Expert answer

Hi Pearse,

Would you consider a Lexus? A hybrid engined IS 300h saloon looks good, is good to drive, isn’t German, is frugal and will be so reliable you can pass it onto your grandkids.

Alternatively, a BMW 420d Coupe makes a great buy, and they’re not THAT bad on the reliability front, but it’s a good idea to buy one from a BMW main dealer, as it will come with a very comprehensive two-year warranty.

Well worth looking at a Mercedes C-Class C 220 d coupe too — not as slick looking as the BMW, but with great quality and a really lovely chassis. The Volkswagen CC (four-door coupe on a Passat chassis) is also well worth a look, and what about a Jaguar XF 2.2 diesel, which is a saloon, but looks slinky enough to be a coupe?

Lexus IS 300h review

Mercedes-Benz C 220d Coupe review

Volkswagen CC review

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Hi Paul,

The biggest issue is the infamous N47 diesel timing chain problem. The engine was designed with a zero-maintenance timing chain, mounted at the back of the engine, which then proved prone to (costly) failures. Most will have been fixed or replaced by now, but it’s still something to be cautious of. The rest is mostly irritating electrical issues, but just make sure you don’t buy one without a very full service history.

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Hi Nora,

I'm afraid we can't do that check for you, as there's a small fee. Your best bet is to go directly to Cartell.ie and pay for a full history and finance check. It's not expensive and a great investment. We do it ourselves when buying used cars.

Expert answer

Hi Donna,

The current Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are both just about wide enough to take three child seats across the back, or you could try the SEAT Ateca or Volkswagen Tiguan too (this has the widest back seat of all those). The Skoda Kodiaq is brilliant, but it’ll be outside your budget if you want a diesel, or, if you can hang on until the summer, the new Peugeot 5008 is coming, which has three ISOFIX points in the back, and should come in for under €30k.

Relevant reviews:

Hyundai Tucson review

Kia Sportage review

SEAT Ateca review

Volkswagen Tiguan review

Skoda Kodiaq review

Peugeot 5008 review

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

It is a shame that the GTD Estate isn’t imported into Ireland by Volkswagen as it’s a cracking car, but the sad fact is that the market for compact estates is so small, and high performance compact estates smaller still, that it’s probably not worth Volkswagen’s while. That said, the GTD Estate is effectively imported in the guise of both the Skoda Octavia RS TDI Combi and the SEAT Leon ST 2.0 TDI 180hp FR — of those two, we’d go for the Skoda, as it’s marginally sharper to drive than the SEAT, looks great and is simply massive inside.

Other options are the Opel Astra Sports Tourer in SRi spec with the 136hp 1.6 CDTi diesel engine — not as powerful as the Skoda or SEAT, obviously, but a great car and terrific to drive. Lovely interior too. Or you could try the Ford Focus ST TDCi Estate, which is brilliant fun to drive, but sadly is again on the personal import list.

Lastly, there’s the option of going second hand or nearly new and buying something along the lines of a BMW 3 Series Touring or Audi A4 Avant.

Expert answer

Hi Liam,

OK, first off you don’t need and shouldn’t be buying a diesel. With that kind of mileage, and doing most of it in town, you’ll never get enough efficiency out of the engine and you’ll run into trouble with the particulate filter and more potentially.

Of the three cars you’ve mentioned, I think that the Mercedes B-Class might actually be the most sensible, and it’s certainly the roomiest if you’re concerned about carrying big loads. Worth remembering that for similar money you could probably get yourself into a nice C-Class Estate too, which is only a little smaller inside and a whole lot nicer to drive. I’d be tempted to stick with the Mercedes, too, for safety reasons, if your son is going to start learning to drive.

The Tiguan is another very good option, and there are versions with Volkswagen’s excellent 1.4 turbo petrol engine if you shop around. Again, safe and good to drive, if not quite as roomy as the B-Class. I’d avoid the Duster at this point — it’s diesel only, and not as safe as the Merc or Volkswagen.

Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

Young driver insurance is always going to be a sticking point, and adding sporty into the mix is just going to drive your premium up and up and up. You really need to stick to as small a diesel engine as possible, so how about a SEAT Ibiza 1.4 TDI? It’s a good looking car, roomy and reliable, and has a whiff of a sporting image that can be added to with body kit and wheel options as and when your budget allows.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

For the new model G30 5 Series, the CO₂ emissions for the 520d SE are 108g/km, so that means annual motor tax of €190.

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Hi Brad,

As ever, the answer is: it depends where your priorities lie…

The A5 is indeed a cracking car. Not the sharpest to drive, perhaps, but gorgeous to look at and practical inside. That goes equally for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, but the BMW 4 Series is the best one to drive. Don’t forget the 2 Series Coupe either, which is more fun than any of the above. Actually, though, the best one of the lot is probably the Toyota GT86. Not as premium or as big as the others, perhaps, but more fun to drive than any of them. Here are a few of our reviews to help you decide:

Audi A5 review

BMW 4 Series Coupe review

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe review

Toyota GT86 review

BMW 2 Series Coupe review

Expert answer

Hi F D,

The reason that you don’t see many petrol 218is for sale is the same reason we don’t have a test drive on one yet — BMW doesn’t sell many, and so doesn’t see the value in providing one to review. We’ll raise the matter and see if we can get one reviewed for you, though. In the meantime, here's our review of the excellent BMW 220d M Sport Coupe.