are also worth a look, but if you need something bigger, if basically boils down to two choices - Ford S-Max or SEAT Alhambra. 

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Hi Brian,

There is a way of doing this, but it requires some very careful timing. Once you import a vehicle, you have seven days from its arrival on these shores to notify Revenue that it’s in the country and also to book the NCT inspection to get the final bill for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).

So that gives you a little wiggle room. Ideally, you would be best advised to find a company in the UK who can carry out the conversion and re-register the vehicle with the DVLA in Swansea, before importing it. If that’s not possible, then what you need to do is to make sure you have an Irish conversion company set up and ready to go who can carry out the conversion when the car arrives here, before it goes for its inspection. It’s ever so slightly legally dubious (letter of the law rather than spirit), but if you can keep the timings sharp, it could work.

Expert answer

Hi Con,

No, at least not yet. Ford’s ‘One Ford’ policy on models means that there’s a faint chance the next-generation Explorer might make it to this side of the Atlantic, but for now Ford’s biggest SUV in the Irish market is the Edge.

Read our review of the Ford Edge here

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Hi Martin,

It’s going to be a lower-slung, 'coupe' version of the X1 SUV, with a higher price tag and a coupe-like roofline in the mould of the bigger BMW X4 and X6. It’ll mostly carry over the engines and chassis from the X1, which means the entry level model could be the 150hp 2.0-litre 18d engine. We’ll have more details towards the end of September after the car is officially unveiled for the first time at the Paris Motor Show.

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Hi Anthony,

Well, the best is actually a 2.2-litre; it’s the current model of the Kia Sorento. It's big, comfy, roomy, easy-going and pleasant to drive. Very American in feel actually, and we mean that in the best sense possible.

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Hi Rohit,

Lots of choice out there, and it kind of depends what size of SUV you mean, but I’d find it hard to look past a three-year-old Skoda Yeti. It's compact, but roomy, hugely reliable, good to drive and well equipped.

Expert answer

Hi Mike,

Most average family cars will pull 750kg easily enough, and if you like Mazdas, can I suggest a Mazda CX-5? It’s one of the better SUVs out there, and the extra height might make it easier for your family member to climb in and out. Plus the 2.2-litre diesel should bring down your running costs a little.