Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

It certainly sounds like electric power would suit you, though if you decide against, the Skoda Octavia is an excellent car.

I'm assuming the cars listed mean a budget of nearly €40,000. There are better options out there than the ID.4. You could get a nearly new Cupra Tavascan, for example, or the smaller Cupra Born if you want to keep the price down or stay away from SUVs altogether.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an excellent car as well, as is the Ioniq 6, though the latter's styling is not to all tastes. The Kia EV6 is along the same lines and it's more a crossover than an SUV.

You could also afford brand-new examples of the Peugeot E-308 and MG4, both conventional five-door hatchbacks.

Come back to me with your thoughts on all these and we can discuss it further.

Expert answer

Hi Shona,

Before we take a look for potential cars for you, I would say that you should avoid diesels, as they're not suited to mostly city driving and will end up costing more in maintenance. Stick with petrol, or hybrid if something comes up within budget.

A small estate such as the Skoda Fabia Combi could work well for you. There are plenty within budget, they're reliable and they have huge boots. The only reservation I have is that the rear seating isn't huge, which might be a problem if you have two rear-facing child seats in there. Worth going to take a look at one and making that decision for yourself. The SEAT Ibiza ST (Sports Tourer) is pretty much the same car underneath, incidentally, if you prefer the look of that.

There are VW Golf and Passat estates on the market within budget and with petrol engines as well, and they come with much more rear legroom than the Fabia, but you'd likely have to make do with an older model for under €10,000.

On a completely different tack are cars such as the Nissan Note and Kia Venga, which are more upright than most hatchbacks that take up the same amount of space on the road, to the benefit of interior space. They beat the Fabia for rear legroom, for example, but their boots aren't huge. I wouldn't want to be carrying a travel-system-style buggy as well as anything else. Nonetheless those ones I've mentioned are reliable and within budget.

The Honda Jazz is similar and it's an excellent choice.

Let me know if we're on the right track with this and if you need further help narrowing your search. 

Expert answer

Hi Dawn,

Most people in your position – i.e. a new driver – consider the cost of insurance when choosing their first car. You'll need to keep the engine size down for that reason, though there are plenty of small-engined cars that should still fit the bill. Just keep it in mind and maybe get insurance quotes before you commit to any car.

I would suggest that you're better off going for a slightly larger car if it's to be used regularly for longer journeys as they are generally more comfortable at motorway speeds. From your list, the VW Golf and Hyundai i30 would be good options, but you could also seek out the SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308 or Mazda3.

I've probably given you more to think about there…

Come back to us with a budget in mind and we'll try to find some specific cars for you to consider.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Your Octavia's boot is rated to 600 litres, we believe, which is difficult to match unless you go for a much larger car. The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, for example, holds a little more than that, but it's out of budget. Same story for the VW Tayron eHybrid (PHEV), which has a bigger boot again.

Those cars are still relatively new, so you can't afford used versions yet, either, though we did find a selection of second-hand Skoda Superb PHEVs on the market within budget. They're massive in all directions and might well suit your needs, so long as you don't mind going for a car that's two to three years old.

The VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq have comparable boots of well over 500 litres and are in budget – though there's much more choice in the ID.4 lineup for that money.

Last but not least, and assuming you have nothing against buying an SUV, the Hyundai Tucson PHEV has a boot of about 560 litres and is within budget.

Let us know what you think of these suggestions.

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

That budget limits the options a little in terms of roominess. With five of you on board, especially if one or two are in boosters or child seats, then you'd definitely need a larger model. The Nissan Qashqai e-Power or the hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson would be perfect, for example.

Nonetheless, if there are no car seats to contend with then you should pop into a Toyota dealer and ask to check out the Corolla 'Touring Sports' estate and the Corolla Cross. They're both very good cars.

Another possibility is the Hyundai Kona. It's available as a hybrid, is within budget and is way larger than its predecessor inside, so it may well fit the bill.

One of the best options - if you're ok with an SUV shape - is the Dacia Bigster. Even a high-spec hybrid version is within budget for you, the rear has loads of room and it's great value for money.

Finally, the Renault Austral competes with the larger SUVs above and is fantastically spacious. It's slightly out of budget at a starting price of €41,995, but maybe you can do some negotiating...

Let us know if we're on the right track or if you need further help refining your search.

Expert answer

Hi Doteen,

A car's history and how well it has been serviced is important no matter what fuel type it is. The added complication with modern diesels is that their DPFs – and other components - can clog up if they're only used for short trips. I don't believe where you buy the car has any bearing on that. It's all about how the car was used.

Make sure all the warning lights are working and going off when the car is running, insist on a detailed and complete service history and take the car for a decent test drive (again, regardless of the fuel).

A diesel car will be far more economical than a petrol one when it comes to towing and for the most part will be better suited to the job in terms of low-down pulling power (torque).

Nonetheless, if you'd prefer a petrol car, that's entirely doable. Just don't go for a small-engined, lightweight car and expect it to do a good job. Cars such as the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia, VW Passat and others all came with powerful turbocharged petrol engines, though they're much rarer and hence harder to find than the diesel equivalents.

Hopefully that has given you some food for thought but come back to us with more information on the weight of the caravan you're buying and your budget for the car and we can help further if you need it.

Expert answer

Hi Abdullah,

The Pixo is a decent enough city car for light-duty work, but we'd urge caution putting it to hard use. The engine itself is quite dependable, but the Pixo was always a budget car made for a budget price so you can't expect it to be incredibly durable.

Nonetheless, that's not particularly high mileage for it and, if it comes with a complete service history, the chances are it is capable of the same again without any major costs. 

Take it for a test drive to see if it feels up to scratch before you decide.

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

The ID.4 isn't a bad shout, but like many cars in the same class, its suitability to your family depends on how many kids you have in car seats. It won't easily fit three across the back. The Skoda Enyaq is very similar.

Other used options in the same ballpark include the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, but come back to us with your budget so we can try to narrow things down properly.

The challenge might be finding a used EV with enough space for your needs, within budget.

Expert answer

Hi Damien,

That's quite the automotive journey! 

Revenue has since attempted to make things a little simpler, so don't worry about the year of the car being imported from the North. All that matters - to avoid paying VAT and import duty - is that the car was imported into the North and used there for, as Revenue puts it "a reasonable amount of time".

We believe three months is fine, though you'll need paperwork to prove all that.

Expert answer

Hi Niall,

We can't think of any new hybrids that will come in under €23,000, so you'd have to look on the used market. Most of them are Toyotas in that case.

There are a few new EVs within budget, such as the excellent Hyundai Inster.

Regardless, looking at it purely in terms of the cost of fuel, and assuming you can install a home charger and make use of a cheap night rate for charging up, there's no comparison – EVs cost a lot less to run.

The equation changes somewhat if you have to rely on public charging a lot, however.