IF MORE SUVs and crossover vehicles were in lower tax bands, the genre would be in much better shape. That is certainly true in the case of the large SUVs, which are becoming almost extinct because of the huge road tax being asked of owners.
But, there is hope in the form of the crossover vehicle and none leads the charge more than the Nissan Qashqai. The 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai qualifies for Band B and has been flying out of showrooms since it was launched. The 4x2 Qashqai comes in at €22,830 under the scrappage deal, thanks to a €3,000 reduction, good value for this model.
The BMW X1, as reviewed in last week’s Motors, is another model you might not have considered would qualify under the scrappage scheme, but manual versions of the sDrive 18d and sDrive 20d are Band B and with prices starting at €33,130, this means you could be in a basic X1 from €31,630 under the scrappage scheme. While this is quite a lot of money, it represents very good value for what is quite an excellent vehicle with the right badge.
The Peugeot 3008 is the Irish Car of the Year and has been receiving good reviews from critics since its launch. It has the right price, specification and pseudo-SUV appeal to ensure it will be a strong seller. With a clean 1.6-litre diesel engine, a high-quality interior and good road manners the 3008 is available with either manual or Ecomatique automatic and both have Band B levels of emissions. Prices fall to €23,280 under the scrappage deal.
The new crossover Skoda Yeti has an SUV-like shape and a high-quality interior with generous equipment levels and, with a 2.0-litre 110bhp diesel engine, it has emissions of 140g/km, which means it just scrapes into Tax Band B. The Yeti is great value and falls to €21,070 for the 2.0-litre TDi Active, which is very good value.
Scrappage Hero: Peugeot 3008
