Jazz or Yaris?

[stephen_m]

I'm still pondering what my next car will be.

The practicality of the Mk3 Jazz is appealing but I keep hearing that Toyotas are more reliable than Honda — reliability is very important to me.

So I've also been looking at the Mk3 Yaris. It doesn't appeal to me as much as the Jazz.

Prices are similar.

Anyone got any views?

Thanks.

[John Ratsey]

The problems with the Mk. 3 Jazz are mainly due to the new technology that doesn't behave as the user expects, for example the auto stop-start system and the false alarms from the TPMS.

The Jazz is a size bigger on the inside than the Yaris. If you ever have rear seat passengers then they will appreciate the extra space in the Jazz.

[stephen_m]

Thanks John. I think I'll look through posts about reliability on this forum and see what's what.

[monkeydave]

i have a mk3 jazz and had a 66 plate yaris and the yaris was giving me probems with the cam chain grinding and the dealer was useless

i would get a jazz

honda is the only company i have had 3 cars from and i have had vw and toyota and honda is better than both

and on jazz you dont have to put up with tyre sensors or collision warning putting on the brakes and beeping

i find honda dealers to be very good and toyota dealers are the honda want-a-be dealer

i also looked under my 66 yaris and it had rust all over the lower control arms and suspension and also around the rear reversing camera

the mk3 facelift jazz feels miles more solid than the yaris plus you get magic seats in the jazz with a fully flat floor unlike the yaris

[stephen_m]

Thanks Dave.

My current car is a VW Up! which has been pretty good but starting to use oil and getting to the age where things start to need replacing.

I've never had a Japanese car but my old mechanic said they were the most reliable.

[Westy36]

I think you have chosen two of the most reliable cars out there. Toyota Yaris (petrol) and Honda Jazz are extremely reliable in manual form. You'll not got wrong with either of them.

For me, if I couldn't decide between the two, it would be down to which car offers the better deal for my money. I have no idea what budget you are working to or other considerations, but on Autotrader today there are 32% more Yaris than Jazz (MY 2015-2018 Jazz: 613 Yaris: 809), and as such I would expect to acheive a better deal with the Toyota.



 

[Derkie54]

Thanks Dave.

My current car is a VW Up! which has been pretty good but starting to use oil and getting to the age where things start to need replacing.

I've never had a Japanese car but my old mechanic said they were the most reliable.

I have had 2 VW UP's and IMHO I think the Jazz is better quality and it certainly has more room inside.
Never had a Yaris so can't comment on that.

[stephen_m]

Thanks Derkie. Yes the Up! is a bit cramped inside.

[Downsizer]

I think both cars are very reliable.  I have had no reliability problems at all with my Mk3 Jazz in 5 years and 44,000 miles.  The much criticised tyre pressure warnings settled down once the tyres were bedded in.  It may now recur briefly as I have just renewed the front tyres.

[Ralph]

I had a manual then a cvt mk3 Jazz which both suffered with the low revs zero power problem, after 18 months with the cvt’s refusal to get up and go from standing start ( a problem in heavy traffic) I gave up and swapped it for a mk3 Hybrid Yaris  much nippier in traffic.
The irritating electronic gizmos can be turned off with physical buttons in the Yaris. Things like auto high beam and auto start stop were the worse offenders in my opinion.
Build quality seems equal in both cars to me but the Jazz is a bigger more practical car with better boot space and more storage.
I’ve had no reliability problems with either make and the Honda dealer (which has now closed!)  was better than the Toyota dealer 

[olduser1]

Both Honda & Toyota produce relaible cars, I would drive both the Jazz & Yaris  - a well used model of the spec that appeals to you over familiar roads once Lockdown permits.
If you have local dealerships go & talk to the service desk see how your treated.
There are 100's of used cars sitting on forecourts at present good luck finding your new car.

[stephen_m]

Ralph - thanks for that. I'd be going for a manual gearbox. I wonder if the auto-high beam & stop-start can be switched off through menus on the infotainment system? Also, I'm quite tall so probably the extra space in the Jazz would suit me better.

OldUser1 - There's a Honda dealer 3 miles away and a few other car dealers round about so I'll keep an eye on Autotrader & see what turns up. You make a good point about a well-used car: I've seen some very low-mileage Jazzs but I wonder if they'd be gummed up / rusty from lack of use...

[stephen_m]

I think you have chosen two of the most reliable cars out there. Toyota Yaris (petrol) and Honda Jazz are extremely reliable in manual form. You'll not got wrong with either of them.

For me, if I couldn't decide between the two, it would be down to which car offers the better deal for my money. I have no idea what budget you are working to or other considerations, but on Autotrader today there are 32% more Yaris than Jazz (MY 2015-2018 Jazz: 613 Yaris: 809), and as such I would expect to acheive a better deal with the Toyota.
 

Thanks for that. It's Autotrader I'll be using. Maybe buying privately if I see a good buy.

[Derkie54]

I had a manual then a cvt mk3 Jazz which both suffered with the low revs zero power problem, after 18 months with the cvt’s refusal to get up and go from standing start ( a problem in heavy traffic) I gave up and swapped it for a mk3 Hybrid Yaris  much nippier in traffic.
The irritating electronic gizmos can be turned off with physical buttons in the Yaris. Things like auto high beam and auto start stop were the worse offenders in my opinion.
Build quality seems equal in both cars to me but the Jazz is a bigger more practical car with better boot space and more storage.
I’ve had no reliability problems with either make and the Honda dealer (which has now closed!)  was better than the Toyota dealer

If I had to pick one thing about the Jazz I didn't like it would (like you) be the lack of pace in first gear. I know it's down to the Atkinson cycle to improve MPG. Apart from that it's a great car 

The stop start can be switched off if you want, it's the button next to the gearstick but you have to do it everytime you start the car,

[Downsizer]

...and the auto headlight dipping only works if you set the lighting switch to auto.