Toyota Yaris vs Honda Jazz: Which Is More Reliable?

The Yaris and Jazz have spent two decades fighting over the same buyer: someone who wants a small, sensible car that starts every morning and doesn't ask much in return. Both are Japanese-engineered, both come with hybrid options, and both have a loyal following among drivers who keep their cars well past the ten-year mark. We pulled 4,700,403 MOT tests covering both models across the 2010-2020 age-matched window to see which one actually backs up its reputation.

The result isn't close. One of these cars is meaningfully more dependable than the other, and the gap shows up consistently, year after year, not just in a single quirky cohort.

Head-to-Head: The Numbers (2010-2020)

Pass Rate and Score, Year by Year

Shared years only. Toyota Yaris data also covers 2021-2022; Honda Jazz data also covers 2021, covered in the full year-by-year guides below.

What Actually Fails on Each

Recorded defects and advisories per 100 MOT tests by DVSA inspection category, 2010-2020. A test can record more than one defect.

The Best Year to Buy Each

Reliability scores are age-adjusted: each year is judged against other cars of the same age. So when an older year out-scores a newer one, it means it holds up unusually well for its age, not that it will need less work than a much newer car. How our scores work.

Why Does the Honda Jazz Win?

The Jazz outscores the Yaris in every single year of the shared 2010-2020 window, not just on average. That consistency matters more than the headline gap. It means this isn't a case of one bad Yaris generation dragging down an otherwise solid nameplate. The Jazz shrugs off wear more evenly across its life.

Some of that comes down to use. Jazz owners cover fewer annual miles than Yaris owners, and lower mileage generally means less wear on the parts MOT testers actually flag: tyres, suspension bushes, brake components. But mileage alone doesn't explain a 3.7 point pass rate swing. The Jazz also posts a stronger first-time MOT pass rate than the Yaris, and that gap tells you something real. A car that sails through its first MOT at three years old but then degrades faster than average is a different proposition to one that stays consistently strong. Here, the Jazz is ahead at the first hurdle and stays ahead, which points to more than gentle mileage. Honda's underlying engineering, particularly around suspension components and electrical reliability, seems to age better under everyday conditions.

What Do the Defect Patterns Tell You?

Tyres, wheels and suspension is the single biggest defect category for both cars by a wide margin, which is normal for any small car covering UK roads and potholes. But the Yaris racks up notably more of these defects per 100 tests than the Jazz. That's the biggest driver of the reliability gap: suspension and tyre wear showing up earlier and more often on the Yaris than on the Jazz, at similar mileage points.

Brakes are a closer contest. Both cars show broadly similar defect rates and similar mileage points at which issues emerge, so neither has a clear edge on stopping power longevity. Lights and electrics defects are more common on the Yaris too, which is a small but real point in the Jazz's favour if you're buying used and want fewer nagging warning lights and bulb failures during ownership. Overall, the Yaris generates more defects per test than the Jazz across the board. A typical MOT visit on a Yaris is statistically more likely to throw up something the garage needs to sort out.

Which Years Should You Buy or Avoid?

Both cars follow the pattern you'd expect: newer registrations post higher raw pass rates because they're younger, but the age-adjusted scores tell a more useful story about which model years hold up unusually well for their age. For the Yaris, the strongest age-adjusted year in this window is 2011, which holds up well for a car of its age, though a car from 2011 will still be well over a decade old now and needs the usual checks on suspension and tyres given how often those show up as defects. For the Jazz, 2013 is the standout, again strong for its age rather than immune to wear.

If you want the full picture on which specific years to chase or steer clear of, we've broken down every model year in detail: see our full Toyota Yaris year-by-year breakdown and our full Honda Jazz year-by-year breakdown. Both guides go deeper than the aggregate figures here and will tell you exactly which registration years to avoid for each model.

Whichever year you're considering, always run the specific vehicle through a proper history check. Aggregate data tells you the odds, not the individual car's condition. The gov.uk MOT history checker is a free first step before you view anything in person.

Which Car Suits Which Buyer?

If MOT reliability is your top priority and you're buying used, the Jazz is the more sensible pick based on this data, full stop. It's more dependable across every year we compared, generates fewer defects per test, and passes its first MOT at a higher rate. For an older driver or anyone wanting minimal ownership hassle, that consistency is worth more than a badge.

The Yaris still has a case, though. It's cheaper to buy on the used market in most conditions, parts and servicing are widely available, and its reliability, while behind the Jazz, is still respectable by small-car standards generally. If you're after the hybrid variant specifically for low running costs and don't mind slightly more frequent MOT attention, it remains a sensible choice, just not the class leader here. Auto Trader listings and What Car? owner satisfaction data both back up the idea that these two remain the benchmark small cars for low-drama ownership. Our MOT analysis just says one benchmark sits slightly higher than the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Numbers this consistent don't leave much room for debate: the Jazz is the more dependable of the two. But averages describe fleets, not the individual car parked outside your local dealer. Before you commit, run the exact registration through PlateInsight. You get 5 free credits to check full MOT history, mileage patterns and defect history on any UK-plated Yaris or Jazz before you hand over a deposit.