Our 8 year old Yaris has just passed yet another MOT with no advisories. It's a 1.5 manual and drives as well today with almost 50,000 miles as it did when we bought it with 9,000. No knocks, rattles or creaks whatsoever.

With over 100bhp it is more than capable in all types of traffic, but I wouldn't want to do hundreds of motorway miles in it.

The downside is the popularity of small reliable cars means to buy it would now cost almost the same as we paid 7 years ago.

As an alternative have a look at cars in the Suzuki stable. My daughter bought a used Swift a few months ago as her first car and you get more for your money. The Swift is larger than a Yaris and better for longer trips, although hers is a 1.2 auto and is happier at 60, rather than 70mph, but she does get 50mpg on decent runs.

My dad is on his second Jazz, its now about 9 years old and no issues in his ownership, but I find the ride very harsh,

Having owned both, I'd lean towards the Yaris. Both were fine, but the Yaris was nicer to drive and had fewer unexpected bills.

Though the 'magic' seats in the Jazz make for a huge interior space - very useful from time to time.

We were looking at the Jazz, but heard they had a rust problem. Is this true? Are there any years we should avoid?

My Sister's 2011 Jazz still looking pretty good re rust although it has a few terrible mud traps that you need to keep clean eg Rear wheelarches/ inner wings and wheelarch/ sill joins front/rear. Actually the only real fault in the 9years that she's owned it has been failure of the front windscreen wiper mechanism. She does drive it long distance but for me it's a bit of a screamer on the motorway with about 3400rpm @ 70 mph (1.4). Mechanically bomb proof though..

If a manual car is desired then as already mentioned any VAG car with the later EA211 VAG tsi engine are excellent with great torque/power where you need it, stunning economy and lowish revs at motorway speed - eg 1.0 tsi Fabia. They also seem to all be well protected re rust.

Edited by Big John on 06/06/2025 at 23:39

Are petrol cars going to be made obsolete, so if we got one of those we are throwing our cash down the drain?

Certainly not. I was in Milton Keynes centre a few days ago and inspected a new Chinese car on display in one of the wide corridors (a Jaewoo). Not electric, petrol engined.

We want a manual if possible ....

I cannot think why anyone would want a manual these days. Do have a test drive in, say, a used Stellantis car with the reliable Japanese EAT6 gearbox (e.g. small Peugeots, Citroens, Vauxhall Crossland before you make a decision you might regret in a few years time.

We were looking at the Jazz, but heard they had a rust problem. Is this true? Are there any years we should avoid?

Cars from Asia do seem to have more old age rust problems than European ones.

Will a 1.3 litre or even 1.0 litre be a massive difference, especially without turbo? Will we be able to go up hills, or will we have to get out and push?

Small non-turbo engines are now passe. Have a test drive in a car with a VAG or Stellantis turbo 1.0/1.2 litre auto powertrain. You will be surprised at the amount of torque at low revs. In our Pug 2008 1.2 EAT6 the 6th gear ratio gives 30mph per 1000revs, which gives a relaxed quiet M-way cruise at a mere 2,500 revs;-).