I need a tiny car with a huge boot...
Hi guys, do you have any quick tips on a small enough hatch with a big boot? I need to use split seats to lock a road bike into the car. For security it needs to be in the car for a while. I can just about do it in a Hyundai i10, but it’s a real squeeze. I fold down the bigger seat split, push the passenger seat forward and in it goes but it’s very tricky. Hoping to do the same with something slightly bigger and easier! Tiny hatch with a shiny modern cockpit and a cavern for a boot anyone?
Cheers!
Richie
Richie Daly (Waterford)Jan 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Richie,
Not often we get a question with such a straightforward answer, but in this case it’s easy: get a Skoda Fabia Combi. It has a massive 530-litre boot (expanding to 1,395 litres when you fold the seats), but is still pretty compact on the outside. Plus the cabin is classy and comfy and it’s perfectly nice to drive. Your budget won’t quite stretch to a new one, but a year-to-18-month one should be well inside your reach.
Which premium estate for up to €14,000?
Hi.
I'm in a top spec '07 BMW 3 Series 2.0 petrol auto with only 60k miles. I love the car but need more space. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. My overall budget is max €14k (€10k plus €4k that I hope to get by selling privately, as dealers are only offering me €3k). I would like to stick to a premium brand, and would buy a used estate version of my current car, except they're all diesel and I don't do enough mileage to warrant a diesel engine.
Many thanks and best regards
Tony, Dublin
Tony H (Dublin)Dec 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Well, it would certainly be worth trying to track down a petrol-engined 3 Series Touring estate, but as you rightly point out these are rarer than hens’ molars at the moment. Same story for the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate too, I’m afraid. Would you consider a VW Passat Estate? Or a Skoda Superb? A bit of a step down in class terms, I’ll grant you, but good, solid cars and you can track them down with the 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine.
We need a reliable family car for two kids...
Hi there,
We are starting to look for a good reliable family car suitable for two young children as our journeys now require a lot more space for everything. I know the estates are probably the most practical, but not our preferred choice so if possible could you recommend more compact options with the best interior space?
We were considering the following: Nissan Quashqai - which is best spec? Renault Kadjar - is it reliable however? Skoda Octavia? Any options from Toyota or Hyundai? Reliability is very important. Your thoughts on the above would be really appreciated.
I also note that most, the Kadjar in particular, are available mostly in diesel. Our mileage is probably around 15,000km a year. Would we be ok with a diesel option?
Many thanks
Mark Yeates (Dublin)Dec 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
Yes, estates are definitely the most practical, and generally offer a lower purchase price and lower running costs than an equivalent SUV or crossover. They tend to have bigger boots, too. The best Qashqai spec is generally SV or SVE, which come with the touchscreen, air conditioning and some other nice toys. The Kadjar is essentially mechanically identical to the Qashqai, so should be fine from a reliability front.
The Skoda Octavia Combi estate would probably be the best overall bet for you. The rear seats and boot are massive and very kid-friendly, and they’re reliable. With your mileage, you’re probably better off with a petrol engine, so go for a 1.2 TSI for the best overall value.
It’s well worth looking at a Toyota Auris Estate too — it's huge inside and virtually unbreakable. Worth considering the hybrid as well. Hyundai is also well worth a look. The Tucson makes a good SUV option, and the i40 Tourer estate is a terrific car, but you’ll struggle to find anything other than a diesel. Here are a few reviews for further reading:
Which car for my graduating daughter?
I’m looking for best all round, safest, reliable car for my daughter (22-25 yrs) who will be needing a car once she graduates from university. I’m torn between the Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Suzuki Swift or Opel Corsa. All too confusing to make a wise decision...
Sharon Adderley (Sandy)Nov 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Sharon,
If it’s safety and reliability you’re looking for, choose from either the Yaris or the Fabia. They’re the safest bets in the car market in general, and certainly the strongest cars of the ones you’ve suggested. The Yaris, with its insurance-friendly 1.0-litre engine, is probably the best overall. Here are our reviews of each:
Which seven-seat SUV would you buy?
Which seven-seat SUV that has low road tax would you buy? I’m thinking of buying new.
Brian O Rourke (Dungarvan)Oct 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
I’d be very tempted by the new Peugeot 5008, especially the one with the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol 130hp engine. It’s really roomy, comes with seven seats as standard, is good to drive and even with the petrol engine isn’t too harsh on tax. The Skoda Kodiaq is another very, very good seven-seat SUV, but you do have to pay extra for the extra seats. Kia’s Sorento is a big favourite of ours too, but it’s bigger and pricier and has higher tax than the Peugeot or Skoda. Here are our reviews to help you decide:
New Mondeo or something else for 2018?
Need help. Trying to decide between 2018 Ford Mondeo or Audi A4... or wait for the next Audi A6... or rob a bank for a BMW 520d. What do you think?
Fergal Reidy (Celbridge)Oct 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Fergal,
The Mondeo is a fine car, but it has fallen back a bit compared to previous versions and I don’t think it’s really comparable to the current crop of premium-badge saloons, which is a shame. The A4 is very, very good, but if you’re going to have to ‘rob a bank’ to get a BMW 520d then you’re going to have to do the same for the new A6.
That said, there are some very good mid-size saloons around at the moment that are better than a Mondeo, and which can give an A4 a serious run for its money. A Skoda Superb, perhaps? Volkswagen Passat? Mazda6? All well worth a look, and better value all-round than the A4.
Here are a few of our reviews to help you decide:
When to change Skoda Fabia's timing belt?
When do I change the timing belt on a 1.6 TDI Skoda Fabia first registered in 2013?
Bob Gibbens (Derby)Sep 2017 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Bob,
Skoda recommends changing the belt in this car every 120,000 kilometres, regardless of age.
Skoda Kodiaq or Nissan X-Trail?
Hi guys, as the new rebuffed Nissan X-Trail has just been released with 2.0D 177hp engine, can it stand up against the Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI in terms of performance, handling and quality? Outgoing Nissan SUVs were prone to engine and road noise as far as I am aware.
Colin H (Kildare)Sep 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Colin,
Yes, the X-Trail has always been a touch noisy, and that hasn’t changed much for the latest version, although it is a little improved. While the Nissan is a really good car with lots of space, decent quality and decent handling, for our money the Skoda has it well beaten, not least because of its cabin, which is more attractive to look at and better-built. The Kodiaq is also slightly nicer to drive, and definitely a little more refined. A few relevant test drives:
Should I stick with diesel for a new Kodiaq?
I am ordering (PCP) a Skoda Kodiaq and want to order the 150hp diesel 4x4. I am seriously concerned, however, about diesel 'issues' and don't want to face any anticipatable difficulties in the short and possibly medium term.
The alternative is the non 4x4 150hp 1.4 petrol version. Have read several of the reviews, see some merits, but fuel economy seems poor and fear the occasions when car might be fully loaded. I appreciate no one can know what stance the government may take on diesel, but do not want equity eroded at end of PCP. I drive about 24k kilometres annually.
Many thanks
Pat
Paul McDonald (Dublin)Sep 2017 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
At 24k a year you’re probably best going for diesel, to be honest. While we’re equally in the dark as regards what the Budget holds in store for us, it seems (at the time of writing) unlikely that any drastic moves are going to be made just yet. There’s also an urban/rural divide in all of this. If you live in the Dublin, and to a slightly lesser extent, Cork, Limerick, Wateford and Galway city areas, then there is a distinct move away from diesel and towards petrol, but in rural areas, diesel is still king.
That said, the 150hp 1.4-litre TSI turbo engine is absolutely excellent, and we’ve found that while it is, of course, less economical than the equivalent diesel, you’re only talking about 1.0 litre per 100km or so in the real-world difference. It’s well worth considering if you’re concerned about future diesel values.
Timing belt in Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI?
Tell me about the timing belt in the Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI Elegance...
Stephen Clarke (Gillingham)Aug 2017 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
You've not told us a lot about the car so we've made some assumptions. The earlier versions had a change interval of 120,000 kilometres and the later models were 150,000 kilometres, with the belt tensioner changed every second time in both cases.
As ever, if a car is used in a lot of stop-start, heavy traffic situations, we'd advise drivers to change their belts more frequently than the car makers suggest.