Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 22 Oct 2021 13:59
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - Steveieb

Just off to pick up DIL s Yaris auto after an mot and service.

Its 22 years old and a Mk 1 built in Japan and it passed ok apart from a replacement wiper blade.

These early examples are really amazing and must set the standard for a cheap sub £1000 first car.

Even HJ himself chose one for his mum!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 22 Oct 2021 15:51
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - Falkirk Bairn

Yaris manual Mk1 s were French assembly

Yaris auto Mk1 s were Japan assembly

I wonder if there was any quality differences.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 22 Oct 2021 17:59
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - SLO76
Excellent little cars, usually only rust kills them eventually but they’re still pretty good in that regard too.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 22 Oct 2021 18:17
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - Xileno

A work colleague has one which was about fifteen years old when I first met him. It was really for his wife to learn to drive in but he found it great for urban driving and being able to squeeze into small parking bays. I think he ended up using it more than her. No mechanical issues that I remember but as SLO mentions, eventually rust killed it. Suspension towers I think.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 22 Oct 2021 19:36
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - Steveieb

From memory, I’m that old, the all original Mk 1 Yaris were built in Japan. Production started in France around 2002.

But not many complaints about the French built Yaris apart from the MMT gearbox.

The original Cars had TQ auto boxes

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 22 Oct 2021 20:29
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - JonestHon
Nothing wrong with the Mk2 French built ones.
They resist rust much better than the Mk1’s according to those who owned both.

I sold my 2010 1.33 two month ago with 162k and it had nothing gone wrong with it (owned it from new) apart from a ceased passenger door lock where my young ones injected some sugary substance to it. Still had fully working AC that never needed a recharge and the original clutch and exhaust.

The fact that I got the asking price of £2.5k from the first Lady who came to see it shows that people know these little cars are indestructible.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 25 Oct 2021 14:03
Toyota Yaris Mk 1 - Best cheap small hatchback - sajid

Got a mark 3.5 facelift 15 plate yaris a deisel, they increased the boot

Space and rear legroom compared to the mark 2.

Economy is outstanding, and the engine performance speed is similar to a 1.5petrol.

As a daily run about car is easy to drive park, engine warms up within a min of driving as the engine block is made of aluminium. Only issue i have are ac not working got a leak and the number plate light bulb was burnt i changed the bulb diy 5 min job.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide