Expert answer

Hi Bevan,

Sadly, insurance is the critical thing here, and it’s the bit we can help you with least as Irish insurers — as ever — ladle on the risk when it comes to young drivers. Any ballpark figure we give you could be €1,000 — or more — out.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

OK, we’ve found a few cars that meet both your budget and your small engine requirement, and can pretty easily handle the hack to Ennis and back.

All small car searches should start with a Fiat 500 — looks cool, is fun to drive, costs buttons to run and no they’re not unreliable.

Want something a bit more conventional? You should be able to track down a 2009-ish Ford Fiesta with the 1.25 engine. Terrific all-rounder.

If you want something cheaper to run, there’s the Kia Picanto (circa 2010),  which has a peppy enough 1.0 to be able to cope with the Ennis run.

Or finally a Toyota Yaris, with that brilliant 1.0 VVTi engine, would make a hugely sensible choice, but you’ll have to go for an older one to stay on budget — 2008 or thereabouts. 

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

We can't answer that question definitively as yet, as we don't drive the new Tucson until January (keep an eye on our Hyundai Tucson reviews page for it). 

You can compare the data for the cars yourself on the Hyundai and Toyota websites. There is a wide range of pricing from both brands to cover from about €36,000 to €43,000 so you'll need to delve into the specifications to see if you get more for your money in either of them. They appear well-matched to us, though Hyundai's five-year warranty trumps Toyota's three-year offer. That only matters if you're keeping the car that long of course.

In terms of performance, the Hyundai is a little quicker and should feel it even without extending the engine, as it uses a turbocharged unit, whereas the Toyota's engine has no turbo.

There's very little to separate them in terms of efficiency, though the RAV4 appears to be slightly better on that count, depending on the version.

In contrast, the Hyundai has the more modern cabin and a larger boot. 

In short, there's no clear winner between them. So, we'd recommend you get a test drive in both before you decide, in as close as possible to the final specification you would consider buying.

Please do come back to us and let us know which you decided upon and why, as that will help other readers.

Expert answer

Hi Jacob,

No, unfortunately it won’t be. The five-year warranty is specific to Toyota UK, and isn’t used in Ireland. Toyota Ireland offers a three-year, 100,000km warranty, so it should be honoured up to that level, but check with your local Toyota dealer to make sure first.

Expert answer

Hi Fergal,

Sadly, for all us Mondeo fans, it will die in its current form soon (most likely in the next 18 months or so). Now, it will be replaced, but most likely not by another saloon, but a crossover of some description instead, sitting above the Kuga in the current Ford range, and likely with a seven-seat option. 

Happily, there are still a few proper, full-sized four-door saloons around for you to choose from, and they’re good ‘uns. Our list starts with the Skoda Superb (massive inside, smooth to drive, handsome to look at and really good quality) and the VW Passat (all of the above but not quite so big inside). The Mazda6 is a big favourite of ours, too, not least because it’s so engaging to drive, and has such high quality and reliability levels, but Mazda is dropping the diesel engine option, so you might want to snap one up soon, before they’re all gone.

If you fancied going down the hybrid route, then Toyota’s excellent Camry is well worth a look, and there’s the Opel Insignia (probably one of the most underrated cars on the market) to consider too. If you fancy something a little moore stylish, check out the very slinky Peugeot 508. 

You could go up a grade, as you suggest, to the likes of a BMW 3 Series or Audi A4, but the problem is you need to spend a LOT extra to get one with decent spec, so our recommendation would  be to stick with one of the mainstream brands.

Here are our relevant reviews to help you decide:

Skoda Superb reviews

Volkswagen Passat reviews

Mazda6 reviews

Toyota Camry reviews

Peugeot 508 reviews

Opel Insignia reviews

BMW 3 Series reviews

Audi A4 reviews

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

It will depend on the car's CO₂ rating. We believe that is 163g/km. Assuming that this car is already registered in Ireland, then the annual motor tax for that car is €570 up to the end of 2020, and €600 thereafter.

Full details on the Irish motor tax system can be found in our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained article.

Expert answer

Hi Ann,

As every case is different and every lender will have their own criteria, we're not in a position to say for certain if you'd qualify for PCP, but I suspect you wouldn't have too much of an issue. 

Expert answer

Hi Eamon,

If you're buying and registering this as a commercial vehicle, with no private use, then it doesn't matter if you do it now or after 1 January 2021, as commercial vehicle tax and VRT have not changed. See below for more information:

Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained

How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland?

Guide to Importing Cars from the UK

Expert answer

Hi Larry,

You're not the only one confused, believe me!

Looking at the Toyota Ireland website, we can see that that WLTP CO₂ emissions rating for that car is 131g/km. That means it will fit into the new 131 - 140g/km band, costing €210 per annum.

Read our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature to see all the tax bands and schemes.

Expert answer

Hi Daragh,

OK, with on-street parking, I’d recommend you steer well and truly clear of a plug-in hybrid for now. I’m in the same position and with the dearth of public chargers, it’s a real nightmare to get a charge into them and use them at their most efficient. Unless you feel happy using local public chargers, of course, but if you’re going to do that I’d make sure to do the literal legwork, and see how far they are from your home as you may sometimes have to leave the car charging and walk home. Not the most convenient.

If you’re looking at a hybrid, of course, that turns us instantly in the direction of Toyota. The Camry is a truly excellent car, but it’s a bit of a mobile sofa. If you thought that the Superb’s ride was a bit too soft, then I don’t think you’d be a candidate for a Camry. Possibly a Lexus, then? An ES 300h is basically a Camry in a smarter suit, but again it’s not the sharpest car to drive. An NX 300h SUV might be a good balance — roomy enough to be toddler-friendly, reasonably sharp to drive and a hybrid without a plug. The Toyota RAV4 is another good (even excellent) option, but again would perhaps be a bit too soggy at the controls for your taste.

There is a hybrid (as opposed to plug-in hybrid) Hyundai Tucson on the way soon, and we mean the incoming new version, which gets much more dramatic styling than that of the current car, and which will have suspension and steering fettled, in part, by Hyundai’s N-Sport division. Could be worth hanging on for that if you like the look of it.