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Hi F D,

It's simply because the UK market generally doesn't like compact four -door saloons. It's much more of a hatchback and estate market, so Toyota hasn't sold the Corolla in the UK since the Auris came along. It's the same reason you won't find a Renault Fluence or an Astra Saloon on sale there either. 

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Hi Pat,

Here’s our review of the new Toyota Prius.

And as you’ve mentioned Toyota, you could do worse than start with a current Auris or Avensis if you’re looking for something with a comfortable ride on Irish roads. Other good options are the Citroen C4 Picasso or, if you fancy something a little more premium, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

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Hi Mairead,

It depends which model you mean. An automatic 2.0-litre VVT-i petrol RAV4 from 2008 has CO₂ emissions of 212g/km, so will cost €1,200 a year. The manual version has CO₂ emissions of 202g/km so costs the same. It gets a bit better with the diesels. The 180hp 2.2 diesel has emissions of 185g/km so costs €750 a year while the 150hp version has emissions of 173g/km so costs the same €750.

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Hi Al,

BMW, Audi and Mercedes don't do an in-house commercial option, but you can get an aftermarket conversion, of course.

One option worth looking at is the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A really nice car, good to drive and Agnelli Motors on the Naas Road in Dublin do a five-seat commercial conversion with prices starting around the €45k mark.

There's also the Toyota Land Cruiser 'Business' model, but it's a bit more expensive,  at €57k. Utterly indestructible though and hugely comfortable.

Just make sure you've properly taxed it if you're planning on using it for domestic or family motoring as the fines for using a commercially taxed vehicle for that are pretty stiff. 

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Hi Pat,

Well, it’s impossible for us to comment on an individual car that we haven’t seen and don’t know the history of. Toyotas tend to be very reliable and well made, and the Avensis especially so, but no car is entirely without its issues and much depends on maintenance, care and attention to detail. Have you tried contacting your Toyota dealer? Did the problems occur within the original warranty period? Does the car have a full and complete service history?

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Hi Brian,

There have been intermittently reported issues with Toyota gearboxes across the board, from sticking shifts to complete failures, but they tend to be quite rare overall, so if the car you’re looking at has a full service history then it should be OK. Ask for a warranty if you're really worried about it.

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Hi Olga,

The best two to choose from are the Ford S-Max and the Opel Zafira Tourer. Both should be big enough inside for your needs, and they certainly hit the remaining criteria pretty well. Cars like the Volkswagen Touran and Toyota Verso are also good, but they tend to be too small in the third row of seats for regular use.

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Hi Mary,

Have you considered a Ford Focus? I’m not sure what the situation is in your area with dealers etc, but a Focus has terrific steering – firmly weighted, direct and full of feedback and feel, and it’s also comfortable and well made (although, as a bad-back sufferer myself I would always suggest as lengthy a test drive as possible to make sure you find the seats a good shape). Quality and reliability are also good, if not quite up to Toyota levels. Your budget should get you into a year-old, maybe 18-month-old model and the 1.0-litre turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine should make for an ideal option for you.

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Hi Valerie,

The problem is that you’re going to struggle in a premium-brand car to find the sort of rear-seat width that you need. The sad fact is that most sporty, expensive estates are designed around four passengers and the middle rear seat is usually an uncomfortable perch that’s often too narrow to comfortabley fit a car seat into.

So, I’d suggest you broaden your remit a little. Of the premium cars, realistically only the Volvo V70 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class are going to offer the kind of cabin space you need. If those are too expensive, look instead to the more workaday brands – Ford  Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Avensis, Mazda6 and Peugeot 508. You may not get the premium badge you crave, but you’ll get the interior room you need and at a much lower cost.

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Hi David,

It's difficult to assess such problems from afar, but it certainly sounds like your power steering system has an issue and you really should bring it to good mechanic sooner rather than later to have it looked at and rectified. If the power steering fails while you are driving it could become very heavy, making the car difficult to control.