Assuming the Yaris has been cared for and looked after, i'd suggest keeping it, i don't know how well you can borrow money Avant, but i expect with careful shopping a loan can be arranged for the balloon payment that is below the next cars repayment schedule.

A more substantial car than the Hyundai in my humble, though i understand how tempting the new car warranty would be.

In 3 years or sooner the Yaris will be hers, with continued good care and servicing i'd be very surprised if anything major failed on it before its 10th birthday, no more car payments, and it'll still sell well at 10 years if she doesn't want to run it into the ground...just look at 10 year old Yaris' for sale.

OK so there will be brake parts, possibly a new battery to buy in the next few years, neither of which sourced from a good factors will make anyone cough, simple and nice to work on too...edit...though is there a cambelt change to take into account?.

Stepdaughter has just paid her balloon off and now ownes her Aygo Black, cracking little car, and as she has found out to her pleasure (first Toyota) excellent dealers...next weekend i shall be soundproofing it and upgrading the sound system for her.

Edited by gordonbennet on 08/07/2012 at 20:56

You must surely have seen my occasional posts here and in another place and my recommendations that a prospective buyer goes to a particular owners forum which offers information from i10 owners who have have both good and bad experiences to report. If you (she) decides to buy one go in to the process with all the information to hand that has been gathered and discussed to the n'th degree. Having had two - both not entirely uneventful experiences - I have mixed views but they would extend to several pages therefore far better spend half an hour scanning through the pages relevant to your specific interest contributed by people with first hand knowledge. I've had a number of Yarii too (petrol/diesel/manual and auto) but not the latest incarnation so not strictly relevant but as with all things - you pays yer money etc......there's probably a reason why one costs more than the other. I'd confidently buy a Yaris but, as you say, they cost more. For the money, the i10 is probably unbeatable for for what they are and what you get (although check out and compare 3 years servicing costs with the Citigo). If you found the clutch and gearbox to be good then fine, but check out Hyundai's previous on that particular topic. Check out the supplying dealer for reputation - if you need him you want a good one. Mine is a good one and I'm grateful for that. Very grateful, in fact.

As you will know I also currently have a Skoda as well and am enjoying the, uneventful, ownership of it. I'm slightly surprised the Citigo wasn't big enough compared to the i10. I drove an UP! and would have thought they were very comparable sizewise...but you will have checked it out and that's that. And I agree they're dearer like for like (but again...you pays yer money....) I just happened to like it when I drove it. My Mrs. prefers the i10 to the Citigo for no other reason than she prefers the look of it. Most would disagree but that's neither here nor there. If it's simply down to costs and if the i10 figures add up then there you are. They're popular enough so can't be that bad with so many about. Best not get an automatic though but now that mine is sorted (see the review on this site which includes some of my own input) I'll keep it....I've got two free services now and her indoors likes it and I put four All Season tyres on it from new...so it would be silly to get shot right now. I just wince every time I fill the tank with petrol.....but it's only a little tank so it doesn't feel that bad.

Edited by KB. on 08/07/2012 at 23:42

Update - Olivia went for an i10 1.2 Active: they were on special offer (list price down to £7695) and much cheaper on a PCP than another Yaris for a car that does the same job almost as well (only 5 gears, slightly less room but otherwise fine). She's very happy with it so far.

Good buying experience from Platts of High Wycombe - family-owned and much keener to sell (for the same price) than our local Hyundai dealer which is part of a chain.

I have a diesel Yaris and a 1.2 Comfort i10. They are both extremely good cars, but my wife won't let my daughters drive the i10 because she says it is too flimsy should they have an accident. I'm allowed to drive it though.