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:
Dacia Duster, Suzuki Vitara or Citroen C3?
I currently have a 162 D Dacia Duster that I want to trade up. Problem is, I don't know what to go for. I was looking at the Suzuki Vitara and also the upgraded Duster and the Citroen C3 crossover, but I don't have a lot of financial power to play around with except the car I have as a bargaining tool. Any suggestions?
Christine Lynch (Dublin)Jan 2019 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Christine,
Well, the new Duster is a pretty good piece of kit and, if you like your current car, then it could be the best bet all round. A Dacia dealer is likely to give you a better trade-in for your current car than would a rival brand, which will help with the finances. The updated Vitara is a very decent car, but it’s noticeably more expensive than the Duster, and that goes ditto for the C3 Aircross.
How would you rate the diesel Hyundai Kona?
How would you rate the 2019 Hyundai Kona 1.6 diesel automatic? Is it as reliable?
Marlene Zammit (Malta)Jan 2019 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Marlene,
In terms of reliability, I wouldn’t have any worries — Hyundai’s reliability reputation is iron-clad, and besides; if you did have any trouble with it, there’s that five-year, unlimited mileage warranty backing it up. One word of caution though. The Kona’s best engine is the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol version, which is a sweet engine with good economy and might be a better ownership bet unless you’re doing big miles every year. Alternatively, it’s well worth checking out the new all-electric Kona, which has a really long one-charge range.
What's up with my Vitara's stop-start system?
Why does the stop-start system need reprogramming if it stops working? I have a 2016 Suzuki Vitara.
Thank you
Roy Schuster (BRIDPORT)Jan 2019 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Roy,
That's not something we've come across, I'm afraid. There can be many simple reasons for a stop-start system to not work (see our popular feature on that subject here), but usually they are temporary. I guess if your battery was replaced, there may be some additional reprogramming required, but that wouldn't be standard on all cars.
If someone has told you that this is necessary, make sure you get a second opinion from another garage, preferably an official Suzuki service outlet. And if Suzuki told you that, then ask for a little explanation.
We'd be interested in the answer if you want to pop a comment in below this at a later stage.
What's the best hybrid SUV?
Hi,
I’m currently driving a 2017 Nissan Qashqai SVE and looking to trade to a 17 or 18-reg plug-in hybrid of a similar size and spec level. Budget of about €30k including my car's trade value. What would you recommend? I do mainly city driving so hoping the hybrid would offer some savings.
Thanks
Dara Weston (Dublin)Jan 2019 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Dara,
The best plug-in hybrids around at the moment are the Kia Niro PHEV, the Toyota Prius PHEV and the Volkswagen Golf GTE (assuming you can find a GTE in stock...). Now, these are smaller than your Qashqai inside, so you may need to make that compromise in order to get the plug-in hybrid efficiency. The revised Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is massive inside, and rather nice, but thirsty if you’re not plugging it in all the time and making maximum use of the electric part of the powertrain.
A conventional hybrid might also be worth a look, especially given that you’re driving mostly in town. Honda is just about to launch a hybrid version of the hugely impressive new CR-V, and the new Toyota RAV4 is arriving in dealerships around now. Both are well worth considering if you can stretch the budget out to something brand-new.
Here are some relevant reviews:
Renault Kadjar or Kia Sportage?
I have to change my old 2002 Renault Scenic and I'm just wondering which would you recommend I go for: the Renault Kadjar or the Kia Sportage? I would probably be looking at a 2017 model.
Thanks
Camillus Mulcahy (Castlefinn)Jan 2019 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Camillus,
There really isn't a whole lot to choose between them, to be honest - they're both decent crossovers with good interior space and likely both to have a good level of specification. Just don't expect either to have quite as much room or flexibility inside as your Scenic.
The only obvious black-and-white differentiator between them is that the Kia comes with a longer manufacturer warranty, which be useful if you're keeping the car for as long as you have done your current Renault...
Have you pricing for the new Audi Q3?
Hi, any pricing on the new Audi Q3 please? Iinterested in diesel auto.
Thanks
Pat
Pat Higgens (Dublin)Dec 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
As it happens, Audi Ireland has just announced that the new Q3 will start at €39,600. We don't have the full price list yet, but you can read more in this news story.
New Skoda Kodiaq or Peugeot 5008?
I do 35-40k kilometres per year over motorway and hilly back roads. Considering new 2.0-litre Skoda Kodiaq diesel Ambition or 1.5 Peugeot 5008 diesel Allure. Peugeot has a higher spec including rear view camera and three full seats in second row (no tunnel). Would it have the power and comfort to tackle the high mileage? Other SUV suggestions welcome.
Gay Fannon (Cavan)Dec 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Gay,
It definitely has the power and the comfort to tackle the mileage. That new 1.5-litre HDi diesel engine is a cracker, and with 120hp it has plenty of guts, plus it’s rather pleasantly refined and very frugal too. An excellent all-rounder. The only doubt would be over long-term reliability. While Peugeot has really improved its build quality over the years, the fact is that an equivalent Skoda will be slightly better-built, especially over the longer term. It’s certainly worth considering.
I'm having issues with my stop-start system...
My stop-start stops working for about a week or more, then starts working again each time the car stops. Why is this? Should I get it looked at?
Anne McIntyre (Liverpool)Dec 2018 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Anne,
There are loads of different reasons why a stop-start system won't work as you might expect it to. Most of the time it's down to the condition of the battery or the drain on it, though it could be due to the ambient temperature, too. Here are a couple of items on the site to read through before you consider having the car looked at:
Which new crossover or SUV for me?
Hello,
Which crossover/SUV would you recommend? I do circa 25-30k kilometres per year, mostly motorways, but also a fair bit of urban driving.
Roseanna
Roseanna Gorman (Bray)Dec 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Roseanna,
First things first — if you’re doing mostly urban and motorway miles, you really don’t need an SUV. A more conventional hatchback, saloon, or estate is going to be more comfortable, better value, more economical and a better-engineered vehicle all round. If you’re looking for something with practicality then the likes of a Skoda Octavia Combi estate, a Volkswagen Golf Estate, a Kia Ceed SW, or the new Ford Focus Estate all have much bigger boots than any small-to-medium SUV (more than 600 litres, all of them, compared to around 450 litres for, say, a Nissan Qashqai), and they’re all better to drive and more frugal.
However, if you’re hooked on SUVs then we’d recommend a SEAT Ateca (plain wrapper, but it’s roomy, comfy and nice to drive) or a Toyota C-HR (small on the inside, relatively, but hugely stylish and the hybrid version is frugal). If you’re looking to ‘posh-up’ a bit, then the incoming new Audi Q3 is a bit of a stunner, or if you want something smaller and more affordable than any of those, try the updated Fiat 500X, which is kinda cute and charming.
Here are our relevant reviews for you to read more: