Let me inject some more fun into the debate
 

Annually the ADAC (largest German auto club) publishes comprehensive breakdown data for all models for which they have statistically significant data. The ADAC Pannenstatistik for calendar year 2006 was published a little while ago.....

The data are expressed as breakdowns per 1000 vehicles on the road. It is broken down by model year. The results for the last two model years follow:

• Toyota Yaris: 2005 = 6.1 || 2006 = 7.5
• Honda Jazz (Fit): 2005 = 5.5 || 2006 = 3.4

For comparative purposes, I add the following models:

• smart fortwo: 2005 = 6.0 || 2006 = 1.7
• Toyota Corolla: 2005 = 6.2 || 2006 = 8.0

So the Toyota is twice as likely to break down in the 2006 model year compared to the Fit. And the Fit is twice as likely to break down as a 2006 smart fortwo :cool:

If anyone wants the original source data, email me and I'll send it to you.

I like the look of the fit better. I haven't been in either car so I don't know what the interior is like. The yaris seems to get better mpg (based on the gassavers numbers). The yaris just seems a little plain to me (especially the sedan).

Having said that I would rather own a Xa or Xb then either of them.

My Fit is doing well, at 24K my MPGs are in the 36-40 range even with highway speed at 75-80 mph.

Like the looks of the Yaris, but with no 5 door in the states and not wanting an orpah Scion (having owned my share of orphans) I bought my first Honda.

The best FIT 90 day average is 36.0 mpg.
The best gas YARIS 90 day average is 45.3 mpg.
I am surprised that the FIT cannot do better than that.

The fit's geared way, way too short for both the auto and manual iirc. Kinda like the Element. If it had the gearing of the Accord 50mpg+ would be np.

its because of the gearing, the type of driving, and/or the type of driver.

i put less than 1/4 of the miles on my fit and its mostly stop and go.

i think the fit is easier to get worse mpg just because of the gearing. it allows for very quick acceleration, but it also allows the non-gassaver(my wife) to keep the rpms a little too high to make a great difference in saving gas. also keep in mind the amount of miles of the best performing fit and the miles of your yaris. that effects it too.

i do agree, i was expecting the fit to respond better to conservative driving than it does so far.

Actually, some of the guys on the FitFreak board have found that the car returns better economy when not babied.

Not sure what the complaint is about the gearing, the 20MPH per 1K RPM in top gear is identical to every European manual shift car I have ever owned excluding Volvos with M41 gearboxes.

interesting... i havent tried driving it like my old civic...

yea... there is a reason my wife and i bought the fit for her.

Now the few arguing against the Yaris for not being a 5 door have no arguement that they brought the 5 door to the US!

So now, I think other than the Fit owners, the Yaris is the general concensus. At least, I've been on the fence about buying one for over a year now.... but I understand the difference between 45mpg for 10 years at a purchase price of $13k vs. 35mpg in my Saturn w/ a purchase price of $500.... the more frugal person would choose to keep rollin the Satty 'til the wheels fall off, which is the route I'm going.

Even then, once the wheels do fall off, I may just repair everything and re-ring and keep it alive, or I would probably opt for an '01 or '02 SC1 5sp.... hopefully in silver or yellow.... I'm drooling just thinking about that sharp little econobox. lol

The problem I had w/ the Yaris was, I don't like the styling and appearance of the 2 door hatch compared to the Sedan. The sedan would be my ideal choice, only problem is, I liked the dash and console in the hatch better than what the Sedan had.... lol I didn't want to settle, so I just didn't buy the car.

I still think the Yaris is probably the best value car offered today in terms of resale, maintenance (Yota's reputation), mpg, and safety.