Hello. I have always had a soft spot for small compact Japanese cars, sensible, dependable things that do their job without fuss. In the past I ran a Honda Jazz CVT to 267,000 miles and a 2013 Toyota Yaris Hybrid to 101,000 miles, both being incredibly reliable. The Jazz was utterly straightforward mechanically and electrically and its CVT never once troubled me. The Yaris hybrid was astonishingly economical, about 67 mpg in summer and roughly 60 mpg in winter, yet it felt rather dull to drive with vague steering and very little feedback.

In early July this year, I rather rashly part exchanged and bought a new Yaris with an online retailer, without a test drive. I confess that was a very foolish decision and after almost 2 months I find myself of two minds. The fuel consumption is excellent at roughly 64 mpg, but the rear doors do not open widely enough for relatives with mobility issues whom I sometimes transport and they find the back rather cramped. The online sales adviser warned me that the Yaris’s 12 volt battery needs occasional running or it can go flat, and he suggested leaving the car in ready mode for about thirty minutes weekly if it is not driven much. I tend to do very high mileages at particular times of year but have not been using the Yaris much recently, so I have followed his advice. I live on a small private close and evenings are generally the only time I have a chance to sit in the car in ready mode for half an hour or so. The problem is that the headlights are automatic and there is no off switch, so they come on at night.

Two neighbours have complained about the harsh lights, which has meant I either have to drive for half an hour or park the car further down the close in order to avoid upsetting people. The large LCD above the dash and the constant beeps were initially very distracting given my age, so I tend to switch the screen off as I do not need it. The speed limit alerts are inconsistent, only accurate perhaps half the time, and rather irritating. My son has shown me how to reduce the volume and to disable some of the warnings such as the speed chime, but the settings seem to reset each time the car is started.

After a little complaint the online retailer said they would only refund if the car is faulty but they offered a trade in at considerably less than I paid. They suggested a 2025 Suzuki Swift CVT that they had in stock as an alternative. This time I drove one locally before agreeing to anything and I rather took to it. In fact, I think I have fallen in love with it. It felt light and nimble, the doors opened much wider and the cabin felt surprisingly airy and roomy. Rear access was far easier and there was a decent amount of leg room. The Swift sits lower than the Yaris and its interior felt a touch more basic and low quality, yet the accessibility, compactness and very light steering appealed to me immensely and it reminded me of how driving felt in my youth.

Annoyingly, the Swift also has a rather large LCD above the dash but the dealer showed me how to switch it off and to silence most of the warning chimes. I am sure my son will sort any remaining niggles once he is back from his travels.

A friend of my son, who is like a son to me, warned me earlier today that the Swift’s CVT is a Jatco unit and said Jatco has had significant reliability problems on older Nissans. He suggested that Jatco CVTs have a poor reputation and that Suzuki is generally regarded below Toyota for transmissions and long term dependability. He went so far as to say one would be very lucky to reach 50,000 miles without trouble in a Jatco CVT unit. That has given me pause because I intend to keep my next car for several years and I do a lot of motorway miles, so long term CVT reliability matters greatly. My son’s friend advised staying with Toyota or else taking a Swift with a manual gearbox, but I have not driven a manual for many years and the thought of clutching in town traffic is unappealing and I am not sure my knees would be happy.

The local dealer was not particularly forthcoming about the Swift’s CVT. He mentioned that the gearbox is sealed and filled with a lifetime CVT fluid that does not require changing and that there is no CVT filter to replace, though the unit is inspected during certain servicing intervals.

I have been reading various accounts online today, especially on YouTube, about Nissan Jatco difficulties and horror stories, and some reports of Suzuki Jatco CVTs on the previous generation of the Swift showing slight jerking or shuddering. Much advice suggests regular maintenance with CVT fluid & filter changes every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. That sounds costly through a main dealer unless one arranges it privately, which I cannot manage at home.

Has anyone owned a recent or previous generation Swift CVT or a recent Yaris and can share real world experience or a comparison? Would it be unwise to trade a new Yaris Hybrid for a new Swift CVT given long term motoring? If Suzuki quotes 60 mpg for the Swift CVT, might an everyday realistic expectation be in the early to mid fifties?

I am anxious about making another rash decision so I am thoroughly researching everything this time. I can be impulsive and rather dim at times which is my failing, and frankly I am torn. My heart says Swift but my head says stick with the Yaris for peace of mind.

Many thanks for any thoughts and experiences.