Expert answer

Hi John,

The Skoda. Both the Volvo and the Volkswagen are decent, solidly built and generally reliable cars, but Skoda always seems to beat Volkswagen in major reliability surveys, so go for the Octavia if reliability is paramount.

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Hi Declan,

If it is, you’ll get a letter from Volkswagen to ask you to book the car in for an inspection. If you’re still concerned, contact your local dealer to check.

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Hi Anthony,

According to the EuroNCAP crash test experts, the three best-performing cars tested in 2016 were the Toyota Prius, Hyundai Ioniq and Volkswagen Tiguan. That said, the NCAP crash test is a laboratory test, and its parameters can be designed in to a car's structure. Only two car makers still have teams that investigate real-world accidents involving their cars and they are Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. Generally speaking, if I'm thinking of safety above all else, those are the two brands I'd look at. 

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Hi Martin,

Well, we can't speak for Volkswagen or its IT department, but we have seen the prices (hence how we were able to include them in our review of the new Volkswagen Golf) and they're pretty much the same as before, with slightly better equipment as standard all round, which is actually much the same as UK spec. Any delay in getting the new details on the website are likely down to a delay in finalising the options pack prices and, let's face it, trying to make sure that the last few remaining examples of the outgoing model get sold. 

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Hi Martin,

Probably the Tiguan, mostly because it's roomier and more comfortable. That said, there's no denying that the X1 is a terrific car and very desirable. Here are our reviews of the versions we have tried:

BMW X1 xDrive20d review

BMW X1 xDrive25d review

Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI review

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Hi Brendan,

No, Volkswagen didn't stop making the 1.4 Tiguan in 2008, but it was dropped from the Irish price list then as we all went diesel-crazy after the tax change. The car was always available to order, and it's possible that the car you're looking at is a UK import. 

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Hi Hugh,

Assuming you mean the Volkswagen diesel software update, no, it shouldn't. Volkswagen has had to clear all the updates with the German federal transport agency to comply with a ruling that any changes won't affect the CO₂ emissions or fuel economy of the cars. 

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Hi Patrick,

If you mean the current model, then I’m afraid it’s a little too early for us to tell, as it hasn’t been around long enough yet for any major reliability issues to shake out and all cars would still be under warranty. We’d be surprised if it has suffered anything major, though – it seems very well built.

The older model is also very well built, but you need to check for sticking exterior door handles, trouble with the diesel particulate filter (DPF), faulty electronic handbrakes, dodgy stability control modules, leaky sunroofs and excessive front brake wear. If it has the DSG automatic gearbox, you also need to check and make sure that it has been properly serviced, and on time, because it’s a complex piece of equipment that needs careful looking after.

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Hi Fionna,

Well, to be honest, I would have thought that a Passat was an ideal car for a family of four. What you need is four roomy seats and and a a big boot - and the Passat has those. If you fancy something that looks a bit more like a family car, and here I mean an SUV or an MPV, then stop for a tic and have a think. Are you buying an image? After all, a ‘normal’ saloon such as a Passat (and the Mazda6, Toyota Avensis, Hyundai i40 and Kia Optima all make good alternatives) is generally speaking just as good at family duties and has lower overall running costs. Worth thinking about, at any rate.

Here are some of our reviews to get you thinking:

Volkswagen Passat review

Mazda6 review

Toyota Avensis review

Kia Optima review

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Hi Luke,

We certainly have done a few reviews... The closest cars to your Galaxy in terms of size and space are the Ford S-Max (a little smaller,  but still very roomy) and the SEAT Alhambra (not as swish to drive as the Galaxy, but very spacious and with sliding side doors). There's also the Volkswagen Sharan, which is basically identical to the Alhambra, but a little more expensive. It wasn't on sale in Ireland for a while but it's back now and there are a few second hand ones knocking about.

If you fancy something a little smaller, then try the Opel Zafira Tourer. It's a really underrated car - nice to drive, well made and with decent cabin space.

After that, you're into the smaller MPVs such as the Volkswagen Touran, Kia Carens and so on. Good cars,  but much smaller than your Galaxy so you'd be trading down in size terms.

With our practical hats on, we'd go for the SEAT - it's big and useful and those sliding side doors are great.

Here are the reviews themselves if you'd like more detail:

Ford S-Max review

Ford Galaxy review

SEAT Alhambra review

Volkswagen Sharan review

Volkswagen Touran review

Kia Carens review

A few others worth considering as well:

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso

Toyota Verso review

Renault Grand Scenic review