Expert answer

Hi Jeff,

If insurance is your main concern, then think smaller. Get as close to 1.0 litres as you possibly can. It’s a bit of a cliche, but the best cars in that arena are those good old reliables the Nissan Micra and Toyota Yaris. Lots around in your price range.

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Hi Ian,

There are really only two options when it comes to S-Max engines and those are the 125hp 1.8 TDCi diesel and the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel in 140hp form. There was a 163hp version as well, but they're pretty thin on the ground and forget about the rarer than hen's molars 2.5-litre 212hp petrol version with the engine from the Focus ST; it was fantastic fun but nobody bought one as far as we can tell.

Now, originally both the 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines shared the same 164g/km CO₂ rating, which makes road tax a bit on the pricey side (€570 a year), but in 2010, Ford facelifted the S-Max, dropped the 1.8 TDCi and introduced an updated 2.0 diesel with emissions of 143g/km, making for a much more palatable €390 a year tax bill. So, that's the one we'd advise you go for and as long as you get either a Zetec or Titanium spec version, you'll get a reasonable amount of toys to keep you happy in the cabin.

Cracking car, the S-Max actually. Spacious but terrific to drive. Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Mark,

If you're buying from a reputable dealer, then you should expect to get at least a six-month warranty, and indeed there are car company-backed approved second hand programmes where you can get as much as a two-year warranty, which is pretty good. 

That said, buying an aftermarket warranty is a pretty good idea, once the costs work out. You'll have to decide on the model of car and year in order to get a quote, as it's basically like an insurance system for your mechanical parts, and make doubly sure you read all the small print and know for certain what's covered, under what circumstances, whether knock-on damage (i.e, when the failure of one component causes the failure of others around it) and if there's an excess etc.

Hope that helps

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Hi Des,

If it’s a factory-approved enhancement, then you should be fine as the car has been homologated to accept that upgrade from BMW itself. As long as you let your insurance company know, you should be fine, but, yes, they’ll probably bump up your premium a bit. You might want to call them first and ask them how much extra it will be, because it may not be worth it for an extra 13hp.

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Hi Erwin,

Ignition coil packs and excessive oil consumption on higher-mileage cars seem to be the only major faults, but then again basic Polos were so stingily equipped that there's nothing much to go wrong. Watch for engine wear though - it's an underpowered car and you need to rev the nuts off it to get any decent performance, with consequent wear and tear issues. 

Keep it in town, at low speeds, where it was designed to work, and it should be cheap to run, with very cheap insurance too.

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Hi Bartlomiej,

Well, it kinda depends what you mean by SUV. If you mean large, the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V etc, then it's probably best to wait until the new 1.6-litre, front-wheel drive version of the Honda arrives later this year, as that will be a big, spacious SUV that has emissions of under 120g/km, although the lack of four-wheel drive might not appeal.

If it's the smaller ones you're looking at then I'd suggest a Skoda Yeti. It bridges the gap, size-wise, between the very small Nissan Juke and the large stuff like Mazda's CX-5 and the Kia Sportage. Go for the 1.6 TDI Greenline version and you'll have a spacious, rugged, practical family car with Band A4 tax (€200 a year) and it should do a pretty steady 50mpg most of the time.

Want something a bit more flash? The MINI Countryman, with its 1.6-litre diesel engine, is super-frugal, but you do need to spend a bit on options to get the right look.

It may also be worth waiting a couple of months until the new Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008 arrive on sale, as both should prove very affordable to run.

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Hi Liam,

Wow, you're 24 and thinking of a Honda Accord? I thought all you young 'uns wanted Citroen Saxos or Civics? Well, frankly, I don't think I can recommend a better car than the Accord. They're comfy, refined, spacious and utterly reliable. Just watch the insurance rating as the smallest possible engine is 1.8-litre and that could really crank up your premium.

Again, the Lexus IS is a good choice with solid reliability and a playful rear-drive chassis thrown into the bargain. €15,000 gets you into the current model (just about to be replaced actually) easily enough, and the 2.2-litre diesel engine is the one to go for - it's punchy and frugal.

Let us know if you'd like other suggestions.

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Hi John,

Interestingly, you haven't given us a budget to work with here, so that means a whole world of possibilities looked to be opening up, and then you hit us with the sub-2.0 clause, which instantly shut them down again.

So how about these for some suggestions:

Kia Sportage: you'll get a 2.0-litre diesel 4x4 auto for €35k and it's as stylish and good to drive as you could wish for.

Want something a bit more premium? How about an Audi Q3? Very stylish, but a bit more pricey. €41k gets you a 2.0 TDI quattro.

Finally there's the new Ford Kuga. Bigger and more practical than either of the other two mentioned, you'll pay €43k for a 2.0 TDCi diesel with Powershift auto.

What do you think?

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Hi Jonny,

Right, there's a couple of easy answers to this question and they are Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta. There are tonnes of them around, they're all safe and the Yaris can be had with a 1.0-litre engine so low tax and insurance rates are assured.

But... But there are a couple of possibilities that are a bit more fun and a little more interesting. How about a Suzuki Swift? Not as spacious as the above trio, but as your child is only one that's not really an issue for now. Besides it's way more fun to drive than any of the others and Suzukis are super reliable.

Or you could go for something a bit more trendy and exciting. €5,000 is the absolute bottom end price for a Fiat 500 but you might be able to track one down, and it's fun and funky as well as safe and cheap to run. Or there's the mother of all fun hatches, the MINI. €5,000 gets you lots of choice but we'd go for a MINI One (it avoids the extra insurance loading of a Cooper) and have a good shop around to find one with decent equipment. Fun, just about spacious enough (if you juggle the seats around), safe and with a great chassis and great all-round visibility, it's ideal for a learner.

Come back to us if need help to narrow things down further.

Expert answer

Right, tough combination this as I'm assuming you want to be able to carry the bike inside the car, rather than on a boot-mounted carrier. If you're going down the carrier route, then you won't go wrong with one of the old favourites like a Fiesta, Corsa or Punto.

If, however, it's space inside you need then you need to go a little left-field. How about a 2006 Renault Modus 1.2 Dynamique? True, Renaults of that age aren't the most reliable of cars, but the 1.2 petrol engine is a well-proven unit and the space inside the Modus is not to be sniffed at. Plus it's one of the safest cars you can buy. All that and we found one listed at only €3,950 from a dealer.

What do you think?