A few questions about the Volvo V60 T8...
Hi,
Looking at your review of the T8 Volvo V60, I have a couple of questions. It has, according to the stats, great 0-100km/h acceleration. I presume this is based on the electric and petrol motors combined. Would it not be the case that in any longish journey the battery will have been "used up" earlier or does it also recharge the battery from the engine? I'm assuming not, but I don't know.
Do you have any idea of the likely cost of a 7.5kW wall charger? Finally, can I ask, am I correct that there isn't a great deal of difference in the boot space between the V60 and V90?
Thanks
Philip
Philip Donegan (Ballina)Sep 2019 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
Yes you’re right — the T8’s acceleration is a combination of the engine and the electric motor working in concert. When you run the battery down in electric-only mode, it will always keep a minimal charge on board, so that the car can then function in hybrid mode. If you use maximum acceleration repeatedly and in quick succession, you might well reach a point where the battery cries enough, but it will have charged up again — from both the engine and the regenerative braking system — to go again within a few minutes.
Wall chargers generally cost around €900 to €1,000 fully installed, but there’s a grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland available that will cover up to €600 of that.
Finally, you’re absolutely right — a V60 only gives away a 31-litre advantage to the larger V90 when it comes to boot space.
How much to tax a Volvo XC70?
Hi,
I want to buy a Volvo XC70; how much will the motor tax cost?
Tara Marshall (Bantry)Sep 2019 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Tara,
If you mean the last-generation Volvo XC70, introduced in 2013, with the D5 diesel engine, then that has CO2 emissions of 153g/km, so that means Band C tax, and €390 per year.
Which head-turning SUV to go for?
Selfishly, I would like a head-turning vehicle, that's a comfortable ride and stylish. Unselfishly, I need to consider older parents that can get into the vehicle fairly easily and be comfortable in the back. Prepared to pay for the luxury but looking for right choice. Don't drive many miles a year, with a mix of motorway and urban. Petrol or hybrid seems sensible option. Have looked at SUVs briefly including Macan and Maserati, but not sure these are best buys? Looking for recommendations for a nice sized vehicle for up to four people.
Michelle Morgan (Bromley)Aug 2019 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Michelle,
Well, a Porsche Macan or Maserati Levante would certainly be fun choices, but possibly not the best from the point of view of your parents… One potentially very good option could be the Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar — a plug-in hybrid with serious performance and excellent handing, but loads of space in the back and really comfy seats. Audi’s new SQ5 diesel is another good choice (really comfy and plenty roomy), as would be the mighty V8 diesel Audi SQ7. To be honest, though, if you want to spend big on a luxurious SUV that’s also fun to drive, it’s pretty hard to look past a Range Rover...
A little reading to help you decide:
Who pays for extras on a leased car?
Hi,
With a leased car, who pays for tax, insurance, tyres, services and so on?
Thank you
Sally
Sally O'Reilly (Cork)May 2019 Filed under: running costs
Expert answer
Hi Sally,
That’ll vary from lease to lease. Generally speaking, if it’s being leased by a company and they’re giving you use of the car as a company vehicle, they’ll pay the running costs, usually minus fuel. If it’s a case of you being given a car-buying budget as part of a job package, generally you’ll pay for all that stuff, and if you’re buying a car for yourself on a PCP finance deal (which is effectively a personal lease) you cover them too.
There are always differences and details, though, and car makers (Volvo especially) are starting to move towards a mobile-phone style system whereby you pay one monthly fee that covers everything, and change and upgrade your car at regular intervals.
Thoughts on semi-autonomous systems?
Hi,
I'm interested in one of these semi-autonomous driving systems, where, as long as you keep your hands on the steering wheel, the car will keep within the white lines and possibly include changing lanes. I'm thinking of it in the context of driving long distances on continental motorways. There seems to be any number of systems out there - some more in the line of adaptive cruise control (keeping a set distance from the car in front) - to something more autonomous along the lines above allowing lane changes. While they are at different price points I was wondering if you have had the opportunity to try the Pro Pilot on the Nissan Qashqai and the Drive Pilot by Volvo and if you are in a position to comment on their relative merits.
Thanks
Philip
Philip Donegan (Ballina)May 2019 Filed under: optional extras
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
Yes, we have tried them and in both cases they work fine, but please don’t go thinking of them as truly autonomous driving systems — they’ve very far from that, far even from semi-autonomous. In both cases (in fact in all current cases, no matter what some car makers would have you believe) these systems are just glorified cruise control, with a radar to keep you a safe distance from the car in front, and cameras and sensors to detect the lines on the road and keep you steering more or less straight. They’re not fully active, though, and you still need to drive the car, keep your eyes up and on the road and be in control at all times. They do reduce fatigue on long journeys right enough, but only be a small amount to be honest, and they’re not to be relied upon.
Can I fit three car seats in back of BMW 520d?
Can you fit three car seats in the back of a 2012 BMW 520d M Sport? For newborn, a two-year old and four-year old.
Owen Mcsweeney (Ballina)Apr 2019 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi Owen,
You can, but it will be a squeeze. The 520d is a little narrow across the back for three car seats (an Audi A6 or a Volvo S80 would probably be better bets in this regard), but there are ways you can get around it. Obviously the newborn and the two-year old will need quite bulky seats for a while yet, but for the four-year old you could potentially look at an inflatable booster cushion (depending on how tall they are). These tend to be a bit more narrow than a hard-frame booster, and a bit easier to squeeze in as a result. Another option is a conversion kit for the back seat that can accommodate as many as four child car seats in a special frame, but that can cost as much as €2,000 to do.
Have you a list of all the hybrids in Ireland?
Do you have a list of hybrids?
Thanks
Tony O'Brien (Shankill, Dublin 18)Feb 2019 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Currently you can buy the following hybrids on the Irish market: Toyota Corolla, CH-R, RAV4, Prius, Yaris, and there are probably a few run-out examples of the Auris Hybrid out there still in dealerships. There’s also the Kia Niro and the Hyundai Ioniq. There’s the full Lexus range — CT, IS, RC, GS, ES, LS, NX, RX and LC. There’s the Ford Mondeo Hybrid, too. There’s the new Honda CR-V Hybrid, some Mercedes diesel-hybrids and petrol plug-in hybrids, oh and the new AMG 53 six-cylinder mild hybrids.
Suzuki does mild hybrids too — for the Baleno, Swift and Ignis. Then there are the plug-in hybrids — Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq again, plus the Volvo XC90 and XC60 T8 models, along with the S90 and V90; the BMW i8, 330e, 530e, X5 40e, 225xe, and the MINI Countryman S E; there’s also the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-ins, the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Volkswagen Golf and Passat GTE, the Audi Q7 e-tron and the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne.
I bet I've forgotten some...
Volvo XC40, Skoda Kodiaq or Toyota RAV4?
Hi,
Looking to get a new family-size SUV for a couple and a kid, will be doing 15,000km a year. Have narrowed down to Volvo XC40, Skoda Kodiaq or Toyota RAV4. Key things to consider in order of importance - safety, resale value and comfort.
Thanks in advance and appreciate such a great site for Irish car buyers!
Shubham Agarwal (Greystones)Feb 2019 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Shubham,
Hey, thank you for reading it!
OK, in terms of the way you’ve weighted your needs, the XC40 comes out as an obvious top choice as you’ve said safety is the most important thing for you. Nothing’s safer than a Volvo, so that’s job done then.
Right? Well, maybe not… We do love the XC40 — it’s a cracking car — but it’s a touch small on the inside. Fine for small kids, but not so great if you’ve got a fast-growing family. Which brings the Kodiaq into play, as it has a massive boot and the option of extra seats. Plus Skodas are very safe too, and have excellent resale value.
The only issue then is that you’re more or less locked into buying a diesel, which really doesn’t suit your annual mileage. You can see where this is going, can’t you? The new RAV4 Hybrid is probably the best balance of what you need. Roomy and comfortable inside, very safe, nice to drive and Toyotas always have excellent resale.
Here are our reviews of each to help you decide:
How much to tax my imported Volvo S60?
I'm importing a Volvo S60 registered in the UK on 27 March 2008; how much will the car tax be in Ireland? Engine size: 1,984cc, 227g/km CO2 emissions.
Mr Monahan (Lee, London)Jan 2019 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi there,
I’m afraid you’re going to get hit for the highest rate of motor tax on that model, of €2,350 a year. Unfortunately, although the car was originally registered before the introduction of the CO2-based tax system here, the regulations say that "Cars registered outside of the State on or after 1 January 2008 and subsequently registered in the State on or after 1 July 2008 will have their motor tax based on the new CO2 system.”
Need room in a 2016 car for my three kids...
Looking for a car that would fit three car seats in back... don't want a seven-seater... for a five-year old, two-year old and new born. Will be changing to a 2016 at the most - any info would be great.
Aoife Flynn (Co Waterford)Jan 2019 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi Aoife,
If your five-year old is big/heavy enough to get by on a booster cushion, that would be a big help, as the narrowest cushions will generally fit into the middle seat of just about any car of Golf-Focus-Corolla size or bigger. If you’re still using a high-backed seat, then it becomes a little trickier, and you basically need to go for the biggest car you can with the widest back seat possible. Would you consider a Volvo S80? That has one of the widest rear seats known to human-kind, and if you get the 1.6 diesel version, they’re impressively economical too. If you need something smaller on the outside, consider a five-seat MPV such as a Volkswagen Golf SV.
Before you commit to any car, though, make sure you physically try out your car seats in it.