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Hi John,

I'm afraid not. Skoda Ireland confirmed as much to us. Demand is low and the VRT would make it prohibitively expensive. 

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Hi Tomas,

The belt in that engine is 'dry'.

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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. 

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Hi Conor,

That recall won't apply to every version of the cars listed sold in every country. 

According to the RSA recalls website, it only applies to two Skoda models sold in Ireland, produced between 2012 and 2014.

You can call your local Skoda dealer if you wish to check that of course.

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Hi Elizabeth,

On such a new vehicle, which presumably has a full service history and part of its new-car warranty in place, there aren't many 'cons' we can think of. That's assuming you have access to the car's history and that it has been registered in Ireland already by the dealer.

Ask for all the documentation showing when it was registered and for the full service history, etc. 

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Hi Martin,

As I'm sure you know, the 330e was updated late in 2024, so if you can find one of those within budget, you'll appreciate the upgrades. Read our review of the revised BMW 330e here.

We're big fans of the 330e as well. It's difficult to beat its blend of performance, driving dynamics, style and efficiency. Here are a few alternatives to consider, nonetheless:

Mercedes-Benz C 300 e: I love the look of these, and it feels like a proper luxury car inside, more so than the BMW. Its chassis is more comfort-focused though, so you need to choose which you prefer. There's not much to choose between this and the updated 330e when it comes to performance, electric range and space, but the Mercedes is very expensive.

Volkswagen Passat GTE: I suspect this is not what you're looking for in terms of badge appeal, but the GTE is a very decent car. It's much bigger inside than your BMW and exceedingly comfortable, with perky performance when you need it (ok, not as perky as the 330e's). Its electric range isn't great, but fine for short commutes. And this car is more affordable than most on this list.

Skoda Superb iV: Much the same can be said about the Superb as for the Passat above, though the Superb is larger again and it doesn't always come with a sporting badge, which some will like. It's not massively common in the classifieds though.

Volvo V60: Now this is a hidden gem and would be my choice of the lot here, even as a serious fan of rear-drive cars such as the 330e. And yes, it is an estate body style, which you might not have been looking for, but it is such a fantastic, polished car that is great to drive, looks sensational and packs a bigger punch than many will expect.

Give our review of the V60 T6 Recharge a read and go test drive one for yourself to make up your own mind. Same advice really for all of the above cars, but this one stands out.

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Hi Brendan,

We can't answer that definitively, unfortunately, as there is no official word on it. The Karoq is certainly ageing and due replacement, but we agree there's plenty of demand still for a Skoda model in this space that is not only available with electric power. 

Watch this space I guess...

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Hi Fergal,

That's actually becoming a bit of a challenge as regular cars such as the Mondeo have fallen out of favour with buyers, so the carmakers are slowly doing away with them. At the same time, demand for diesel engines is waning. Nonetheless, here are a few possibilities:

- Audi A5 'Saloon' (it's actually a five-door hatch)
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloon
- Skoda Superb (another hatchback and the closest match to the Mondeo today)

That's pretty much it. A leftfield alternative could be the Peugeot 508 SW, which is the estate model. It can be had with a diesel engine still, but the five-door 508 fastback cannot. We reckon it looks stunning.

How do these strike you?

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Hi Conor, 

There's a wealth of choice at that price point on the used market really. Here are a few options to consider, many of them early 2025 registrations:

Dacia Duster
Hyundai Kona (the newer model)
MG ZS (newer model)
Nissan Qashqai
Skoda Octavia
Volkswagen Taigo or ID.4 if you fancy going electric

I've added links to our reviews of the cars so you can take a look and see what you like the look of. Come back to us and let me know if we're on the right track here, and your thoughts on each of these as we help you narrow down your search.

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Hi Conor,

Undoubtedly the Octavia is the most spacious of those three. The Mazda is arguably the most stylish and the Toyota probably the most reliable. Come back to us with full details of each of the cars if you want us to delve further into this with you.