Expert answer

Hi Dana,

No, not yet – it won’t be fully revealed to the public until 1st of September, and it will be some time after that before Irish prices and specs are worked out. However, we can infer from some of its rivals how expensive it might be. The primary cars that it will be going up against will be the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, both of which have prices that start at €38-39k, and also the Nissan X-Trail, which, in seven-seat form, starts at €37k. So around the €37k mark might be a sensible bet.

That said, the new Volkswagen Tiguan, on which the Kodiaq is based, mechanically, starts at just under €30k, and there will be a seven-seat version of that soon too, so Skoda will have to carefully balance its prices to make sure that it’s a little, but not too much, cheaper than the seven-seat Tiguan. Complicated, isn’t it? I reckon somewhere between the €35,000 and €37,000 marks would be a reasonable guess as to the Kodiaq’s starting price.

Expert answer

Hi Sheila,

Both should be reliable, with the Hyundai just edging it in that regard. As you say, neither will be cheap to run, but with your mileage your only major cost is going to be motor tax and at least you can budget for that. Do plan to take at least one longish spin a week though to allow the diesel engines to warm through properly or you'll be looking at big repair bills.

On balance I'd go for the Hyundai, but it would be well worth looking at something like a Ford S-Max or SEAT Alhambra, which have even more space and generally lower running costs. 

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

I think unless you’re going to go for a full-size SUV, such as a Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7 or Volvo XC90, you’re going to struggle to find an SUV with three Isofix points in the back. Even the family-friendly Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe only have two outer seat Isofix mounts in the middle row. I’d suggest having a look at the Ford S-Max or Galaxy, or a SEAT Alhambra. These would seem to be the only cars that have the necessary Isofix points and the boot volume you’re looking for. 

Expert answer

Hi Christine,

The Kia Sorento should fit three seats across the back, but you should always take along your seats (and preferably your kids too) on the test drive to make sure everything and everyone fits in nicely. Cracking car that Sorento - other good options are the Hyundai Santa Fe or Land Rover Discovery Sport. If you need to go for an MPV the Ford S-Max, SEAT Alhambra or Opel Zafira Tourer are your best bets, but it's worth considering the Volkswagen Touran too - not quite so roomy, but cheaper to run and very pleasant to drive. 

Here are our relevant reviews:

Kia Sorento review

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Land Rover Discovery Sport review

Volkswagen Touran review

SEAT Alhambra review

Ford S-Max review

Opel Zafira Tourer review

Expert answer

Hi Garry,

It’s a really good car – reliable, roomy and not at all bad to drive. You just need to watch a couple of things – the stereo system can go a bit haywire from time to time (not recognising radio stations, or spitting out CDs, that kind of thing), the third row seats are pretty tight and quite small and the automatic gearbox, although fine to drive, does significantly drive the CO₂ emissions rating up, so check and make sure you can afford the annual motor tax first.

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

A really impressive car, although it is looking a touch expensive compared to the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe or Ford Kuga now. It's good to drive, with surprisingly sharp steering and lots of space in the back, plus the promise of rugged Toyota reliability. The Hybrid version is perhaps not as satisfying as the diesel (and is even more expensive again), but is perhaps worth considering if you live and do most of your driving in town. Rivals worth considering are the aforementioned Ford and Hyundai, and also Honda, both HR-V and CR-V, and the Mazda CX-5.

I've added links to our reviews of all these cars above so hopefully that's of help.

Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

I really like the Discovery Sport - it's gorgeous to look at and really nice to drive, but even though Land Rover has made many improvements to its build quality over the years, there's still a slight question mark over its long-term durability. So, my advice would be to go for the Disco if you like it, and you go in with your eyes open (and preferably with a good warranty backing you up), but the Hyundai would be the safer bet. In terms of comfort, the Hyundai also wins out, but not by a big margin. We'd expect there not to be much in it when it comes to resale value either.

Relevant reviews:

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Land Rover Discovery Sport review

Expert answer

Hi Tim,

Nope, they don't. The Kia is noticeably softer and has a nicer ride quality. It's not a lot less precise than the Hyundai though, which is a little stiffer and sportier, so given the rough roads in and around Killarney, I'd recommend the Kia.

Relevant reviews:

Kia Sorento review

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Expert answer

Hi Pamela,

Unless you actually need the seven-seat layout of the Hyundai, I'd go for the BMW. It'll be much more affordable to run in terms of fuel costs (close to 60mpg versus more like 45mpg in the Hyundai) and cheaper to tax too. The only concern might be that the Hyundai would be more reliable than the BMW, pound for pound. If you're buying the Beemer with a full service history and a warranty though there shouldn't be any problems.

Expert answer

Hi Louise,

You don't necessarily need a 4x4 for that - a mid size estate car would do the job just as well. So, have a look at the following and see what you'd like: Mazda6 2.2d, Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi, Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI.

Or, if you really have to have a 4x4, check out the Hyundai Santa Fe, Audi Q5 or Nissan X-Trail.

Relevant reviews:

Mazda6 Tourer estate review

Skoda Superb Combi 4x4 review

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Audi Q5 review

Nissan X-Trail review