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Hi Chris,

No. The E 200 is, to be honest, a bit too underpowered. We’d recommend, if you can find one, getting hold of the more powerful (and no less frugal) E 220 CDI diesel. Both models are good for reliability, comfort and space, however. 

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Hi Pat,

For the moment, the 190hp engine is only available with the S tronic automatic transmission and quattro four-wheel drive, but we'd expect a front-drive version to become available in due course. In the Q5, the quattro system does drive all the wheels, but if it doesn't detect any slippage, it will reduce power to the rear wheels in order to save fuel. 

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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 Seamus,

By any chance is yours the automatic version, with the larger 18-inch wheels? We tested the manual gearbox version that did indeed at the time have a CO₂ emissions rating of 147g/km, whereas the automatic model, with four-wheel drive, was rated at above 180g/km. 

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Hi Zhivko,

The Fit (known to us as the Jazz) Hybrid was never officially sold here, but the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) specs for the that model are 98hp, 167Nm of torque, top speed 174km/h, 12-second 0-100km/h, 3.8 litres/100km (or 73.5mpg) and 104g/km of CO₂.

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Hi Tom,

None of which we’re aware, mostly because the Tucson is too new a model (we presume you’re talking about the current version) for there to be any data on common issues. Hyundais all come with an unlimited mileage five-year warranty though, so any issues that do arise should be sorted pretty easily.

If it’s the older model of Tucson that you’re looking at, it was also enormously reliable with very few reported issues (mostly to do with the stereo system and the fuel gauge, oddly) so as long as you buy one with a full service history, I wouldn’t have any worries there either.

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Hi Tony,

How come the Prius wasn't used for a couple of years? That's the first question you'll be asked. If it's in good condition and still works fine, and you can show a current NCT, then there's no particular reason that a dealer wouldn't take it as a trade in, but you'll need to be honest and open about the history of the car. 

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Hi Rue,

No problem, have a look here: http://www.carzone.ie/search/result/cars/make/nissan/model/qashqai/transmission/automatic

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Hi Fergal,

Well, it depends on which model you're looking at. In general buying an automatic these days doesn't have the fuel consumption (and CO₂) penalties of old, although it's fair to say that not all automatics are equal. They can be very expensive up front though (BMW asks €2,500 for an auto) and, depending on the car, you won't always make that back at resale time. Certainly on a Ford you might struggle with automatic resale, but a BMW or Audi should do better as people expect the auto in those. 

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Hi Tom,

Assuming you mean the D5 diesel with the automatic transmission, then €1,200.