Expert answer

Hi Joseph,

You've not told us your budget, but either hybrid or electric would suit your needs, assuming you can afford an EV that easily covers your required range.

We would strongly suggest that an electric car only really works for private use if you have a home charger, or if you have somewhere you can put one. Once you have that in place, your running costs will be incredibly low.

So, in summary, if you can afford a suitable EV, and you can install a charger at home, that's the one to go for. If not, then a hybrid is a good option, too, though you may have to live with slightly higher fuel consumption than your diesel on the motorway - depending on how you drive.

Expert answer

Hi Tommy,

You've not mentioned if you need a big car or not, but you could get into a nearly new Dacia Jogger for that budget if space and seating are a priority. We reckon it's a good car.

There are plenty of examples of the Ford Puma around as well, though that's more a 'mild hybrid' than a full hybrid.

If you don't need a huge vehicle, then an almost-new Peugeot 208 Hybrid could be a good bet as it would be under warranty for quite some time to come – and it's a lovely car in any case. You may even get into the new-look Peugeot 308 Hybrid actually, which is a nicer car again.

Same story with the Nissan Juke Hybrid in terms of size. Quirky but very likeable.

If you want something bigger, and you're willing to go back a few years, you'll find hybrid versions of the Hyundai Tucson in budget, which is a great car.

Let us know if we're on the right track if you want help narrowing things down further, but either way, the best advice we can give you is to go and test drive as many cars as possible for yourself.

Expert answer

Hi Carol,

You'll struggle to get a premium-badge model from 2024 on for that budget so we'll focus on hybrid SUVs instead, which are plentiful.

In fact, if the year really matters to you, there are even a few new-car options open to you, including the Dacia Duster and MG ZS.

Go back to 2025 and others to consider are the Nissan Juke and Ford Puma, or you may find the more spacious Renault Arkana as well.

If size matters, you will probably have to go back to 2024, and an excellent choice would be the Nissan Qashqai e-Power, or even the Hyundai Kona Hybrid if you can find one.

Here are our reviews of those cars to help you decide, but do come back to us if you need help in narrowing things down further, and always take the time to test drive as many cars as you can yourself:

Dacia Duster Hybrid review

MG ZS Hybrid+ review

Nissan Juke Hybrid review

Ford Puma reviews

Renault Arkana reviews

Nissan Qashqai reviews

Hyundai Kona Hybrid review

Expert answer

Hi Ron,

If you don't want the Honda or Toyota, then how about something from Nissan or Lexus? The X-Trail e-Power is a lovely SUV, but the only difficulty might be finding an all-wheel-drive one, as most of them sold were front-wheel drive only.

From Lexus, you could get into the luxurious RX for your budget, but it wouldn't be much newer than your existing car, so how about a Lexus NX instead?

Again, most are front-wheel drive, but we did find a few for sale with four-wheel drive, well within budget. Admittedly, the NX isn't quite as large as your Honda.

Lexus has a stellar reputation for reliability and quality, however.

Go and test drive a few options and come back to us if you want any more assistance.

Expert answer

Hi Tony,

You'll really struggle to fill that brief for under €40k as a new EV, but there are a few good used options to consider. Forget about estates, though, as there are so few electric estates.

The first car that comes to mind is the BMW iX1. The dual-motor 'xDrive30' variant has a 490-litre boot (your Jaguar's is 500 litres I believe) and while it doesn't quote have the same peak outputs as the I-Pace, it is quite rapid and it drives very well.

There are actually a few examples of the BMW iX around within your budget as well, with significantly more performance and space than the iX1. That one has rather more divisive styling we feel...

Another option with loads of power is the early electric version of the Volvo XC40.

Let us know if we're on the right lines here and we'll help you narrow things down further (submit another question to get back to us).

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

We wish all readers were so detailed in their requirements, as it makes it easy to choose a suitable car for you.

In your position, I'd be inclined to buy as new and long-range a used Nissan Leaf as I can find to use as your second car for ferrying the kids about. It's not huge inside but should be grand for a couple of child seats in the back so long as the front-seat passengers are not really tall.

It'll be exceptionally cheap and easy to run as you already have a charger at home and maintenance will be minimal as well.

And you'll get a bike rack on any car within reason.

If you'd rather not have another EV, then perhaps consider a large hatchback such as the Skoda Octavia. It's massive inside and in the boot so could fill in all the gaps you've mentioned, and there are plenty of different models available, including plug-in hybrids, so it might offer you an extra dimension of versatility, but with the option of keeping your costs low at the same time.

Come back to us to let us know if we're on the right track (you can submit another question or send us a private message via the Contact Us page).

Expert answer

Hi Karla,

That budget is plenty to find a decent automatic runaround that's big enough for the two of you and relatively cheap to keep on the road.

A few models that are worth looking into:

Ford Fiesta: plentiful, reliable, inexpensive to maintain
Honda Jazz: not so common, but exceptionally reliable and very spacious (also badged the Honda Fit if a Japanese import)
Kia Picanto: you'd get quite a modern one for your budget, though they are smaller than the above cars, and again, not so plentiful
Mazda Demio: this is a Japanese import, badged the Mazda2 here – nice car

There are loads of other options of course, but those are good starting points to begin your search. Sites like Carzone.ie have good search filters to allow you to put in your budget and an automatic gearbox.

In terms of general tips, we'd give you the following advice:

1 – Prioritise the condition and service history of a car over its age and mileage.
2 – If you decide on a particular make and model that you like, seek out different examples of it from various sellers and test-drive as many as you can so you get a feel for which one 'feels' best.
3 – Don't view a car at night or in the rain as that can disguise issues with it.
4 – I would suggest that a diesel car would be a bad fit for you unless you spend a lot of time on the motorway every day covering long distances – they can come with higher maintenance costs.
5 – Make sure you get an insurance quote for any car you are considering before you commit to it.
6 – If at all possible, bring a friend or family member with you when looking at cars, preferably one that has a bit of experience in such things. It's quite a daunting thing to do on your own for the first time.
7 – Ask to see the paperwork on any car you're serious about before you talk about the price.

Hopefully all that is of help. Don't hesitate to send us another question if you'd like more assistance.

Expert answer

Hi Julia,

We wish everyone gave us as much detail in their questions as you have done! You have loads of choice, so we'll pick out a few options that we'd recommend.

1 – You could actually afford a brand-new Hyundai Kona in electric or hybrid guises, and though it's bigger than the previous model, it might be smaller than you're looking for. Worth considering nonetheless as it's a very good car.

2 – The Hyundai Tucson is significantly larger and probably better suited to your needs. For just under €40k you'd get into a very new plug-in-hybrid version or have your choice of plenty of non-plug-in-hybrid variants. It's a solid option.

3 – Same story for the Kia Sportage. It's based on the same underpinnings as the Tucson so really, it's a case of which of them you prefer the look of, or which you can find the best deal on. Loads of them on the market either way.

4 – Now, if you do decide that you want a seven-seater, most of them are larger vehicles, but there are options within budget. The newest and best that come to mind are the Kia Sorento (available with seven seats as a plug-in hybrid) and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Again, they're effectively the same underneath and both are excellent.

5 – There are fewer Volvos about within budget. The newer options are plug-in-hybrid versions of the XC40 or XC60, both decent enough cars, the latter the bigger. To get a seven-seat XC90 you'd have to go back to a 2019 model to stay in budget and we'd suggest that would likely come with big repair bills in the near future so not really what you're looking for.

6 – We're not convinced that available Audis will suit you. You might find a few examples of the Q4 e-tron, which is all electric, though most within budget that are plug-in hybrids are either the Q3 or the Q5. These are fine for your own family size, but limited otherwise, and you'd have to compromise on newness to get into the larger Q5.

7 – Finally, one for the heart rather than the head perhaps, you could afford either a Range Rover Evoque or Land Rover Discovery Sport with plug-in-hybrid power from a few years back. Both of those have five seats, not seven.

Having done all that research for you, we'd suggest that the best options come from either Hyundai or Kia, whether you're going to go for a seven-seater or not. But of course, we'd understand if you're swayed by other factors.

Don't hesitate to come back to us if you want further help narrowing things down.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.

If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.  

You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.

Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.

If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.

One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.

The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.

Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.

Expert answer

Hi Francis,

Towing is certainly one of the strong points of diesel power with their low-down torque, but any hybrid with a big electric motor should be good too thanks to the instant-torque characteristics of the motor. For example, if you like the CX-60, Mazda does a plug-in-hybrid version with the same towing rating. You may find it difficult to find a non-plug-in hybrid to match the same rating though.

Come back to us with your budget and the weight you need to be able to tow, and we'll take a look around for other options for you. And let us know if you're willing to consider a PHEV.