Honda Jazz vs Toyota Yaris: 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 3.0 percentage points ahead of the Toyota Yaris on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 84,750 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.
| Model | Pass rate | Age-matched national | Difference | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Jazz | 80.5% | 73.8% | +6.8 | 35,354 |
| Toyota Yaris | 79.5% | 75.7% | +3.8 | 49,396 |
These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Honda Jazzes registered 2002–2022 and Toyota Yaris registered 2000–2022.
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 deployed252,174 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 2 March 2004 and 20 May 2015Large recall — 252,174 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.Safety recall R/2015/104recall
Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly242,653 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 25 December 2003 and 29 December 2008Large 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 leftCheck: 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–£1,200Check: 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
Also compare:
Toyota Yaris
XP210, 2020+ · supermini hybrid hatch
The XP210 Toyota Yaris Hybrid (2020+) is among the most reliable cars sold in the UK. The hybrid system is solid; minor concerns are early-batch AC compressor failures, the 12V auxiliary battery on cars left unused, and brake squeak (cosmetic, common across all hybrids). The pre-2020 XP130 had rear-beam corrosion in coastal areas — XP210 unaffected. Best-buy: any year. Worst: none.
What goes wrong
Safety recall R/2022/055recall
The initialization of the radar sensor may not have been completed correctly42,554 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 6 July 2020 and 21 June 2021Large recall — 42,554 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.Safety recall R/2023/279recall
On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable.27,327 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 30 June 2021 and 28 July 2023Large recall — 27,327 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.AC compressor (early-batch)moderate
AC blows warm; clicking from compressorEarly 2020 production · £650–£950 compressor + regasCheck: Test AC during inspection — should be cold within 1 minute on a warm day.12V auxiliary battery (unused cars)minor
Hybrid system won't wake; "READY" not appearingAll XP210 · Battery age 4–5 years · £220–£350Check: Toyota battery health check at dealer (£20–£30).
- Typical asking price:
- not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
- Fuel economy:
- 58–69 mpg official WLTP combined for the 1.5 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet).
- Vehicle tax:
- £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
- Best years:
- 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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.
Toyota Yaris
Good for: Urban drivers, first-time buyers, anyone prioritising lowest running costs.
Less good for: Long-distance highway commuters wanting cabin space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more reliable, the Honda Jazz or the Toyota Yaris?
How do the MOT pass rates of the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris compare?
Which years of the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris should I avoid?
Is the Honda Jazz or the Toyota Yaris cheaper to run?
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.