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Hi Gary,

Are you perhaps being a tad unfair to your wife here? If it were a teenager you were talking about I'd say yes, keep the old car but as it's your missus, and you've got a decent bit of budget, why not get something spanky new to give her the motivation to become a truly great driver?

For that cash, you could get a really nice year old Ford Fiesta or Peugeot 208, both of which are terrific to drive and very economical. Go for the 1.2 82hp 208 or the 1.0 EcoBoost Fiesta. Or you could save yourself a bundle and buy brand new by downsizing. A Volkswagen up! or the new Hyundai i10 would make a perfect learner car and still be stylish and practical family transport when she's got her pink licence.

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Hi Sue,

Safety record? Not really. The XC90 was first crash tested back in 2003 when Euro NCAP only gave stars for overall performance and pedestrian impact. At the time, the XC got a full five-star rating (rare at the time). Since then its score has only been matched in the class by the Mercedes-Benz M-Class in 2008, the Volkswagen Touareg in 2004, the BMW X5 in 2003 and, in the past couple of years, the new Mercedes M-Class, the new Range Rover and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Out of those, only the X5 and the Santa Fe come with seven seats (optionally in the case of the X5) and neither can match the space or comfort of the Volvo.

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Hi Eddie,

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Hi Gerard,

The quick and free check on Cartell.ie tells us that it's a 2007 Volkswagen Caddy, but not much else I'm afraid. You'll need to pay for a more detailed report. At the time of writing a €35 three-star report gives you all of the following:

- Full HPI UK check

- Verify DVLA/DVLNI vehicle details

- UK finance check

- UK stolen/security check

- UK write-off check

- UK National Mileage Register

If you're very interested in this car then it's a worthy investment.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Jason,

A really good car, that 2002-2007 Corolla. 'Quiet' looking inside and out it may be but the strength of the engineering underneath is palpable. The sheer quality of the cabin was vastly ahead of any other contemporary rival (even the supposedly tank-like Volkswagen Golf Mk IV) and the primary engine, a 1.4 petrol VVT-i unit, out punched most rivals by about 15- to 20hp while also being more economical.

It's also surprisingly good to drive. It'll never set your shoes on fire, so to speak, but in a former life I thrashed one around Mondello Park and it showed a depth of competence in the chassis that would surprise most Corolla drivers. 

On the reliability front, there's little or nothing to worry about. The only recurring complaints seem to be rear lights that allow condensation to build up inside and annoyingly squeaky brakes.

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Hi Keith,

It really just depends on two things; her driving style and habits and what kind of condition the car is in. If it's in good nick, her average mileage is quite low and she's able to maximise the economy from that engine, you may just be better off spending a little bit of money getting the car thoroughly serviced and spruced up and sticking with it. If though her mileage is creeping up or you feel that the car is starting to age then it could well be worth trading in for a newer Passat. The current model is essentially the same car, but updated and re-skinned and the 1.6 TDI diesel gives it terrific economy.

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Hi Fiona,

Though Mitsubishi has in the past used a Volkswagen Group TDI engine, this 1.8-litre unit is its own in-house creation.

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Hi Jimmy,

As far as we can find, none. The highest emissions model in the Polo range is the GTI and that has a CO₂ rating of 139g/km, which puts it, albeit only just, into Band B2, and tax of €280 a year.

Did you find otherwise?

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Hi Ruairi,

As with any folding hard top cabrio the first and most important thing is to check the roof carefully for any problems, leaks, wear and tear. They can be fragile so you want to make sure that everything's working right. 

Secondly, all that roof stuff is heavy (which is why the Eos is so clumsy to drive) so you need to be checking for excessive wear and tear on suspension, tyres, steering etc. 

As for engine, there's no point in going for the 2.0 turbo engine from the Golf GTI as the Eos's porky weight kills the performance. Better to just accept you'll be slow and go for the 1.4 TSI or 2.0 TDI diesel instead.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Gerry,

To be honest, I just can't recommend a Cross Polo. The standard Polo is a decent little car, albeit a bit slow and a touch noisy. Those problems just seem to be magnified in the Cross Polo though and then there's the fact that for all the plastic cladding and faux-SUV looks, it's just a more expensive Polo underneath and can't tackle mud any more capably than a basic 1.2 Polo Trendline.

So, my suggestion would be this. Either buy a standard Polo or, if you really need something small but with genuine off-road-snow-ice ability then search out either a Fiat Panda 4x4 or a Suzuki SX4 4x4.

Let us know which way you go.