Best Used Cars in Ireland 2023
Introduction
Whether you’re a first-time car buyer or simply in the market for a new set of wheels, finding the right car can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve conducted a full analysis of the state of the Irish car market for CarBuyer’s award winning used cars of 2023. We explore price of these selected cars by age, mileage and availability across the island of Ireland.
The award winning cars are as follows:
- Best Used Car of the Year 2023 and Best Used Small Car: Vauxhall Corsa
- Best Used Small Family Car: Kia Ceed
- Best Used Family Car: Vauxhall Insignia
- Best Used Large Family Car: Skoda Kodiaq
- Best Used Estate Car: Skoda Superb Estate
- Best Used Sports Car: Mazda MX-5
- Best Used Convertible Car: MINI Convertible
- Best Used Hot Hatchback: Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk7.5
- Best Used Hot SUV: Porsche Macan
- Best Used Pickup: Toyota Hilux
- Best Used Small Electric Car: BMW i3
- Best Used Family Electric Car: Kia e-Niro
- Best Used Large Electric Car: Jaguar I-Pace
- Best Used Hybrid: Toyota Prius
- Best Used Plug-in Hybrid: Mercedes E-Class
Note: Data collection and analysis was performed at the end of January 2023
Availability in Ireland
We can see from the availabilities of the award winning cars currently in the Irish Market we have a few distinct groups.
Common cars such as the Superb, Insignia, Corsa and Kodiaq have at least 200 models available in Ireland. The Kodiaq is primarily being sold through dealerships so you might find it difficult to get one from a private seller. The Vauxhall insignia has hundreds of models for sale from both private and professional sellers but has a wide variety of trims to be aware of.
Cars which will take a bit more digging include the i3, Golf GTI, Kia Ceed and Hilux. There are less than 60 cars often available for these at any one time with some advertisements coming from private sellers.
The rarer finds include the e-Nira, Macan, Mini Convertible and MX-5. These are almost exclusively found through dealerships and no more than 20 cars will likely be on the market at any one time. Making it likely do some research and monitor ads closely to find that good deal.
Used Car Pricing Guide
“For much the same reason we heaped so much praise on the latest Kia Niro in our new car awards, the Vauxhall Corsa comes away with not one, but two wins in our used-car rundown. It all comes down to choice; petrol, diesel or electric, the Corsa is a great choice for anyone looking for a great value small car.”
“The Vauxhall Corsa is the UK’s best-selling new car, but it makes an even better used buy. Petrol, diesel, or electric, the Corsa is practical, good to drive and cheap to run. Our Best Used Small Car and our overall Used Car of the Year, the Corsa represents great value for money.”
The Corsa has taken an impressive victory over the Ford Fiesta in both the best small car and best overall car of the year. The used car market for the Corsa starts at about €25k with the post 2020 models. With older models being sold for under €10k. The Corsa D ran from 2006 to 2014 and the Corsa E was manufactured from 2014 to 2019. The latest model (All-New Corsa) has fully electric, diesel and petrol options and has been in production since 2019.
“Used buyers judge value a bit differently to new-car customers. Reliability and warranty cover are key, alongside quality, kit and specification. The Kia Ceed offers all this and more – with strong practicality to boot.”
With the bidding starting at €25,000, the Kia Ceed is a deserving winner of the best small family car for the second year in a row. The Kia comes with a transferable 7 year warranty or 100k mile warranty. Between older and newer models there is a large variance in the price but be aware of the large amount of additional extras and models that the Ceed can feature.
“If practicality per pound is top of your used-car wish list, few come close to the fantastic Vauxhall Insignia. There are loads of engines and specs to choose from, as well as a Sports Tourer estate if you need more space.”
Coming to one of our most abundant cars, we have the Vauxhaull Insignia, where the latest model has been running from 2017-2022. With some digging, you could find a 2018 model with under 100k miles on it for under €15k.
“As if winning our 2023 Best Large Family Car category wasn’t enough, the Skoda Kodiaq also scoops Carbuyer’s used award in the same segment. Even after all this time, it remains a brilliant all-rounder, with a strong engine range, huge cabin and loads of standard kit.”
A great fit for a large family, this seven-seat car wins again as CarBuyers 2023 Large Family Car. Used models start at €50,000 and plateau to around €30k. There is a large variance in the sale price of the cars in Ireland meaning there are plenty of good deals out there. From our analysis we also conclude that the diesel models are more expensive than the petrol models on average in the Irish market.
“If you’re after a used estate car then chances are you want space above all else. The Skoda Superb beats its rivals hands down – and there’s even a penny-pinching plug-in model if you can charge up at home.”
This is a great car for anybody requiring a generous amount of space. The Skoda Superb is a luxurious drive, with a hybrid model available. From the data we can see that the Superb Estate can depreciate quickly, losing value fast as most cars rack up lots of mileage during the first few years of use. Newer models come in around €40k dropping down to €25k.
“With over three decades of roadster know-how, the Mazda MX-5 is still our favorite used sports car. Compact, agile, fun to drive – nothing comes close, whatever your budget.”
The MX-5 is one of the most popular and loved sports cars worldwide with it’s first gen MX-5 being launched over 30 years ago. It also happens to be another car which continues on it’s winning streak from the previous year. We see very few of them present in the Irish market so you may need to keep your eye on the market for some time to nab one at a good price.
“A car that gathered as much praise as the MINI Convertible did when new was always destined to do well as a used buy. No matter your budget, if you’re after an affordable, fun, four-seat convertible, the MINI is our top choice.”
Although convertibles are not a typical choice given the temperamental irish climate, the Mini convertible is the top choice in 2023 for drivers looking to take the top down. There are very few Mini convertibles available in the Irish Market, in fact, there was the least amount of cars currently for sale when compared to all other cars in our analysis. Only one of these cars was being sold by a private seller while the rest were sold via dealerships. Newer used models come with an asking price of €40k with older models being between €20k-€30k. If you are looking there may be some good deals but you’ll need to be prepared wait until the right deal pops up.
“A hot hatchback should be all things to all people, and no rival blends practicality, performance and general usability like the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk7.5. It’s our favorite used hot hatch bar none.”
CarBuyers deserving winner for best hot hatchback of 2023 is the Golf GTI. The latest models are between €40-€50k but with some newer models being sold around the €20k price point with multiple listings of similar mileage being sold for very different prices. However, with the wide variety of add-ons available, buyers need to make sure to not overlook a slightly pricier car for those extra premium features.
WhatCar has an excellent review of the used GTI. They recommend “if you can find a car with the Performance Pack, we’d go for that, provided the premium isn’t huge. It’s a tad more fun and a wee bit nicer to punt down a winding road – in this class, such things are important.”
“The car that arguably defined the hot SUV segment remains a great all-rounder on the used market. Residual values are strong, but there’s still value to be had; the Porsche Macan is our favorite Used Hot SUV for the second year in a row.”
- 2022 winner
- As these cars are getting older you likely won’t find one with very low mileage.
“Pickup buyers need a vehicle that is practical, versatile and easy to live with, and none ticks as many boxes as the Toyota Hilux. With up to 10 years’ warranty, this is a truck you can depend on.”
Despite the huge popularity of pickups with our american cousins, the Irish market for pickup trucks has still got some growing to do before they become a regular sight on the road. The japanese made Toyota Hilux can handle a 3500kg payload and is one of the most powerful cars on the market in Ireland. The Hilux “basic Active Model” comes with features such as auto-headlights but you’ll need to look the more premium models for add-ons such as; a reversing camera, sat nav and cruise control. With older models for as low as €15,000 but the latest models could be found for around €30,000. Surprisingly, there are some models with very little mileage.
“Now out of production, it surely won’t be long before the BMW i3 gains a cult following as one of the most innovative early EVs to bring electric motoring to the masses. Eye-catching, great to drive and brilliantly efficient, used buyers should grab one while they still can…”
For the best used small electric car we have another 2022 winner coming back to reclaim the title. BMW has now officially discontinued the production of i3s, with their focus shifting to their iX range. There appears to be far fewer of these in the Irish market than the UK market. More suited to urban drives, the newer i3 models come in at around €38k with mileage and price on older cars varying wildly. The battery is designed to last 15 years and often the car comes with a battery warranty of 8 years or 100k miles and will be replaced if they can’t produce at least 70% of their original capacity. So it’s worth checking out if your i3 battery is still in warranty.
“Following on from the new Niro’s triple crown at the 2023 Carbuyer Best Car Awards, its predecessor tops the Best Family Electric Car category in our Used Car Awards. It’s mightily efficient, practical and smooth to drive. It’s a great second-hand EV.”
The e-Niro was a flagship car in a new era of affordable electric vehicles. It was one of the first cars to offer good distance at affordable prices. This year it beats the Nissan leaf for CarBuyers best used car of 2023. In the Irish market we can see all e-Niro cars that are currently for sale have under 100k KMs on them. The pricing also appears pretty tightly packed, ranging from €33k-€43k.
“One of the first bespoke electric SUVs to put the driver first, five years on the Jaguar I-Pace is a brilliant second-hand buy. Fast, practical and easy to live with, this premium SUV won’t cost the earth to run.”
This sleek electric SUV beats out the popular Tesla Model S this year. Newer models with very low mileage are clustered just above €80k with more worn in models being available in the €50k-€60k range. This car also provides generous space up front and a high quality interior. New I-Paces also come with a three-year unlimited-mileage warranty, while its battery is covered for eight years valid for 100k miles.
“There’s a good reason you see so many Toyotas lining our city streets. The Prius’s urban fuel consumption is exceptional, and has the potential to dramatically slash your fuel bills. Our Best Used Hybrid car arguably makes more sense now than it did when it was new.”
As another 2022 winner, the Toyota Prius is one of the most interesting used cars in the Irish market. The data above only includes hybrid models. We can immediately see there is a very large variance in the price of these cars, for similar milage and varied age. There are definitely good deals available in Ireland, with cars with low mileage being available for under €20k.
“Mercedes is on a mission to electrify its entire range, but while the latest EVs are stealing the headlines, its PHEV lineup has been growing for years. The E-Class is the best of its kind, available in petrol or diesel guise, it’s the perfect first step into the world of electrification.”
The 5th generation Mercedes Benz E-class started production in 2016 and has made a big impression on the higher end of Ireland’s hybrid market. There is a huge selection of engines available, including both petrol and diesel plug ins. The trims are a much simpler affair with only three varieties to choose from; SE, AMG, and AMG premium. Our scatter plot of only the hybrid models reveals that there are two distinct clusters; the pre and post 2016 models. You can find some of the newer models around the €40k price point but these will often have very high mileage.