Expert answer

Hi Dympna,

The motor tax on that Micra won't be changing due to the new tax bands announced yesterday in Budget 2021. Our information is that your car emits 99g/km of CO₂, so it's in Band A2 costing €180 per year. That is not set to change. 

Read Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained for full details

Expert answer

Hi Kieran,

Our understanding is that the €5,000 VRT rebate will continue for electric cars with an OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) of under €40,000 and will be tapered from that to zero rebate for cars with an OMSP of over €50,000. Hence, most of the cars you mention shouldn't see much of a price change, though we don't yet have sight of how the rebate changes for cars with an OMSP of between €40,000 and €50,000.

For reference:

The Mazda MX-30 currently costs from €30,495 including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.

The Peugeot e-208 currently costs from €27,334 including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.

The Honda e currently costs from €29,995 including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.

The Nissan Leaf currently costs from €29,890 including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.

The Tesla Model 3 currently costs from €47,990 including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.

Expert answer

Hi Nittin,

With such low mileage, it's sensible to stay away from diesel power for sure. The 1.6-litre petrol engine works pretty well, though be aware that the front-wheel-drive X-Trail can struggle for traction in wet conditions. 

Read our review of the 1.6-litre petrol Nissan X-Trail here

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

You certainly can do, but just be aware that you’ll have to pay some import duty on it, which may reduce any potential saving compared to an Irish market car. Do your research carefully and get in touch with your local Nissan dealer to make sure that they’ll honour any outstanding vehicle or battery warranty.

Expert answer

Hi James,

The Qashqai has long been one of the most popular cars on the market, and with good reason — it’s roomy, quite stylish, decent to drive and mostly reliable. We say "mostly” as there have been reported issues with turbocharger problems (although those seem to affect the diesel engined version rather more) and suspension problems. With a five-year-old car, we’d recommend getting an inspection by someone like the AA to ascertain if there are any serious issues with the car, and of course do a full history and background check with Cartell.ie.

Other than that, as long as it comes with a full service history, it should be a good buy.

Read our Nissan Qashqai Mk2 (2014-2021) used car buying guide for more.

Expert answer

Hi Dan,

The annual motor tax cost for any electric vehicle is €120.

Expert answer

Hi Joe,

If you are moving to Ireland, and bringing the car with you, and you can show proof of at least six months’ tax and insurance, as well as proof of change of address, then you’ll be exempt from paying VRT.

Expert answer

Hi Ruth,

There are lots of good choices for commercial SUVs. If you wanted something really swish, you could go for a Land Rover Discovery Commercial, but it’s a bit pricey. Smaller and more affordable is the Nissan Qashqai van, which is also pretty decent to drive. There’s also the Hyundai Kona Commercial, or if you’re feeling really futuristic, the Kona Commercial Electric. But actually, to be honest, your best bet might be to just buy a compact crossover, most of which are already pretty affordable, spacious (if you fold the back seats down) and which mostly have lower annual motor tax than the flat-rate €333 commercial van tax anyway. We’d suggest starting your shopping list with either the new Ford Puma or, if you’re really looking for bargains, the Dacia Duster. Some of our reviews to help you choose:

Land Rover Discovery reviews

Nissan Qashqai reviews

Hyundai Kona reviews

Ford Puma reviews

Dacia Duster reviews

Expert answer

Hi Niamh,

OK, there are a few options here. You could go down the DIY route — there are second hand instrument clusters available on eBay, and plenty of tutorials on YouTube, but — and we can’t emphasise this enough — that’s the risky option. Lots of opportunity for an expensive mistake.

The simplest thing to do is go to your local Nissan dealer. Now, they might offer to swap out the entire panel — which is expensive — but really you’d be better off asking them to simply replace the face of the speedometer dial with a new one, which sometimes can be done with a sticker. A much more affordable alternative.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

Assuming it’s the model of Navara with a 2.3-litre engine, then it’ll cost you €994 a year to tax — that’s because when taxing a commercial as a private car, you revert to the old by-engine-capacity tax system.