Expert answer

Hi Darren,

It depends what you mean when you say ‘Kombi.’ If, by that, you mean a Transporter with windows and more than three, but fewer than ten seats, then that actually gets taxed as an M1 passenger car, and so you’re looking at CO₂ emissions of between 169- and 174g/km, and so VRT of 28 per cent or 31 per cent of the Irish Open Market Selling Price (OMSP). That means, at a very, very rough guess, a VRT bill of around €4-5,000.

If it has three seats or fewer, or is a crew-cab (which means that the load area must be physically separated from the seating area), then it’s 13.3 per cent of the OMSP, which would be around €2,000 to €2,500 (again, that’s a very rough guess). 

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

We’ve double-checked this with Audi, and yes — under certain circumstances you can have both the upgrade pack and the free auto gearbox on your A4. The 191 complimentary Style Pack includes a metallic paint finish, ambient lighting pack, heated front sports seats, comfort armrest and front parking sensors. The Audi A4 Style Pack also comes complete with 18-inch alloy wheels on SE models and 19-inch alloys on the S line, offering a customer saving of over €4,000 for the SE and €4,500 for S line model. It’s only available in limited quantities though, and only up to the 28th of February.

As for the automatic gearbox offer, that’s a dealer-led promotion, where dealers are offering this on certain models, so you might need to ring-around your nearest Audi dealers to make sure you can avail of that on the car you want.

Expert answer

Hi James,

It depends on exactly what Kombi version it is. You see, under the recently changed rules for N1 commercial vehicle VRT and tax, if the van has fewer than ten seats, and the seats and cargo area are all in the one section, then it technically counts as a passenger car and you’ll be paying VRT at either 28 per cent or 31 per cent of the OMSP, and then passenger car motor tax too in Bands D or E.

If it has three or fewer seats, or if the cargo area is physically separated from the seating area, then it counts as a crew-van and you’ll pay 13.3 per cent of the OMSP, but to tax it as a private vehicle you’ll have to put it on the old engine capacity rating (why this is still in use we’re not sure, but it is) and that’ll be €710 a year assuming it has the 2.0-litre TDI engine. 

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Hi Camillus,

There really isn't a whole lot to choose between them, to be honest - they're both decent crossovers with good interior space and likely both to have a good level of specification. Just don't expect either to have quite as much room or flexibility inside as your Scenic.

The only obvious black-and-white differentiator between them is that the Kia comes with a longer manufacturer warranty, which be useful if you're keeping the car for as long as you have done your current Renault...

Read our Kia Sportage reviews here

Read our Renault Kadjar reviews here

Expert answer

Hi Roseanna,

First things first — if you’re doing mostly urban and motorway miles, you really don’t need an SUV. A more conventional hatchback, saloon, or estate is going to be more comfortable, better value, more economical and a better-engineered vehicle all round. If you’re looking for something with practicality then the likes of a Skoda Octavia Combi estate, a Volkswagen Golf Estate, a Kia Ceed SW, or the new Ford Focus Estate all have much bigger boots than any small-to-medium SUV (more than 600 litres, all of them, compared to around 450 litres for, say, a Nissan Qashqai), and they’re all better to drive and more frugal.

However, if you’re hooked on SUVs then we’d recommend a SEAT Ateca (plain wrapper, but it’s roomy, comfy and nice to drive) or a Toyota C-HR (small on the inside, relatively, but hugely stylish and the hybrid version is frugal). If you’re looking to ‘posh-up’ a bit, then the incoming new Audi Q3 is a bit of a stunner, or if you want something smaller and more affordable than any of those, try the updated Fiat 500X, which is kinda cute and charming.

Here are our relevant reviews for you to read more:

Skoda Octavia Combi review

Volkswagen Golf Estate review

Kia Ceed Sportswagon review

Ford Focus Estate review

Nissan Qashqai reviews

SEAT Ateca reviews

Toyota C-HR reviews

Audi Q3 reviews

Fiat 500X reviews

Expert answer

Hi John,

It’s not to do with wheel sizes, but engines and trim grades. The A 250 always comes with multilink rear suspension, while the A 180 d always gets a torsion beam. It’s the A 200 in the middle that has the variance – the Sport models have a torsion beam, the AMG Line cars gain the multilink set-up. We don’t know exactly what the A 180 petrol will do as yet, but we’d guess it will follow the A 200’s pattern, rather than the A 180 d’s formula.

Expert answer

Hi Vincent,

Yes, you will. Camper vans qualify for a flat-rate of €102 motor tax and, if the conversion is done properly and the car is re-registered, then that should be fine. Check with your local motor tax office for any paperwork that you’ll need to fill out.

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

I presume that you mean the previous generation of Insignia, not the new Grand Sport model? If so, then the quoted official combined fuel economy for the 2.0-litre CDTi 170hp model is 62.8mpg - or 4.5 litres per 100km.

Expert answer

Hi Anthony,

You should be fine, actually. Your 3 Series should (emphasis on SHOULD) be worth around €22-25,000 as a trade-in, and a 171 4 Series Gran Coupe starts at around €30,000-ish, so adding €10k of change-up budget should put you in the right ballpark. Ditto the A5 Sportback, although you will find examples of both on a 171 starting with a €4 rather than a €3… Shopping around a bit should do the trick, though. Both cars are excellent choices, and go for the Audi if you want maximum reliability.  

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

Generally speaking, the places that offer to buy your car for cash will be offering a very much lower value than you might achieve selling the car yourself, or trading in with a dealer. That said, it is a route to a quick sale if you’re struggling to get shot of the car, but make sure that the firm you use is reputable.