Which is better for you: 2017 Honda Jazz or 2019 Toyota Yaris?

The B-segment hatch market is the most popular market in the Asian region, so it is not a surprise that there are plenty of options for the picking.

Out of all the options, the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris reigns supreme, with only the Mazda 2 being close to holding a candle next to these two.

Disclaimer: The Perodua Myvi don’t count. The car sits in a class of its own!

Between the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris’s offerings, many are hard pressed to determine which car is better suited for their lifestyle and preferences.

Here’s a quick guide:

The price

In terms of price, the top spec variants of both cars are neck in neck (Jazz at RM 83,833, Yaris at RM 83,888) with the Yaris costing just RM 55 more.

Head down one tier, the price difference is larger here; the Yaris 1.5E costing at RM 76,888 and the Jazz 1.5L-E at RM 76,316. This is because the Yaris 1.5E carries over most of the safety equipment from the 1.5G.  

Engine

Both cars run on naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engines mated to automatic type CVTs, but the Yaris loses out massively in terms of power and torque.

The Jazz’s power output reads at 120 PS and 145 Nm while the Yaris only outputs 107 PS and 140 Nm. Given this is not the lowest of its class, it still makes the Yaris read sedated next to the Jazz.

When it comes to engines, the Jazz also one-ups the Yaris with the offering of a hybrid variant that slots above the top-spec V. The Hybrid variant has a total combined output of 139 PS and 170 Nm.

Interior

Since the launch of the new generation, the Honda Jazz has sent the level of interior practicality through the roof. No other car has yet been able to give the Jazz a run for its money in terms of space and practicality.

Massive leg room, Ultra Seats, tons of storage compartments, were just a few of the Jazz’s winning solution. But there is only one problem with the Jazz and that is the car’s interior refinement.

You get plenty of space to stretch in the Jazz, but when it comes to insulation, though, is rather bad as exterior and engine noises can easily be heard inside the car.

Meanwhile, the Yaris offers comfortable seats, albeit a little cramp, and superior best-in-class quietness. Toyota seem to have found the perfect balance of sound proofing without making the car a spongey mess.

Infotainment

The Toyota Yaris comes with a 6.8-inch touchscreen complete with DVD-player, USB Mirroring, FM radio, Voice Dial, USB AUX and Bluetooth.

That’s a lot of items packed into one. And the Yaris’s touchscreen also offers you clear and crisp images as well, probably to facilitate the in-built DVD player.

Honda Jazz’s similarly sized touchscreen, meanwhile, seem to have endured a downgrade from its well-equipped pre-facelift version.

The screen in the Jazz also gets badly reflected by the sun when driving in daylight and missing the kind of crispness that the Yaris’s screen has to offer.

Safety equipment

When the Toyota Yaris made its come back in 2019, the car also came with best-in-class safety equipment like the Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Other first in segment features also includes the Yaris’s 360-degree camera view, 7 airbags and even speed-linked impact detection door lock. You also get Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Traction Control (TC).

The Honda Jazz, on the other hand, comes with 6-airbags, along with unique features like Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and Emergency Stop Signal.

Though the list of safety equipment in the Jazz is still extensive compared to other B-segment hatches, the Yaris still far out-shadows it.

Conclusion

Choosing between the two cars entirely boils down to your needs. If you’re one who needs space and often need to move around large items, then the Jazz would perfectly fit your needs.

If safety and a comfortable interior to hop into after a long day at work is your priority, then the Yaris would better fit your bill.

But if you’re looking for a value-for-money ride, the answer is the Yaris. At RM 83,888 you get all the bells and whistles that you would in a C-segment SUV like the 360-degree camera and blind-spot monitor.

Not everybody would go for the top-spec variant when purchasing a car, even here the Yaris seems to win out.

The Yaris’s mid spec 1.5E shares largely the same features as the 1.5G so you still get 7-airbags, BSM and even the 360-degree camera at a shaved off price of RM 76,888.

Meanwhile, the Jazz still includes the Ultra Seats for the mid-spec 1.5L E variant. But you only get 4 airbags, 4-speakers and no power retractable wing mirrors for RM 76,316.