Toyota Yaris vs Skoda Fabia
Figures updated
The Toyota Yaris and Skoda Fabia are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Mk4 (2020–) Yaris and the Mk4 (2021–) Fabia on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 627,614 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs, or the Skoda Fabia for the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance.
- The Skoda Fabia is the cheapest to buy new: from £21,070, £2,775 less than the Toyota Yaris.
- The Skoda Fabia has the biggest boot: 380 litres, 94 more than the Toyota Yaris.
- The Toyota Yaris has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Skoda Fabia fails its MOT about 8% more often.
- The Toyota Yaris is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £135 a year less than the Skoda Fabia at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the body and structure on a Skoda Fabia: it fails on them 1.3 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Toyota YarisMk4 (2020–), 5-door hatchback | Skoda FabiaMk4 (2021–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £23,845 to £30,045March 2026 price list | £21,070 to £30,010April 2026 price list (best) |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 286 litres | 380 litres / 1,190 (best) |
| Length | 3,940mm | 4,108mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,745mm | 1,780mm |
| Height | 1,500mm | 1,459mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 116–130 PS | 80–177 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 9.2–9.7 sec | 7.4–15.7 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2020) | ★★★★★ (2021) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Hybrid | Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 55.4–68.9 mpg | 52.3–56.8 mpg |
| CO2 | 91–116 g/km | 112–122 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £931 (62.8 mpg) (best) | £1,066 (54.8 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £931 (petrol) | £1,066 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 105Above average (best) | 97Below average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 27.7% (best) | 29.6% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.6% (best) | 13.6% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 13.9% (best) | 16.6% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 25.5% (best) | 27.8% |
| Most common MOT fault | Position lamp (4.0% of tests) | Pins and bushes (3.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Body and structure (1.3×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 402,042 | 225,572 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,000 | 6,900 |
| On sale | 2020 on | 2021 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 Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia more reliable?
The Toyota Yaris. Like for like on age and mileage, the Skoda Fabia fails its MOT about 8% more often (reliability scores 105 and 97, where 100 is average). 27.7% of Toyota Yarises and 29.6% of Skoda Fabias failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia is 168mm longer (4,108mm against 3,940mm). The Skoda Fabia has the bigger boot: 380 litres against 286.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia: new prices start at £21,070, £2,775 less than the Toyota Yaris (from £23,845). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Yaris costs about £135 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£931 against £1,066), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia?
Euro NCAP gave the Toyota Yaris 5 stars (2020) and the Skoda Fabia 5 stars (2021). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Toyota Yaris or the Skoda Fabia?
Pick the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs, or the Skoda Fabia for the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance. 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.