Ford Fiesta vs Toyota Yaris
Figures updated
The Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Mk8 (2017–2023) Fiesta and the Mk4 (2020–) Yaris on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,770,939 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Ford Fiesta for the bigger boot and more performance, or the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs.
- The Ford Fiesta has the biggest boot: 311 litres, 25 more than the Toyota Yaris.
- The Toyota Yaris has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Fiesta fails its MOT about 22% more often.
- The Toyota Yaris is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £165 a year less than the Ford Fiesta at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Ford Fiesta: it fails on them 1.8 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Ford FiestaMk8 (2017–2023), 3/5-door hatchback | Toyota YarisMk4 (2020–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £23,845 to £30,045March 2026 price list |
| Body | 3/5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 311 litres / 1,093 (best) | 286 litres |
| Length | 4,048mm | 3,940mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,735mm | 1,745mm |
| Height | 1,490mm | 1,500mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 70–200 PS (best) | 116–130 PS |
| 0–62mph | 6.5–14.9 sec (best) | 9.2–9.7 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2020) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Hybrid, Petrol | Hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 43.5–58.9 mpg | 55.4–68.9 mpg |
| CO2 | 110–147 g/km | 91–116 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,096 (53.3 mpg) | £931 (62.8 mpg) (best) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,096 (petrol) | £931 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 86Below average | 105Above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 34.3% | 27.7% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 13.2% | 9.6% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.6% | 13.9% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 36.6% | 25.5% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Stop lamp (6.1% of tests) | Position lamp (4.0% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (1.8×), Lights and electrics (1.4×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 1,368,897 | 402,042 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,800 | 6,000 |
| On sale | 2017–2023 | 2020 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Ford Fiesta or the Toyota Yaris more reliable?
The Toyota Yaris. Like for like on age and mileage, the Ford Fiesta fails its MOT about 22% more often (reliability scores 105 and 86, where 100 is average). 27.7% of Toyota Yarises and 34.3% of Ford Fiestas failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Ford Fiesta or the Toyota Yaris?
The Ford Fiesta is 108mm longer (4,048mm against 3,940mm). The Ford Fiesta has the bigger boot: 311 litres against 286.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Fiesta or the Toyota Yaris?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Yaris costs about £165 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£931 against £1,096), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Ford Fiesta or the Toyota Yaris?
Euro NCAP gave the Ford Fiesta 5 stars (2017) and the Toyota Yaris 5 stars (2020). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Ford Fiesta or the Toyota Yaris?
Pick the Ford Fiesta for the bigger boot and more performance, or the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.