Upgrade? PCP or hold? Snazzy SUV? Updating a 4x4? We need bigger seats

Aidan Timmons and Motoring Editor Eddie Cunningham team up to help readers make the right choice with their next car. Aidan visits dealers all over the country to produce a monthly guidebook on the values of used cars. He is co-editor of Motor Trade Publi

I AM considering upgrading. I currently drive a 2012 Ford Focus with high mileage, but I have two toddlers and I find that the car is not big enough with two bulky car seats in the back. What I really want is an SUV. My budget is around €20k inclusive of trade-in. What SUV would you recommend?

Aidan/Eddie: Your budget encompasses a variety of models, but prioritise the Kia Sportage. You should have no trouble finding a 2015 plate EXL model (EX is the preferred specification and the ‘L’ adds leather). Leather will be great for inevitable spillages and crumbs on seats.

Kia’s excellent seven-year warranty also expires at 150,000km, so if you plan on keeping the car for a while, then buy one with low mileage so you keep repairs off your household balance sheet and leave Kia with the bills; not that they give much trouble anyway.

The market is not shy of Hyundai ix35s, so you will fall over decent Executive and Premium models. It’s a solid performer and up your street.

If a Nissan dealer really fancies your Focus, you might end up in

a 2016 Qashqai SV model, but a 2015 is fine too. Lastly, because you have a Focus, you should also consider the Kuga. See if you can manage to sneak into a 2015-plate Titanium.

I have a 161 Audi A3 on PCP. My circumstances have changed. I’m now doing a 200km round trip to work five days a week. There is only 36k on the car. Prior to this it would have only been used for weekend driving and short distances during the week.

Should I trade in now with low mileage as by the time the PCP is up there will be around 90k on it? Or should I pay off what is owed on it next year when the PCP is up and drive it into the ground?

If I should trade it in, what would you recommend I get? My commute is 70pc motorway and 15pc main road and 15pc back roads. I would like to get the most economical car.

Aidan: If the APR on your PCP is low, then you are availing of cheap credit so it might be worth hanging on until the loan period expires. Just be aware that refinancing the outstanding balance will likely be at a higher APR, so your repayment amount will be affected relative to the cost of borrowing. The reason why hanging on is a good option for you is because you will inevitably prematurely age any vehicle you buy with your new commute, and

with just 36,000km on your car, it is still really fresh.

However, you need a plan for changing cars in the future. Driving something into the ground is all well and good, but you need to be safe in your car.

Also, don’t write it off entirely. Always consider it an asset and try to find a sweet spot of affordability where you can move out of the car and into a new one.

New is always preferred as you need to get as much warranty as possible. If you can afford to change after three to four years with fewer than 200,000km, that might be a workable route. Look at a 2-litre diesel next time. A Skoda Superb or Ford Mondeo would devour that mileage.

Eddie: Aidan and I are totally agreed on what you should do, but I would urge you to look at a Volkswagen Passat 2-litre diesel as well.

I drive a 2012 Audi A1 (78,000km). I love it but want to get a newer car. I bought it brand new and it’s got all the add-ons inside, is red and has a snazzy silver roof trim. I have kept it so long as I have been so happy with it and overwhelmed thinking about the hassle of getting a new car. I’d love another luxury brand and prioritise inside rather than outside – snazzy seats, leather steering wheel, great music system, sat nav etc. I only drive at weekends,

frequently long journeys to family outside Dublin. It’s only me, I don’t carry passengers and don’t need massive boot space but like to cut a dash. Budget €25k (including trade-in), 12,000km annual mileage, 2dr, four seats preferred. Open to idea of a small SUV for long journeys. Impossible?

Aidan: Why not buy another A1? You love it and a new one is within budget. The A1’s residual values are strong, so your cost to change will be favourable. You likely have the 1.2-litre version (if it has all the kit then it’s probably an S-Line or Admired model) and if I have guessed correctly, then next time opt for the 1.4-litre to give you even more zip.

The only other options I see are the Audi Q2 or VW T-Roc, but you are priced out of both. However, the T-Roc is only just outside your budget, so look at a 1-litre Design model and see if you can comfortably afford it. Still, I think another A1 is ideal for you.

Eddie: I don’t like the Audi A1 that much, so I’d be nudging you towards a Q2 if you had the budget. It’s the best around but you must look elsewhere. The VW T-Roc is probably attainable with a little tweak of budget and is a good compromise. But don’t overstretch on budget.

I am on the lookout for a new 4x4. I have a long commute, approx 150km/day, and I do a bit

of farming in the evenings and weekends. I drive an 08 Nissan X-Trail 2-litre diesel (212,000km) which has started to show a lot of signs of age. I need something comfortable on the motorway but also around the yard. I’m not sure if a commercial would be the way to go as I like the option of back seats. I had been thinking of a Skoda Kodiaq. Budget (including trade-in) approx €25k-30k, 30,000/year, five seats needed.

Aidan: Kodiaqs will be thin on the ground and many launch models were high-spec versions that won’t have dropped under the €30,000 mark. You need something like a Mitsubishi Outlander. It is often overlooked but it has a tremendous fourwheel drive system and a reliable engine. The only thing is that 4WD variants have seven seats, but you can fold them flat. It has decent towing capacity and it will tackle lifestyle and professional duties excellently.

Ford has a four-seat commercial Kuga called the Kuga Utility which might work, but 4WD versions will be rare. The Subaru Forester is a top-class machine for your mixed usage. Solid as a rock with a great engine and four-wheel drive combination. It’s ideal for you.

Eddie: How about another X-Trail 4x4? I know it’s got seven seats; fold the third row. It’s comfortable

on the road and has good pulling power. You might do better trading a Nissan for Nissan. You might just get a new one but definitely a fresh secondhand.

I have a high spec 132 Qashqai +2 with almost 87,000km on the clock. I have three children (13, 11 and 9). The two back seats really are no longer suitable for our passengers as the leg room is minimal – at most they accommodate just a few kms down the road at a squeeze. I still require a large boot – for heavy school and gear bags. The problem is the width of the middle back seat – there’s always an argument about who sits there. The time has come to trade in the seven-seater (reluctantly) for a car with three wide back seats and decent boot space. The car is mainly used for city driving. I’ve trawled through websites to find something suitable and have come up empty handed as we only have a budget of around €20,000 including trade-in. Any suggestions?

Aidan: It sounds like you don’t need a diesel car, but diesel options will be most prevalent. Also, if you are sure you can sacrifice seven seats, then the Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V immediately spring to mind. The CR-V is generously sized with great height and leg room. Go for

an ES model. If you prefer the look of a CX-5, then it’s an Executive SE all the way.

However, a real contender is not an SUV at all – it’s the Skoda Superb Combi. You will get no complaints about space in the back or boot with one of those. Look for a 2015-plate Ambition or Elegance model.

If seven seats are imperative, then look at the Mitsubishi Outlander mentioned above or the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Eddie: All great suggestions, but looking at your budget and needs, it has to be the Skoda Superb Combi. Just be warned, you will miss the high driving position.