Expert answer

Hi Brian,

That budget limits the options a little in terms of roominess. With five of you on board, especially if one or two are in boosters or child seats, then you'd definitely need a larger model. The Nissan Qashqai e-Power or the hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson would be perfect, for example.

Nonetheless, if there are no car seats to contend with then you should pop into a Toyota dealer and ask to check out the Corolla 'Touring Sports' estate and the Corolla Cross. They're both very good cars.

Another possibility is the Hyundai Kona. It's available as a hybrid, is within budget and is way larger than its predecessor inside, so it may well fit the bill.

One of the best options - if you're ok with an SUV shape - is the Dacia Bigster. Even a high-spec hybrid version is within budget for you, the rear has loads of room and it's great value for money.

Finally, the Renault Austral competes with the larger SUVs above and is fantastically spacious. It's slightly out of budget at a starting price of €41,995, but maybe you can do some negotiating...

Let us know if we're on the right track or if you need further help refining your search.

Expert answer

Hi Conor, 

There's a wealth of choice at that price point on the used market really. Here are a few options to consider, many of them early 2025 registrations:

Dacia Duster
Hyundai Kona (the newer model)
MG ZS (newer model)
Nissan Qashqai
Skoda Octavia
Volkswagen Taigo or ID.4 if you fancy going electric

I've added links to our reviews of the cars so you can take a look and see what you like the look of. Come back to us and let me know if we're on the right track here, and your thoughts on each of these as we help you narrow down your search.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

There's loads of choice on the market at that price level, and one car that stands out as potentially perfect for you is the Honda Jazz. Manual versions are rarer, but they do exist. The seating position should be a little higher than your Rio's, but it's still a car that handles well in the corners rather than a lofty SUV. The rear seats have loads of versatility built into them as well.

If you found your Kia dependable, a natural replacement could be the Kia Venga, a kind of tall hatchback. The Hyundai ix20 is effectively the same car, and they're not bad, though probably won't tick the "bit of horsepower" box for you...

Let me know if we're on the right track and if you need help narrowing down your search. 

Expert answer

Hi Dan,

Looks like you’re on the right track, yes. The change of ownership may be possible online if the van has the newer digital VRC (vehicle registration certificate - i.e. the logbook) and needs to be done by the company.

If you plan on using the van for any private use whatsoever then yes, you will need to change the motor tax, which is done at your local motor tax office. Note that the rate depends on the engine size of the van and that you’ll need insurance before you can do that.

I’d suggest looking into the insurance before you do anything else, as it can sometimes be tricky finding private insurance on a commercial vehicle.

Expert answer

Hi Ronan,

You will have to tax the van as a private car if you’re going to use it for social, domestic or pleasure purposes. That’s relatively easy to do — you just need to ring up you local motor tax office and ask them to make the switch for you. Annual motor tax will cost you €413 a year for the 1.5-litre engine (taxing a commercial as a private car means you go back to the old engine capacity based system).

Insurance is the trickier aspect, and we’ve heard from a lot of readers that they struggle to find cover for commercials as private vehicles. We always advise to try and track down a good, reputable, broker and get cover sorted before you make any decisions.

Take a read of Buying a commercial vehicle for private use for more information.

Expert answer

Hi Bevan,

Sadly, insurance is the critical thing here, and it’s the bit we can help you with least as Irish insurers — as ever — ladle on the risk when it comes to young drivers. Any ballpark figure we give you could be €1,000 — or more — out.

Expert answer

Hi Betty,

OK, it kind of depends on whether you’re looking at second hand or new, but either way your best bet could be to track down a good used Ford B-Max. That had a fairly wide-opening front door, but more importantly the rear side doors slide back, and there’s no pillar between the doors, so effectively the whole side of the car is open. That should make getting in and out a little easier for your daughter.

If that doesn’t suit, how about a Honda Jazz? Take your pick from pretty much any generation of Jazz — they’re all roomy and with big, wide-opening doors. 

Ford B-Max reviews

Honda Jazz reviews

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

OK, we’ve found a few cars that meet both your budget and your small engine requirement, and can pretty easily handle the hack to Ennis and back.

All small car searches should start with a Fiat 500 — looks cool, is fun to drive, costs buttons to run and no they’re not unreliable.

Want something a bit more conventional? You should be able to track down a 2009-ish Ford Fiesta with the 1.25 engine. Terrific all-rounder.

If you want something cheaper to run, there’s the Kia Picanto (circa 2010),  which has a peppy enough 1.0 to be able to cope with the Ennis run.

Or finally a Toyota Yaris, with that brilliant 1.0 VVTi engine, would make a hugely sensible choice, but you’ll have to go for an older one to stay on budget — 2008 or thereabouts. 

Expert answer

Hi Margaret,

If you’re looking for the new-shape Defender, there aren’t really any used examples around, although if you shop about you might track down a pre-registered, or dealer-demo model. As for the original Defender, they are VERY thin on the ground right now, not least because they’ve become a bit of an investment, with values firming, even rising, since the model went out of production. We have found a few here on Carzone.ie, but as we say, there aren’t that many available right now.

Expert answer

Hi Dennis,

There are a couple of high-performance car specialist insurers such as TopInsure and Martins Insurance, but you’re always going to pay big for a car such as that in Ireland, sadly. Always a good idea to track down a good broker, too, as they can sometimes get access to deals that mere mortals cannot.