Expert answer

Hi Carmel,

OK, full disclosure - I owned a 2003 Laguna estate for several years, so I know here what I'm talking about. Realistically, they're not very reliable at all. The engines tend not to break in and of themselves, but everything else does. Anything electrical is suspect (especially the electric windows and the credit card key system), the suspensions are fragile (especially the rear rubber bushings) and the catalytic convertors regularly pop a rivet or two.

Best avoided to be fair.

Expert answer

Hi Anna,

There are several versions of that car, and there as a model year change in late 2009 so it depends which it is exactly. Here are a few examples, assuming you're not talking about the estate:

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 100hp and five-speed manual gearbox: 149g/km CO₂ (Band C): €390

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 125hp and stop-start (called 'Eco') and five-speed manual gearbox: 139g/km CO₂ (Band B2): €280

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 125hp and five-speed manual gearbox: 154g/km CO₂ (Band C): €390

If you give us the registration number we can give you the exact price of tax.

Expert answer

Hi Rob,

Really good actually - reliable, hugely spacious and quite nice to drive. Best of all, a 2009 one will still have up to two full years of the manufacturer's warranty left to run. Mind you, you need to read the fine print on that - there are some exclusions, including interior rattles and loose trim, something the cee'd does suffer from.  

They can also go through tyres quite quickly and the gearbox can give trouble, although it's usually just a matter of changing the transmission fluid.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Linda,

That very much depends on the ages of the kids, as the Volvo S40 is really only about the same size as a Ford Focus (it's actually made on that car's platform). You won't easily get three booster seats across the back seat and the boot is ok an acceptable size rather than an impressive one.

For reference, I have two kids (three and a half and five and a half) and we have the Volvo V50, which is the estate version of the S40. It's just about big enough. If we had another kid I'd be looking at changing cars.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Sharon,

I always think an estate is better for a two-kid family, rather than going for the styling and dynamic compromises an MPV forces upon you. A good idea for that kind of budget might be to upgrade to a more recent Focus Estate. A budget of €6k would get you a high-ish mileage 2008 version with the 1.6-litre diesel engine, which will cost you buttons to run - an easy 58mpg.

It's spacious and comfy and as long as you like your current Focus you won't go wrong. Looking for more of a change? How about a Kia cee'd SW 1.6 diesel EX? Again, cheap to run, really reliable and lots of room in the boot for buggies etc. A cracking family car, that one. Fancy something a bit more rugged? Maybe try a Nissan X-Trail, front-wheel drive with the 150hp 2.0-litre diesel engine. A really terrific car that, but obviously it will be more expensive to run than a smaller estate.

As for trade-in on your Focus, I'm afraid I wouldn't expect too much. Probably only about €1,000 to €1,500.

Expert answer

Hi Kellie.

Generally speaking, they should be OK. All the mechanical bits are old, proven Renault and Nissan parts, and thanks to the fact that Logans are pretty well shorn of equipment, there's not that much that can go wrong. Dacias also come with an optional five-year warranty, which should put your mind at rest.

However, it's worth pointing out that the Logan estate we tested recently had a wonky driver's door, putting some doubt over the quality of the assembly and the German TUV (the national safety and quality testing organisation) rates the Logan as having a 13 per cent fault rate. Now, that figure is only a guideline and it does encompass the old Logan (the one that was never sold here) as well, but just for comparisons, the TUV rates a Ford Fiesta at a 4.8 per cent fault rate.

In other words, they're probably fine, but try and make sure you buy one with lots of warranty left, just in case.

Expert answer

Hi Rao,

At a rough guess that should give you a budget of between €10,000 and €12,000, which is healthy enough. If you've been a Toyota owner in the past I'm assuming you want to stick with something that'll be reliable so my first suggestion is an Auris hatchback. They're spacious inside, so pass the two kids test with ease and the 1.33-litre petrol version should be economical enough for your commuting style. 

Also consider a Honda Civic. If anything, Hondas tend to be even better built than Toyotas and while the Civic's avant-garde styling may be a bit of an acquired taste, its spacious and practical cabin is a boon for family life. A 2.2-litre diesel may sound like overkill but it's a terrific engine and has low emissions and therefore is cheap to tax. 

Finally, if you want something with a bit more space, how about a Kia cee'd SW estate? Reliably solid, and with that seven-year warranty, pleasant to drive and the estate version has a massive boot.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

First up, 143,000 miles isn't much for the 1.8 TDCi engine so don't focus on that. This sounds like the car has gone into 'limp home' mode, which could be for a variety of reasons from a faulty sensor to a blocked diesel particulate filter (DPF). You really need the car hooked up to a diagnostic computer at a garage to get to the bottom of the problem quickly.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Bertha,

To be honest, 70km a day is not an especially large mileage and buying an SUV for that kind of journey is simply not going to be good from a fuel consumption point of view. Neither the Citroen C4 AirCross nor the Peugeot 4008 are sold in Ireland so they're off the list. As you've suggested a Hyundai though, can I suggest in return an i30 or i40 estate? Both will give you the space and practicality of an SUV but at a much lower level of purchase and running costs.

Expert answer

Hi David,

Oh yes. In fact, I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Smooth, powerful, terrific to drive and yet decently economical too. Aside from a touch too much road noise, the Octavia RS TDI is one of the most accomplished all-round performance cars we've ever driven.

Here's our full road test of the Combi estate version