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Hi Peter,

Yup, the Mazda2 is an excellent vehicle, very reliable and good to drive, and decently spacious too. I wouldn't, however, have thought that there was very much difference in the seat quality between a SEAT Ibiza and a Mazda2. I would also suggest that the dealer might be lo-balling you a bit on the trade-in value of your SEAT. €3,750 doesn't seem much for a six-year old car, if it's in good condition and has a full service history.

Two things I'd suggest. Ask if you can have the Mazda2 for an extended, preferably overnight test drive so that your wife can make absolutely certain that the seat is a genuine improvement. If not, then have you considered fitting an aftermarket seat to the SEAT? The likes of Recaro and Cobra make excellent bucket seats that are often approved by back and spine care associations.

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Hi Declan,

Well, obviously the 2.0-litre is more powerful, and with 150hp compared to the Golf 1.6 TDI’s 120hp, quite a bit more so. Lots more torque too, which makes driving much more effortless. There’s not a huge penalty in terms of fuel economy or emissions either, so you’re not going to have to shell out masses of extra cash in terms of running costs, and the 2.0-litre is more refined and smoother than the 1.6.

Is there any point to buying the 1.6 then? Yes — it’ll be cheaper to insure, and easier to sell on as most private buyers will shun the bigger engine.

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Hi David,

To be honest, I'd be tempted to hang on to the SX4. Suzukis are generally astonishingly reliable, whereas with the best will in the world, Renaults are not. Even if your mileage is increasing, there are cheap and simple ways to improve your economy (a tune-up, low rolling resistance tyres, practice) so my best advice is to stick with what you've got. 

In the meantime, I'd say you're looking at a trade in value of around €8-9,000.

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Hi Cormac,

It will depend on the year and model you’re talking about, but if you mean the 2008 Audi A6 update, which was the first model with the TDIe engine, then it’s basically lightly tweaked for economy and emissions, but those will be nothing to write home about compared to more modern cars. The TDIe could manage 53mpg and 139g/km, but that was with the 140hp engine, so it’s a touch under-powered in the A6. You could be better off going for a more powerful 170hp version, which will have slightly higher emissions, but which will probably do better in economy terms in real-world driving - and far more satisfying to drive.

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Hi Mark,

The most common fault with that generation Clio was with the bonnet catch that could fail and allow the bonnet to fly open when driving! Worrying that, and it never triggered a full recall, although Renault did offer to inspect and repair cars for free - make sure the one you're looking at has had that done. Engines are pretty solid, but watch for electrical issues with the windows, the CD player and the engine immobiliser. There are reports of cold starting problems, usually because of a faulty air pressure sensor and the cable-operated gear shift can give problems too. If you have difficulty selecting a gear, then the gearbox is on its way out. Cabin trim is pretty fragile and you need to watch for problems with the brake servos and front suspension arms.

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Hi Anne,

It's impossible to diagnose such an issue from afar accurately, but known issues with that Mondeo include:

- Water in the fuel filter or tank (replace the fuel filter to check)

- Poor earth connection under the battery (check the physical connection for rust, etc)

- Fuel injectors out of calibration (requires reprogramming, usually at a dealer)

Another possibility is that the dual-mass flywheel has broken up and needs replacing.

I'd recommend you get the car along to a good mechanic to diagnose it properly.

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Hi Una,

We'd immediately suggest you go for the petrol car. The low mileage one will be fresher all-round, plus it's likely it'll last longer before you need to spend money on serious maintenance and repairs. The diesel model may be more economical theoretically, but diesel cars are not best suited to permanent use in an urban environment and we suspect it'd cost you more in the long run.

We conducted some research into this subject in conjunction with Cartell.ie recently if you're interested. Read that piece in full here.

Best of luck

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Hi Pat,

To be honest, if badge snobbery were outlawed in the morning, the Kangoo is what we'd all be driving. Massively spacious, comfy and not at all bad to drive, it's the closest modern successor to the original Renault 4. And yes, that's a good thing.

As for reliability, they're pretty good. Being van-based, the mechanical bits are generally of an older design, so the kinks have been long since ironed out and they don't break down much. The only thing to watch for, as on any French car, is the electrical system, which can storm off in a Gallic huff, especially where electric windows are concerned.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Catherine,

Of the two, I'd go for the Focus. Bigger, much better to drive and barely any less economical in day-to-day driving. That generation Corsa was pretty crude, really - noisy and not especially nice to drive.

They're both pretty robust though, which is good, although you should check the Focus carefully for underbody rust as some early cars had very poor weather sealing.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

BMW quotes a combined cycle economy figure of 35.8mpg (7.9 litres/100km) for the new 740i. Depending on your usage and driving style we'd expect a little worse than that, around 30mpg (9.4 litres/100km).

Hope that helps