Expert answer

Hello Raymond,

One word: tax. The United States and our near neighbours the UK aren't subject to anything like the taxation that we are when it comes to cars. The base price of our cars before you add VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) have always been among the lowest in Europe. But when you add the taxes obviously the cars start becoming expensive. 

But also, because these taxes are also on optional extras (including safety features) then car distributors often have to bring in very basic versions so that the ordinary buyer can afford them. Hence, items that you would normally see as standard in other markets have often been taken out, even if this is something like ESP, which is a life-saving safety device. 

Those selling the cars have to do this because of how much of the car's value is going to the Government coffers. It has long been an issue in Ireland and one that the EU have taken a strong interest in too, because it sees it as double taxation on an item, which is against EU law. 

There are also other issues in relation to strengths of currencies at any given time and also that the USA has a manufacturing supply, so specific US-built cars are sold there and aren't treated as imported vehicles. Of course the US is a massive market and hence economies of scale come into play, where as Ireland is a tiny market in comparison.

Prices have come down here because at least now cars are taxed on their CO₂ emissions and not their engine size, which was the case until July 2008 and made little sense. It meant that nobody bought diesel cars but instead bought small, underpowered petrol ones instead. 

With petrol (or should I say 'gas') much cheaper in the US, it has always been easier to buy V6, V8 or even V12 petrol cars there too.

Obviously it isn't ideal for us here in Ireland, but in Europe there are many countries just like us, including Denmark, Norway and Portugal so we are not alone. Just count yourself lucky that you are buying in the US!

I hope this answers your question.

Expert answer

Hi Eamonn,

With today's exchange rate you should land that car in Ireland for about €44,510. VRT is 20% of the open market value, as the emissions put the car in Band C, which equates to about €7,121.

Bear in mind that, if you add options to this car, the value of those will be used to calculate the VRT, so it could be higher depending on the exact specification of your car.

Hope that helps,

Expert answer

The Octavia is a car that makes so much sense for so many reasons. For a start, it is superbly built, with build quality as good as a Volkswagen. There is plenty of space both inside and also in terms of luggage space. The 1.6-litre engine offers low emissions and therefore is cheap to tax and to run. To drive, it is geared more towards comfort than outright agility (that is why it is a car so favoured by taxi drivers), so what you get is a car that is great for long trips. They have proven themselves to be ultra reliable too. 

The price of the Octavia 1.6 is also very attractive and residuals have remained strong. It is definitely a car we would recommend without too much trouble. 

Expert answer

Hi Jimmy,

A quick scout around suggests that it should be possible to buy either of those two cars for about the same price on the scrappage scheme so we'll take price out of the equation.

In terms of economy, emissions and performance, the cars are well-matched too and both are well-equipped as standard.

However, the Passat is a significantly bigger car and it feels it, with more room for passengers and a significantly larger boot. It hence feels like you're getting a lot more for your money in the VW.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Eamon,

That's quite a wide selection! Let's go through each model first of all:

Toyota RAV4:

Going by your shortlist you obviously need four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission. There's only a single Toyota RAV4 on sale fitting that, the RAV4 Sol in 4wd powered by the 'D-Cat 150 (2.2)' engine. That's a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. Choice stats:

• Price: €39,465
• CO₂ emissions: 189g/km
• Tax band: E
• Annual road tax: €630
• Combined cycle fuel consumption: 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres
• Maximum power: 150hp
• Maximum torque: 340Nm
• Towing ability: Up to 1,800kg

BMW X1:

The cheaper xDrive18d model doesn't seem to have an automatic option so you'd have to go for the xDrive20d SE at least. The stats:

• Price: €43,091
• CO₂ emissions: 155g/km
• Tax band: C
• Annual road tax: €302
• Combined cycle fuel consumption: 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres
• Maximum power: 180hp
• Maximum torque: 350Nm
• Towing ability: Up to 1,800kg

Hyundai ix35:

This is one of the newest SUVs on the market, but it's more of a crossover than an SUV really. That's emphasised by Hyundai only listing the two-wheel drive model with a manual gearbox on its website. It does say that "Automatic subject to availability. Please contact your local Hyundai Dealer", but we're not sure there is an automatic option available for this car as yet. We've asked Hyundai for clarification.

Kia Sportage:

There's an all-new Sportage launching later this year, so we assume you're thinking about that. Full details have yet to be released, though Kia tells us that, along with a new 1.7-litre turbodiesel engine a 2.0-litre turbodiesel 4x4 model will be offered on special order with an automatic gearbox. Tax will be band D, costing €447 per year. I'm afraid that's all we know at this stage. We're driving it next month for the first time.

Nissan Qashqai:

Nissan gave the Qashqai a facelift this year and it looks better than ever. For some reason the new look has not been applied to the seven-seat '+2' version on Nissan Ireland's website. However, the figures below refer to the regular five-seat version. The cheapest available with a diesel engine, four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox is the Qashqai 2.0d A/T 4x4 SV. The stats:

• Price: €37,995
• CO₂ emissions: 191g/km
• Tax band: F
• Annual road tax: €1,050
• Combined cycle fuel consumption: 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres
• Maximum power: 150hp
• Maximum torque: 320Nm
• Towing ability: Up to 1,400kg

Summary:

So, let's leave the Kia and Hyundai out of the equation for the moment, as we don't have enough information to make an informed decision.

The Toyota and Nissan compare well to each other. Like the Qashqai, the RAV4 was given a makeover for 2010 so it's fresher than ever. In diesel, automatic, four-wheel drive guise, the Toyota appears to win that battle, as the Qashqai is very expensive to tax. The Toyota is the better tow car too.

It looks like the Toyota probably wins outright on paper. The BMW X1 xDrive 20d is more powerful, significantly better on fuel and a newer design than the RAV4, but it's also a lot more to buy to begin with. Even paying less tax and fuel costs, it'd take a long time to claw that price difference back. Pity the xDrive18d doesn't come with an automatic transmission, as that could be a better choice, but in this list, the Toyota wins the logical argument.

Make sure you test drive examples of both before you decide and please do let us know in the comment box below what you end up doing.

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

First up, we thoroughly recommend the Peugeot 3008 itself. It's an excellent family car with a high quality, well thought out interior and it drives pretty well.

However, we're not sure that the Ecomatique version makes any sense in Ireland, unless you absolutely have to drive an automatic car. It's not a conventional smooth automatic gearbox; instead it features a robotised manual, which means that the clutch and gear change are operated automatically. Sounds great in theory, but in practice the gear changes feel slower and progress is jerkier than in a manual car. That's partly perception and you can learn to smooth out the changes yourself, but overall we reckon it detracts from the driving experience.

On the positive side, the Ecomatique 3008 is a little more economical than the regular 1.6 HDi 110hp version. However, it's only a difference of 0.2 litres per 100km on the official combined cycle. Given that the Ecomatique is more expensive to buy in the first place, you'd have to cover a lot of distance to start making savings and even then we'd argue that in real world conditions the manual version will be just as econonomical.

In some countries, the Ecomatique's lower CO₂ emissions would reduce your tax bill, but it's still in band B in Ireland, just like the regular version.

Hope that helps with your decision. If you'd like to know more, feel free to add a comment in the box below.

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

Well your car does qualify for the scrappage scheme, which ends on December 31^st this year. All dealers who have cars that qualify for scrappage (new cars with emissions of 140g/km or less, Band A and B cars) are partaking in the scheme - at this stage most mainstream brands have some cars that qualify.

Renault is offering the best deals when it comes to the scrappage scheme and although you might not have considered a new car, it would probably make the most cost effective way of getting into another car as you will get the most money for your current Clio and the most money off a new one.

For example, if you were to trade-in your current Clio against a new version under the scrappage scheme it would cost you just €8,990 for a new one, so essentially, along with the Government allowance, you are getting a total of €5,050 off the price of a new car, and you certainly won't get this off a used one. You might, at best, hope for €1,000 off a used car for your 1999 model, so you might just get a 2008 Clio with your budget.

In summary, if your budget allows, go and get a new Clio under the scheme.

Expert answer

Hi Carl,

The thing about fuel economy figures from the manufacturer is that they are often very difficult to match. We seldom match them, as they are recorded using specific lab conditions and are often not really reflective of real-world conditions.

There are some things you can do to improve your fuel economy however:

1 Pump up to cut down 

Under-inflated tyres create more resistance. That means your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used. Check and adjust your tyre pressures regularly, and also before long journeys.

2 Less clutter means less CO₂ 

Clutter in your boot is extra weight in your car. By removing it, you could reduce your engine's workload. This will burn less fuel.

3 Drive at an appropriate speed 

Staying at or within the speed limit not only increases driver safety, it also reduces fuel consumption. At 110km/h you could be using nine percent more fuel than at 100km/h, and up to 15 percent more fuel than at 80km/h.

4 Less stopping and starting 

Every time you stop then start again in a traffic queue the engine uses more fuel. Keep an eye on the traffic ahead and slow down early by gently lifting your foot off the accelerator while keeping the car in gear. The traffic may have started moving again by the time you reach the vehicle in front, so you can change up a gear and be on your way.

5 Over-revving accelerates emissions 

Modern car engines are designed to be efficient from the moment they are switched on, so revving up like a Formula 1 car in pole position only wastes fuel and increases engine wear. Using your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier can also reduce revs.

6 Idling is wasting fuel 

When the engine is idling, you're wasting fuel. If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than three minutes, simply switch off the engine.

 – Source: Defra UK

Expert answer

The reason we have talked about the Qashqai+2 a lot of late is that there seems to be quite a few people asking us about seven seats, but not really wanting an MPV. The Verso is an MPV, so as such is usually compared to its main rivals such as the Ford C-MAX and Renault Scenic.

Compared to the Qashqai+2, the Verso comes with a 2.0-litre diesel engine and the Qashqai+2 usually comes with a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The Verso has more power with 125hp against 104hp in the Qashqai+2. The Verso has faster acceleration (about two seconds faster to 100km/h from rest) and in terms of fuel economy the Verso again is slightly more frugal. The CO₂ emissions in are both Band C, with road tax of €302. However the new Qashqai+2 does drop a tax band to Band B.

Both cars have five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings and come with multiple airbags. ESP (electronic stability control) is standard fit on both cars too. The rear-most row of seats would be more generous in the Verso compared to the Qashqai+2 even though they share an almost identical wheelbase. There is also more shoulder room in the second and third row of seats.

In terms of price, a 2009 Verso will cost you about €25,000 - €27,000, while a new Qashqai+2 will cost you from €30,450 for a new one and about €26,000 - €27,000 for a 2009 model.

Both have pretty poor luggage space with the rear-most seats in place, but loads with the third row folded, so it depends how often you intend using the seats.

I hope this helps.

Expert answer

Volkswagen aren't saying much at the moment, but you can take it as a given that the new model will feature the 1.4-litre TSi and I reckon (and this just a guess) that it will be the same one that is in the Passat at the moment. This is a reasonably new engine and I think it will be carried over to the replacement. The 122hp unit replaced the 1.6-litre petrol and for the first while I would see this engine being carried over.

As you can see from what they have done in the Polo, with the 105hp unit available, there is increasing popularlity and relevance for these smaller turbocharged engines and they definitely have a future. They offer a great way of keeping emissions down but at the same time returning pretty potent performance.

Everyone is being conditioned to buy diesel cars at the moment, but this new raft of small petrol turbocharged engines will offer a great alternative.