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Honda Jazz vs Skoda Fabia: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Honda Jazz is the more reliable used buy: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 7.0 percentage points ahead of the Skoda Fabia on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 59,411 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Honda Jazz
Pass rate80.5%
Age-matched national73.8%
Difference+6.8
Tests35,354
Skoda Fabia
Pass rate75.6%
Age-matched national75.8%
Difference-0.2
Tests24,057

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Honda Jazzes registered 2002–2022 and Skoda Fabias registered 2003–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Honda Jazz

GD, GE, GK and the 2020-on hybrid · small MPV-style hatchback

The Jazz has a deserved reliability reputation and the things owners do report are mostly transmission rather than engine. Every Jazz engine sold in the UK uses a timing CHAIN — no Honda UK service schedule for the car contains a cambelt item at all — so there is no belt change to budget for. What is worth checking is the gearbox: the CVT and the earlier i-SHIFT automated manual are the two most reported items, and Honda publishes a CVT fluid interval that gets skipped. Several older DVSA recalls exist, including two separate window-switch fire campaigns.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2016/045recall
    Drivers airbag inflator may rupture if deployed
    252,174 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 2 March 2004 and 20 May 2015
    Large recall — 252,174 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2015/104recall
    Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly
    242,653 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 25 December 2003 and 29 December 2008
    Large recall — 242,653 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Transmission — CVT start-clutch juddermajor
    A shudder pulling away from rest, most obvious from cold or on an incline.
    CVT automatics · £150 for a fluid service, far more if it has been left
    Check: Do several standing starts from cold, including on a slope. Then ask when the CVT fluid was last changed — Honda publishes an interval and it is one of the most commonly skipped items on the car.
  • Transmission — i-SHIFT clutch actuatormajor
    Hesitation, jerky changes, or a failure to select a gear on the automated manual.
    i-SHIFT-equipped cars · £400–£1,200
    Check: Drive it in traffic. The i-SHIFT is an automated manual, not a conventional automatic, and does not behave like one even when healthy — which makes it hard to tell a normal one from a failing one without driving a few.
Typical asking price:
£1,495–£12,000, median £6,980 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 1 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
45–55 mpg real-world for the 1.3 and 1.4 petrols; more for the 2020-on hybrid
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2016, 2017, 2018
Years to avoid:
2009, 2010
Used Honda Jazzes for saleFull Jazz fault guideUsed Hondas

Also compare:

Skoda Fabia

Mk3/NJ3 (2014–2021) and Mk4/PJ (2021–2025) · Supermini / small hatchback (also sold as an estate on Mk3). The current Mk4 is built on the Volkswagen Group's MQB-A0 platform and is closely related to the SEAT Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo; the earlier Mk3 used the previous-generation PQ26 platform, a hybrid combining the older Polo-based PQ25 architecture with MQB components. UK rivals include the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Clio.

The Skoda Fabia sold in the UK spans the Mk3 (2014–2021) and the MQB-A0 Mk4 (2021–2025). The key check on any car with the optional 7-speed DQ200 DSG is a cold-start drive for jerky or delayed gearchanges. Early Mk4 builds are covered by seat-backrest and airbag recalls, so check by registration. Best buy: 2019–2020 Mk3 or 2023+ Mk4.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2023/251recall
    On affected vehicles airbags have been fitted which may rupture when activated and may not function properly
    3,844 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 16 September 2021 and 16 June 2022
    Smaller recall — 3,844 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2022/017recall
    The right- hand rear seat backrest frame has a reduced strength
    132 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 March 2021 and 4 March 2021
    Smaller recall — 132 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • DSG7 (DQ200) automatic gearboxmajor
    Jerky, hesitant, or delayed gearchanges — particularly pulling away from a stop or in slow traffic — juddering through the lower gears, and in more advanced cases a gearbox fault warning light with the car defaulting into a protective limp-home mode.
    Mk3 (2014–2021) and Mk4 (2021–2025) models fitted with the optional 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox; the large majority of documented failures are on higher-mileage Mk3 cars, which have now had longer in service. · Most commonly reported from around 40,000–60,000 miles onwards, though it can surface earlier or later depending on driving style and servicing. · A mechatronic unit repair (solenoids/pressure accumulator) at an independent specialist typically runs £250–£600; a full new or reconditioned mechatronic unit fitted by a dealer or specialist can cost £1,200–£2,500.
    Check: Test drive from cold and note any hesitation or jerkiness pulling away and shifting through 1st–3rd gear; VW Group schedules no gearbox oil service for the dry-clutch DQ200, so absent DSG fluid records are normal rather than a red flag (a voluntary mechatronic oil service, which some specialists suggest around 60,000 miles, is a plus); have a specialist read fault codes before buying, and check the free GOV.UK MOT history checker for any transmission-related advisories.
  • Carbon buildup on intake valves (TSI direct-injection engines)minor
    Rough or lumpy idle, hesitation or occasional misfire under load, a slight but noticeable drop in power, and sometimes the engine management light illuminating.
    1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI direct-injection petrol engines across both Mk3 (2014–2021) and Mk4 (2021–2025); the naturally-aspirated port-injected 1.0 MPI is not affected. · Typically becomes noticeable from around 60,000 miles onwards, sometimes earlier on cars used mainly for short journeys that never fully reach operating temperature. · A walnut-blasting or chemical intake-valve clean at an independent specialist typically costs around £150–£350.
    Check: Ask about the car's typical use (short urban trips accelerate buildup); listen for a rough idle on cold start; check the service history for any intake cleaning already carried out.
Typical asking price:
£4,499–£13,495, median £7,545 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 1 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
1.0 MPI: 46–51 mpg. 1.0 TSI: 44–50 mpg. 1.2 TSI (Mk3 early): 42–47 mpg.
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2019, 2020, 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2014, 2021
Used Skoda Fabias for saleFull Fabia fault guideUsed Skodas

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Which one suits you

Honda Jazz

Good for: Buyers who want space out of proportion to the footprint and low running costs, and who will check the gearbox rather than the engine.

Less good for: Anyone buying an automatic without driving it from cold, or wanting an engaging drive.

Skoda Fabia

Good for: Buyers wanting genuine VW Group build quality and the biggest boot in the class for the money. A manual-gearbox car avoids the DSG mechatronic risk entirely and is the simpler, cheaper-to-maintain choice.

Less good for: Anyone considering the DSG automatic without documented mechatronic/service history, or an early-build 2021 Mk4 without confirmed recall work completed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Honda Jazz or the Skoda Fabia?
The Honda Jazz. Measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 7.0 percentage points ahead of the Skoda Fabia on first-time MOT passes, across 59,411 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Honda Jazz and the Skoda Fabia compare?
80.5% of Honda Jazzes pass their MOT first time (35,354 tests in DVSA's records) and 75.6% of Skoda Fabias pass their MOT first time (24,057 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Honda Jazz's age average 73.8% and cars of the Skoda Fabia's age 75.8% — so the Honda Jazz runs 6.8 points better than its age group and the Skoda Fabia runs 0.2 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Honda Jazz and Skoda Fabia should I avoid?
Honda Jazz: Old enough that the i-SHIFT gearbox is a live risk, and inside several airbag recalls (R/2015/143, R/2017/017, R/2018/029 and R/2018/342 among them). The window-switch and headlight campaigns are not the reason: R/2010/007, R/2013/076 and R/2010/228 cover Jazz built 2001 to 31 July 2008 only, not 2009 or 2010. Skoda Fabia: The earliest Mk3 cars (2014–2015) carry the highest concentration of DSG7 mechatronic and EGR/wastegate complaints reported on owner forums, reflecting a car early in its production run before running fixes were applied. 2021 is the highest-risk single year because it spans both the final months of Mk3 production and the very first months of Mk4 production, the latter directly affected by the seat-backrest-frame recall R/2022/017 (cars built 1–4 March 2021) and the start of the airbag-rupture recall window R/2023/251 (from 16 September 2021). The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2015 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid.
Is the Honda Jazz or the Skoda Fabia cheaper to run?
On fuel it depends on the engine. Honda Jazz: 45–55 mpg real-world for the 1.3 and 1.4 petrols; more for the 2020-on hybrid. Skoda Fabia: 1.0 MPI: 46–51 mpg. 1.0 TSI: 44–50 mpg. 1.2 TSI (Mk3 early): 42–47 mpg. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Honda Jazz or Skoda Fabia registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-09-24 / 2026-09-24.