VW Polo or Honda Jazz

lledar

Would appreciate any advice in deciding between the purchase of a 2009 VW Polo (newer type) or 2008 Honda Jazz - both with low mileage and €2k price difference. My annual mileage would be very small and my main considerations are reliability and fuel/service economy. Any/all advice appreciated - thank you

colm_mcm

The Jazz is the better car, but I'd have the Polo as its "nicer"

Saab Ed

Jazz 9/10 Polo 5/10

What more can I say


























.....Other than a Polo looks awful, sounds awful with its washing machine 3 cylinder engine, breaksdown all the time and has more electrical problems than the ESB. Add to that the fact that its atleast a €1,000 too expensive because its got a VW badge on the front of it (it's the same car as a Skoda Fabia and a Seat Ibiza ) and you're on the road to looserville. The Honda is near enough a perfect car in every way.

colm_mcm

hang on ed.

The Polo is a year newer, and only 2k more.

I know looks are subjective but the Polo is a new model and quite nicely styled in my opionion (its sisters Ibiza and particularly Fabia asre nowhere as good looking) The Jazz is the old model from way back in the day.

Agreed the 1.2 polo engine is mank but still.

Typewriter

I dont know about the Jazz but ive heard its the better more reliable option.

My mother has the new polo (2011) and I hate driving it. The steering wheel is tiny, and cheap feeling, and even still my legs keep getting in its way. (I'm 6'2") It has a few blind spots at the back and the worst thing off all is that the reverse gear is beside 1st gear and you push the lever down to operate it.

It's quite easy to mistakenly put it into reverse instead of 1st when you're changing gears quickly. Everyone that drives it says the same. It's a real pain that you have to be aware of all the time.

Other than that it does look pretty cool.:o

colm_mcm

Loads of VWs have that reverse thingy going back decades.

Typewriter

colm_mcm wrote: »

Loads of VWs have that reverse thingy going back decades.

Well is my first time coming across it and it's awful.

Compton

I'd go for the Jazz

commited

Jazz all the way, my mother has had one since new in 05 with no problems.

Chris_Heilong

Typewriter wrote: »

Well is my first time coming across it and it's awful.

Thats what put me right off the Polo, such a dumb gear box, my brother had a 1998 one and the thing sucked balls, eventually it went on fire and he got a SEAT Cordoba which was nicer but gear box was still pants.

Leonard Hofstadter

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Thats what put me right off the Polo, such a dumb gear box, my brother had a 1998 one and the thing sucked balls, eventually it went on fire and he got a SEAT Cordoba which was nicer but gear box was still pants.

You do realise that the VW Polo and Seat Cordoba are the exact same car bar a few styling changes and different badges, yes?

And loads of cars have reverse next to first, I can't see what the big deal is about that really. More and more cars with manual gearboxes have this arrangement now, especially for cars with six speed gearboxes.

Chris_Heilong

captainspeed wrote: »

You do realise that the VW Polo and Seat Cordoba are the exact same car bar a few styling changes and different badges, yes?

And loads of cars have reverse next to first, I can't see what the big deal is about that really. More and more cars with manual gearboxes have this arrangement now, especially for cars with six speed gearboxes.

yep, I know they are the same(altough I thought it was the golf that was the same) so as I said the gear box was still crap but the styling was much better, I always hated the styling of the GOLF/POLO as it was so boxy and old fashioned. I have only driven 5 speed, but I also dont like the push in gear stick in order to put it in reverse.

Typewriter

captainspeed wrote: »

And loads of cars have reverse next to first, I can't see what the big deal is about that really.

Hey I wasn't complaining that the polo has first gear next to reverse. My own car, that ive been driving for the past two and a half years, has first next to reverse but the difference is that I lift up the gear knob to engage reverse.

It does not just go into reverse if i casually put pressure on the knob it is a conscious action unlike the polo.

Ive owned and driven may different cars and never have I come across the push down reverse next to first. Very bad design IMO.

gammygils

Both cars very reliable but I'd go for the Polo. Parts are easier to get. Polo is a way nicer car

R.O.R

gammygils wrote: »

Both cars very reliable but I'd go for the Polo. Parts are easier to get. Polo is a way nicer car

Parts are only easier to get for the Polo because they are needed. Doesn't really matter how tricky it will be to get parts for the Honda as it won't need them.

flash1080

4 lads I went to college with had various models of VW Polos, they're all bulletproof. None of them had the mk 5 but I'd be surprised if VW let the build quality slip on it's latest offerings.

padma

Honda Jazz all the way!!

colm_mcm

Wow, a lot of support for the Jazz.

bizzare that nobody actually buys them

padma

There one of the priciest in that litre range, for good reasons though, friend has one and it is absolutely perfect, choice of a yaris, Polo or Jazz, it would be a jazz, low depreciation and all that Jazz

colm_mcm

But the model Jazz that the OP is looking at came out 11 years ago.

Saab Ed

colm_mcm wrote: »

But the model Jazz that the OP is looking at came out 11 years ago.

Doesn't matter, the jazz is still a superior car. More space, more power, more ingenious, more reliable, better built and more useable for more applications. Hard to tell someone to buy one new given how expensive they are but I'd have a nearly new one sooner than a new polo.

padma

The second generation jazz came out here in europe in October 2008, so maybe it is the second generation, but I'd reflect saab ed's post.

BostonB

VW's aren't close to as reliable as a Honda. That sells itself, if that's the primary objective.

Bearcat

I drove my mother in laws 07 jazz auto for 2months when I was car less. I'm a total car snob and initial dissed such a shopping trolley tin box. Well I was totally surprised with the jazz. Comfy, an amazing auto box, flappy paddles, a willing revy engine, seats fold in all directions to give amazing load space, great stereo, fuel miser, ok ish on motorway just if it's windy you'll know all about it and it will hum along all day at 120kph plus no probs. If I had to choose a town car with the odd country drive the jazz would be my first choice. I thought it was a great little motor and gets my top marks.

This jazz on the market for ages http://www.carzone.ie/search/Honda/Jazz/1.4SE-Au/201140204789542/advert?channel=CARS. Nice colour etc, I'd say you'd get it for far less.

Polos, yeah, vw badge etc but that's where the comparison stops me thinks......vw engine not a patch on the Honda IMO .

kupus

Doesn't matter, the jazz is still a superior car. More space, more power, more ingenious, more reliable, better built and more useable for more applications. Hard to tell someone to buy one new given how expensive they are but I'd have a nearly new one sooner than a new polo.

+1 on that, ^^^^^^^^^^

Im in the same boat as you OP and Jazz is my joint no1 target if I can find it at the right price, it features in the top 10 of the worlds most reliable cars, that somebody posted here recently.

Other cars I've looked at include,
Audi A2, Fiat Panda, Fiat Idea, Fiat Sedici, Ford Fiesta/ Fusion, Hyundai Matrix, Kia Rio/Ceed, Mazda 2, Mitsubishi Colt, Nissan Note and Micra, Opel Meriva, Peugeot 207/307, Renault Modus, Renault Scenic RX4, Renault Megane Scenic, Smart Fourfour, Suzuki Swift, Suzuki Sx4, Suzuki Ignis. VW polo.

What most of these cars have in common is they are all riding higher
With most of these you can put down the back seats and you can fit an Octavia in the back !!
They are all small cars, cheap to service and economical at the fuel stage.

one important thing I've learned from here is your mileage, if you are doing small journeys with your car its better to get a petrol version,
Somebody mentioned about the 30K a year and only then consider diesel.

Because it takes a while for the diesel to heat up on short journeys and so this damages your engine,
+ diesel cars cost more
+ diesel cars service cost more
+ diesel cars spare parts and problems cost more......... so any saving is negated if you get problems.

I was all for buying diesel until I learned these facts.

pajo1981

colm_mcm wrote: »

Wow, a lot of support for the Jazz.

bizzare that nobody actually buys them

They're manky in fairness.

Chris_Heilong

pajo1981 wrote: »

They're manky in fairness.

They are expensive not Manky, the old Micra was manky, the polo MK4 was manky but the Jazz is nice, only reason I wouldn't buy one is because I feel it is a little girly.

BostonB

Considering the appalling reliability problems with failing turbo's, ABS units, etc, that VW have, and won't cover under warranty, you'd want to have deep pockets to buy the VW...and money for taxi's.

flash1080

It'd be worth seeing if you can get the Jazz under warranty, they're notorious for gearbox problems, can be very expensive to fix.

lledar

Thank you all very much for your comments. The response is certainly clearly in favour of the Jazz which is very helpful. I had researched on the internet and both cars appeared to get similar reviews with the Jazz slightly ahead. The Jazz does come with a 12 month warranty

Nissan doctor

flash1080 wrote: »

4 lads I went to college with had various models of VW Polos, they're all bulletproof. None of them had the mk 5 but I'd be surprised if VW let the build quality slip on it's latest offerings.

Prepare to be surprised then.


The last two generations of Polo feel cheap inside, slow, rattley, noisy, with various reliability issies(1.2 6v/12v), notchy, noisy gear selection, suspension bushes that can't handle being used on a road and a price based on the badge not the car.

Honda Jazz has been a class leader(practicality and reliability) for the last 11 odd years and it still is. The reason they don't sell as many here is because the are a bit expensive new and Ireland is obsessed with German cars.

Raladic

The Jazz is more reliable and has a better dynamic, however parts are more expensive and harder to get.

The Polo will get you from A-B, it's no beauty but does the job and parts are easier to get and cheaper.

colm_mcm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Honda Jazz has been a class leader(practicality and reliability) for the last 11 odd years and it still is. The reason they don't sell as many here is because the are a bit expensive new and Ireland is obsessed with German cars.

I don't think the small car market is obsessed with German cars, look at the likes of the yaris and micra, the amount of Korean and French small cars on the roads.

It's a price thing.

n97 mini

Had a Jazz in the family for a while. Cracking little car with a surprising amount of interior space.