1.4 diesel reliability + urban suitability

[gezhenry]

I know it's topical that diesels are no longer popular but I'm just after another cheap 2nd hand Toyota as a cheap around town runner and I particularly wondered if the older 1.4 diesel Toyota yarises and corollas would be suitable for this purpose and still be economical or would they also fall into the category s of not being frugal mpg wise around town and would also accrue expensive diesel type repairs with this usage?

Or should I just still stick to the smaller petrol variants?

Does anybody have any idea?

[stevecrvn]

I am on my third 1.4 d4d.The first was a 2005 Yaris bought with 27k on clock sold with 147k bril car never less than 55mpg what ever I done with it it was so reliable the only repair apart from tyres and servicng was a glow plug . Next was a 2010 Auris never less than 52 mpg did have to change a gearbox on that at 110k . We now have 2015 1.4d4d auris average 57mpg with a load of urban driving and a weekly long fast trip on the motorway great car apart form rubbish headlights  My mother had a 2004 1.3 Yaris Petrol automatic lovely car to drive increadibly releable but only about 38mpg around town

I also have a yaris hybrid which cannot match the yaris diesel on ecomomy. but love driving it as imakes very easy driving around town

[gezhenry]

Thanks v much for that Steve, so just to clarify you've generally used your Toyota 1.4 diesels around town bar the odd motorway blast and haven't suffered any of the typical diesels big repair bills and low mpg on that basis?

Has anyone else got any experience of this engine too?

Thankyou

[stevecrvn]

My wife does a lot of short one mile journeys back and fore to family and very rarely on the motorway apart of the one day I week I use to keep the dpf clear. We have never had a problem but might just be luck

[Catlover]

I had 59 plate Yaris diesel and it was just pre def so didn’t have to faff about with that, always did about 60mpg. May have differ years f were fitted to different models, but pre 2010 you may be ok.

[gezhenry]

Ok thanks so moral of the story seems to be generally, avoid the dpf models if poss to remove that potentially problematic part outta the equation then?