Driver's Republic Podcast

DoneDeal Cars have released their latest Price Index which gives good insight into the current state of used car prices in Ireland with an emphasis on used EV prices. Could they finally be stabilising? 

Another hot hatch bites the dust this week, the final Ford Focus ST has rolled off the production line in Germany, the lads discuss the legacy of the famous Ford and wonder which version was best!

Paddy has been testing the new Opel Grandland and Mark has been putting the new Tesla Model Y Performance to the test.

And with yet another trip to DOB Sportscars, Mark has been learning all about the Porsche 911 997 issue of bore scoring!

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Sad news this week as the man behind the Mazda MX-5, Tom Matano passes away. 

Paddy has had a good experience with the Ford Puma Gen-E this week doing his usual Dublin-Cork-Dublin road trip. 

Should a dealer ever be bringing your car home at night when it's in for work?

And Mark has another expensive week keeping a near 20 year old Porsche 911 on the road!

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In the latest episode, we chat about the sad passing of Tsutomu Matano, creator of the Mazda MX-5. Paddy has been doing his weekly Dublin Cork Dublin trip in the new Ford Puma Gen-E - find out how he got on.

In Mark's latest 911 drama, he's dropped some more savings on keeping his Porsche on the road.

And should your local mechanic or car dealer even be bringing your car home at night for an overnight road test?1

In DRP this week, Mark has been driving the new Volvo EX90, what did he think of it?

Paddy can't help his commute from Dublin to Cork but he attempts it in a Citroen eC3 - how many times did he have to stop to charge?!

Can you make enough money being a YouTube car reviewer in Ireland and should you get started at it? Paddy picks Mark's brain on this one. 

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Paddy and Mark have been to IAA in Munich where they discuss an array of cars from Volkswagen, Hyundai, XPeng, Leapmotor, BMW, BYD and many, many more. 

We have a number of guests from the event too but most notably VW's Head Of Design, Andreas Mindt who sits down with the lads for an extended chat about his life, career and his early years cutting his teeth in car design with a family background in the field.

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We discuss the newly unveiled Volkswagen T-Roc and explore the futuristic new Hyundai Ioniq 9. Ever wondered what it’s really like to camp with a Tesla? Mark has been testing out the Model Y Long Range and the useful camp mode.

We reflect on the sobering reality of road safety with RTE’s Anatomy of a Car Crash, examining the devastating aftermath of fatal collisions and what it means for drivers today. 

To round things off, we’re joined by Colin Sheridan, MD of Citroën Ireland for an exclusive chat about the new affordable  eC3 electrification, and what’s next for Irish motorists.

Brought to you by DoneDeal.

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With Jaguar and Nissan announcing job cuts and factory closures this week, the lads discuss the worrying trend of OEMs facing headwinds.

California Dreamin' - we both spent some time living it up in the new Volkswagen camper van, find out how Mark got on in Wicklow and hear how Paddy rolled into Galway - the pros and cons of forking out on a camper van.

And we speak to Natisha Chattan, leading UK YouTube motoring journalist who is dealing with a seemingly growing trend of new motoring brands seeking to pay for editorial in order to gain a foothold in the massive UK market. 

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Nadia has become a familiar face in motoring in Ireland. Whether it's her TikTok clips, her huge Instagram following or her regular appearances on both Irish TV & radio in relation to all things car news. 

She has also attracted some criticism for refusing to accept trade ins or retailing any electric cars despite 2025 being one of the better years for Irish EV sales. 

In this episode, Paddy and Mark visit Nadia in her new showroom in Ashford, Co. Wicklow and ask her all the questions people want to ask!

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Big shifts and bold plans in the motoring world.

Renault’s CEO makes a surprise exit, while BYD slows EV production in China. We put the all-new Dacia Bigster head-to-head with a four-year-old Skoda Kodiaq at a similar price point—what offers better value? Plus, exclusive insights into Mazda Ireland’s roadmap, including three brand-new models set to arrive in 2026.

We also dive into whether buying a used car from a dealer franchise really gives you better warranty protection—and of course, we couldn’t ignore that week Elon Musk and Tesla have had, as RoboTaxi plans hit another bump in the road.

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