Expert answer

Hi Mary,

A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.

If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.  

You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.

Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.

If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.

One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.

The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.

Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.

Expert answer

Hi Edward,

That's not so easy to answer definitively, but I suspect the Toyota could be a little cheaper to run. It does depend of course on which version – and year – XC70 you have. The latest GR Yaris costs €790 a year to tax, for your reference.

Unless you're doing track days, wear and tear in the Yaris should be no more than it is in the Volvo and with a new-car warranty you're isolated from high-value maintenance costs for a few years in any case.

The big unknown is insurance, but only you can determine that by ringing around and getting quotes.

We'd be interested in the outcome if you want to drop us a line after.

Expert answer

Hi Shona,

Before we take a look for potential cars for you, I would say that you should avoid diesels, as they're not suited to mostly city driving and will end up costing more in maintenance. Stick with petrol, or hybrid if something comes up within budget.

A small estate such as the Skoda Fabia Combi could work well for you. There are plenty within budget, they're reliable and they have huge boots. The only reservation I have is that the rear seating isn't huge, which might be a problem if you have two rear-facing child seats in there. Worth going to take a look at one and making that decision for yourself. The SEAT Ibiza ST (Sports Tourer) is pretty much the same car underneath, incidentally, if you prefer the look of that.

There are VW Golf and Passat estates on the market within budget and with petrol engines as well, and they come with much more rear legroom than the Fabia, but you'd likely have to make do with an older model for under €10,000.

On a completely different tack are cars such as the Nissan Note and Kia Venga, which are more upright than most hatchbacks that take up the same amount of space on the road, to the benefit of interior space. They beat the Fabia for rear legroom, for example, but their boots aren't huge. I wouldn't want to be carrying a travel-system-style buggy as well as anything else. Nonetheless those ones I've mentioned are reliable and within budget.

The Honda Jazz is similar and it's an excellent choice.

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

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