Expert answer

Hi Colm,

Glad you're enjoying our reviews and that's a good selection of cars to be choosing from.

The Born is, as you probably know, a five-door hatchback, with a relatively low-set driving position, sporty detailing inside and out and a boot volume of under 400 litres. It has a flat rear floor so three can sit across there, but it's better for two. It drives in a much sportier and more dynamic way than either the MGS5 or the Tavascan, no matter which version you go for, yet it's also really efficient in terms of energy consumption. The cheapest model officially does up to 426km on a charge, while the longest-range version manages up to 593km.

The Cupra Tavascan very much sits above the Born in the lineup, with a larger boot (540 litres) and interior space. Unsurprising given how much bigger the Tavascan is on the outside. It also gets a higher driving position, befitting the 'coupe-SUV' genre. It's not as efficient as the Born as it's bigger and heavier, but the entry-level model comes with a range of 568km, nonetheless. It's a quick car by any measure and drives well, if not with the vim of the Born.

In terms of interior space, there's not much to choose between the MGS5 and Tavascan, though the MG's boot is smaller (453 litres). The Cupra's cabin is more distinctive looking and, given the price gap between them, it should be of no surprise that the Tavascan's feels a grade above. The MG has the lowest performance of the three, but that's not important to many people. Its range of up to 465km is of use, but again most people don't need all that.

In summary, we'd never have put these three up against each other as natural rivals. One is a sporty hatch, one a sporty crossover and another a sensible SUV and they're only vaguely similar in terms of price. The MG is undoubtedly the best value of the three, though you can't expect it to be better than the Tavascan in all ways, either.

As ever with these things, we highly recommend you go and test drive all three for yourself to form your own opinions and then balance that with the maths of the deals you can get.

If there's anything specific you'd like us to cover that I've not mentioned above, please come back to us.

And please do let us know what you end up with.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

We've not conducted our own detailed real-world range test on this car. According to the official figures, the most efficient version can do up to 753km on the WLTP cycle. 

Expert answer

Hi Phil,

If the car is registered in Northern Ireland already then you can just bring it over to any other part of the UK without a problem. There will be no taxes or charges other than transporting it. 

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Depending on the exact specification, Audi quotes 648-713 kilometres on the official WLTP cycle. We'd expect at least 500km in most circumstances so long as conditions aren't freezing and the car isn't weighed down with people and luggage.

It massively depends on how it is driven and how fast etc. as well. There really is no definitive “real-world” figure no matter what anyone tells you. That's why we have a test such as the WLTP to compare one car against another, as imperfect and as unrealistic as it is.

Expert answer

Hi Cathal,

We don't have a written feature or video comparing the Enyaq and Elroq though we've extensive experience in both cars and lots of content on them individually. What would you like to know?

Skoda Enyaq reviews and videos

Skoda Elroq reviews and videos

Incidentally, on the Elroq link above you'll find our embedded social media videos covering the Elroq 85 Sportline, but feel free to ask for more detail on any aspect that interests you. 

Expert answer

Hi Conor,

I spoke with a representative of Opel Ireland today and they asked me to apologise to you for the confusion.

The electric version of the Sports Tourer is indeed available, but it's what's called a "special order" model, so it has been removed from the public-facing price list etc. If you contact your local Opel dealer, they should be able to talk you through the process of ordering one. 

Don't forget to read our review of the Opel Astra Electric (though we've not tested the estate model).

Update on 2 Sep 2025: Opel Ireland got in touch to say the online documentation has been updated. You can get the new Opel Astra price list here.

Expert answer

Hi Ronnie,

On the face of it, that's not difficult. You just buy a van you like the look of and inform your motor tax office that it will be used privately. The motor tax then changes to a rate defined by the van's engine size (regardless of how new it is).

Your bigger challenge could be finding insurance, and I urge you to check that out before committing to buying any vehicle.

Expert answer

Hi John,

As you're considering changing car, I'm going to assume you have the previous-generation C-HR. Officially this used 4.8 litres/100km, which equates to 58.9mpg.

The new Alfa Romeo Junior hybrid's official figures are remarkably close, and our tester saw 6.5 litres/100km at the car's international launch. Cars are often driven quicker in these scenarios so that bodes well for the Junior to manage well under 6.0 litres/100km for most drivers.

You'll know yourself how the C-HR does at your hands - in comparison to the official numbers - so make a call on which would be more efficient for you based on that.

For what it's worth, we do really like the Junior. Read our first drive of the Junior Ibrida here.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

New Audi prices may be the same across all its dealers, but each and every one of them will do deals differently, especially when there's a trade-in involved. No harm shopping around.

We know that Audi has an extended warranty, and it's briefly mentioned on Audi Ireland's website, but there's no further information about its cost that we can see. We've sent a message to our contact there to get an answer on that one for you. We'd certainly advocate for extended warranties on high-end cars.

Finally, only you can decide on which of the A6 Sportback e-trons you like, but do you need to absolutely max out the range you can get from the car? Enough to live without the reassurance of quattro four-wheel drive? If so, then perhaps invest in a set of winter tyres and wheels to use when you need them.

I'd just go for the quattro and accept it won't be quite as efficient.

Expert answer

Hi Alex,

Offline you mentioned you'd like something stylish as well as solid and spacious. One of the first cars that comes to mind is the Audi Q3, which is decently practical, has a premium badge and is plentiful for your budget of about €20,000. I'd urge you to stick with petrol power given your annual mileage of no more than 15,000km.

The BMW X1 would do the same job, but it's very difficult to find one that isn't diesel. Same story with the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Series Touring estates, both of which we'd prefer over an SUV. And same thing for the excellent Volkswagen Arteon.

A hybrid-powered Lexus NX would be a good option for you, as would the Mazda CX-5, though neither are as common in the classifieds as the Audi above.

Have a look at some of those and test drive as many cars as you can.

Come back to us if you'd like us to help narrow down your search.