Honda Jazz: common problems, best years and what to check
Among the most durable cars in Britain: highest survival in our data. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Honda Jazz a good used buy?
Best buy
2015–2020 Mk3 1.3 i-VTEC or 2020+ e:HEV
Avoid
i-SHIFT automated manual (2008–2011)
Who it suits: Drivers who want a small car with a huge interior and excellent reliability.
What's good
- Magic Seats fold flat or flip up
- Massive interior for its size
- Excellent reliability
- e:HEV hybrid is economical
What's not
- Pricier than rivals
- Plain driving experience
- i-SHIFT automated manual (2008–2011) is jerky
- e:HEV CVT drones under hard acceleration
By the numbers
- #22 most common model on UK roads, with about 277k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2009: 22.0k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 71% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: IMA battery degradation (up to £2,000).
Honda Jazz common problems by generation and engine
Honda Jazz Mk2 (2008–2015) · supermini MPV; Hybrid
How to spot it: 08 plate to 15 plate. Tall, rounded MPV-style hatch.
1.2 / 1.4 i-VTEC (L12B / L13Z, petrol, 2008–2015)
Extremely reliable
1.3 IMA Hybrid (LDA, hybrid, 2011–2015)
IMA battery ageing
- IMA battery degradation£1,000–£2,000100k+
Faults on any Mk2 (2008–2015) engine
- i-SHIFT automated manual (2008–2011) slow/clunky£0–£1,000any
- Rear arch rust on older cars£150–£40012+ yrs
Honda Jazz Mk3 (2015–2020) · supermini MPV
How to spot it: 15 plate to 20 plate. Sharper nose with a full-width grille bar and a crease along the side.
1.3 i-VTEC (L13B, petrol, 2015–2020)
Very reliable
- CVT servicing£150–£25060k
Honda Jazz Mk4 (2020–) · supermini MPV; Crosstar
How to spot it: 20 plate onwards. Soft, rounded nose with very thin windscreen pillars; hybrid only.
1.5 e:HEV hybrid (LEB, hybrid, 2020–)
Excellent
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Honda Jazz years
How many Honda Jazzs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Honda Jazz MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Honda Jazzs pass their MOT first time 9 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (79% vs 71%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 56% | 57% | 83k miles |
| 2009 | 64% | 58% | 82k miles |
| 2010 | 67% | 59% | 79k miles |
| 2011 | 73% | 61% | 70k miles |
| 2012 | 75% | 63% | 64k miles |
| 2013 | 78% | 66% | 58k miles |
| 2014 | 81% | 69% | 52k miles |
| 2015 | 84% | 72% | 45k miles |
| 2016 | 86% | 75% | 40k miles |
| 2017 | 88% | 78% | 35k miles |
| 2018 | 89% | 81% | 32k miles |
| 2019 | 90% | 84% | 26k miles |
| 2020 | 91% | 86% | 22k miles |
| 2021 | 93% | 87% | 20k miles |
| 2022 | 94% | 89% | 15k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working5.27 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.82 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.85 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.49 per 100
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength2.42 per 100
- Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements2.22 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.7 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.7 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tyres: has a tear19.71 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm17.07 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick11.87 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.93 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn10.24 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded9.28 per 100
- Headlamp: has a product on the lens5.08 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded4.88 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Honda Jazz have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All i-VTEC | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Honda Jazz running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Honda Jazz ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Honda Jazz vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Jazz | 277k | 3–15 | 354 l | 2015–2020 Mk3 1.3 i-VTEC or 2020+ e:HEV |
| Toyota Yaris | 469k | 4–14 | 286 l | 2012–2020 1.5 Hybrid or 2020+ 1.5 Hybrid |
| Skoda Fabia | 213k | 1–15 | 330 l | 2015–2021 Mk3 1.0 MPI/TSI |
| Hyundai i20 | 147k | 3–15 | 352 l | 2015+ GB 1.2 or 1.0 T-GDi |
| Kia Rio | 97k | 3–14 | 325 l | 2017+ YB 1.0 T-GDi |
| Volkswagen Polo | 582k | 2–17 | 351 l | 2017+ AW 1.0 TSI 95 manual |
What to check when buying a used Honda Jazz
- Top reliability; check CVT fluid changes
- Mk4 e:HEV hybrid is brilliant in town
Honda Jazz FAQ
›Is the Honda Jazz reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2015–2020 Mk3 1.3 i-VTEC or 2020+ e:HEV. Avoid: i-SHIFT automated manual (2008–2011).
›What is the Honda Jazz MOT pass rate?
79% of Honda Jazzs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (243,479 tests), better than the 71% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Honda Jazz problems?
The costliest known faults are IMA battery degradation; CVT servicing. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Honda Jazz have a timing belt or chain?
All i-VTEC: chain.
›What is the best year Honda Jazz to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Honda Jazz cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.3 i-VTEC 45–52 mpg; 1.5 e:HEV 55–65 mpg. Insurance groups 3–15. A minor service is about £140–£200 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Honda Jazz?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Honda Jazz ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.