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Hi Joe,

There aren’t any specific battery issues to look for, and the good thing about a plug-in hybrid is that you can’t fast-charge them, so there’s less likelihood of wear and tear on the battery cells from repeated rapid charges. Obviously, batteries do degrade a little over time, but you shouldn’t see more than a few percentage points wiped off the performance. Make sure you go for a fully-charged test drive first though, and if the range seems abruptly short (allowing for weather, traffic etc) then the battery might have been physically damaged at some point.

Other plug-in hybrids worth considering would be a BMW 530e, although that probably won’t squeeze into your budget, or a Volkswagen Passat GTE, which provides performance almost as good as that of the 330e, but for a much lower cost overall and it's more spacious. Don’t forget that the battery eats considerably into the 330e’s boot space, and it was never a big car inside to begin with. The updated Passat GTE (2020) was available as an estate, too...

BMW 330e review

Volkswagen Passat GTE review

Volkswagen Passat GTE Estate review

BMW 530e review

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Hi John,

In theory you might be right, and we suspect that there won’t be 100 per cent clarity on this issue until there have been further negotiations between the EU and the UK, or a case is tested in court. The problem is, of course, that with the UK now being a ’third country’ post-Brexit, you could possibly claim back the VAT from the UK authorities on the car’s exit from the UK. You’d most likely have to do that after you’ve paid your VRT and VAT in Ireland, and the paperwork would doubtless be monstrous.

Might be worth a try, though. 

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Hi Graham,

If you're sure it is turning itself off (i.e. have you driven above the speed to test it is working?), then this sounds like a question for the Renault dealer you bought the car from. If it's very new than everything is under warranty and I'm sure they'll be helpful in getting to the bottom of the issue.

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Hi Jeremy,

Sorry to say that's almost impossible to answer for you. What one person thinks is acceptable, another may call uncomfortable. My gut instinct is that it will be ok, as it's 'only' on 18-inch wheels, though the sports suspension will undoubtedly firm it up. If it's a deal-breaker for you, then I'd suggest waiting until you can test-drive the car. It's the only way to know for certain.

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Hi Adam,

OK, this is going to be an ‘as far as we can tell’ answer because the legislation regarding N-plates is not spectacularly well-worded. However, the key word here appears to be ‘first’ as in: "In the first two years after acquiring a full driving licence a driver must display N plates on all vehicles.” So, if you’ve displayed your N-plates for the first two years, then in theory, you won’t have to display them for another two, even if you’re re-sitting your test. However, it’s the re-sit that may throw a spanner in the works here, as the NDLS and RSA may well take the view that, in official terms you’re starting from scratch. You will almost certainly have to abide by the lower drink-drive limits and lower penalty point threshold for a ban that applies to N-plate drivers, too.

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Hi Martin,

The van still needs to go through the CVRT, not the NCT.

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Hi Jim,

Assuming you're sure that diesel power is for you, the Kuga is not a bad choice. There were various different power outputs available, so make sure you test it and that you're happy with the performance. The only major thing to look out for is the dual-clutch automatic gearbox - we'd steer clear of it if at all possible as it comes with many known faults.

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Hi Aisling,

We can't answer that question definitively as yet, as we don't drive the new Tucson until January (keep an eye on our Hyundai Tucson reviews page for it). 

You can compare the data for the cars yourself on the Hyundai and Toyota websites. There is a wide range of pricing from both brands to cover from about €36,000 to €43,000 so you'll need to delve into the specifications to see if you get more for your money in either of them. They appear well-matched to us, though Hyundai's five-year warranty trumps Toyota's three-year offer. That only matters if you're keeping the car that long of course.

In terms of performance, the Hyundai is a little quicker and should feel it even without extending the engine, as it uses a turbocharged unit, whereas the Toyota's engine has no turbo.

There's very little to separate them in terms of efficiency, though the RAV4 appears to be slightly better on that count, depending on the version.

In contrast, the Hyundai has the more modern cabin and a larger boot. 

In short, there's no clear winner between them. So, we'd recommend you get a test drive in both before you decide, in as close as possible to the final specification you would consider buying.

Please do come back to us and let us know which you decided upon and why, as that will help other readers.

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Hi Adaora,

OK, if you bring it in right now, and get it VRT’d before January 1st, then the VRT cost should be in the region of €1,700. After January 1st, that will go up a little as, with CO₂ emissions of 119g/km, and adding the extra calculation that Revenue will now be making to equalise emissions figures taken from the old NEDC test with the new WLTP test (which bring’s the Mazda3’s figures up to 144g/km) then it will be in a 19 per cent VRT  band, rather than a 17 per cent. That would most likely bring the VRT payable (including the NOx levy) to around €1,900, but all of that will of course depend on the individual car, its specification, condition and history.

Read these articles for more information:

How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland?

Guide to Importing Cars from the UK

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Hi Moira,

No it will not. That won't cause any issues. However, make sure you tell the receptionist on handing over the key, as they may just assume something is wrong with the car and they can't do the test.