We actually had a van before we got the YRV, so obviously we were pleased with the mileage it gets. I'd say it's very economical, I reckon we average almost 50 miles a gallon in a straight line, probably less around towns but still very good.
The insurance is a bit higher than I might expect in a small car like this, so that's probably something to consider before you buy, which we didn't really. Tax is also I think £160 or so a year, which is a lot higher than a number of more recent cars. A friend of mine has a car with no tax due at all! Something to do with the environment. Anyway basically I think the YRV might be showing its age a bit.
Generally it's a nice car to drive. The glass roof is really very swish, very impressive really, my friends really like it, apart from when it's raining! I'm not sure that comes on all the YRVs but maybe. I've never had any trouble with losing control or anything, I mean like the steering and that sort of thing, but my other half says it can come unstuck a bit when he's driving around smaller roads. I just tell him he shouldn't drive like a nut! I suppose the seats could be comfier, I do feel it on longer journeys. The springs aren't too good either, gets a bit bone shaky after a while. But you get to sit at a decent height which is handy for traffic and things. I like the way the front seats really easily recline back and forwards with a little lever on the side, much easier than cranking a dial round and round. It's also good to have control of all the mirrors from the front. It's quite good for moving big things too, which is a surprise for a small car. The bottom bit of the back seats fold up towards the front seats, and then the back bits fold down, which makes a really big and tall space in the back for all sorts. We had a small sofa in there once.
Another thing that's making me think I'll probably sell this car and move on soon is the middle seat belt in the back. I know it's only a small thing but I've heard horror stories about these belts that just go across the hips and don't go over the shoulder. We've only got one child at the moment but when we take passengers too it's always a concern. I'm sure there are loads of other safety features that modern cars have which ours doesn't. I'm not saying it's an unsafe car at all, but it just weighs on my mind. Another thing about the back seats is that they're quite small and squeezed together.
It's had a few repairs here and there, brakes, exhaust, that sort of thing, but nothing compared to our old van! It seems reliable compared to friends cars too, so that's good.
I got my YRV three years ago, second hand at 30k miles. Since then I've put another 50k miles on it and it's been relatively reliable. The only problem has been some water leakage, so there must be some minor problems with the seals. That may well be to do with the Scottish weather though! I mean that's the only problem that you wouldn't ordinarily expect of a car this age. It's had the odd thing like brake discs and exhaust but it's quite a common car so the availability and labour are fairly easy to source. But it seldom needs work, especially compared to friends' cars of similar ages, so I'm chuffed with it in that respect.
The best thing about it is the sheer size inside. I had a go in a Micra before I got the YRV, and I went with the YRV mainly because it is such an immense tardis. It's difficult to see from the outside but there's bags of space in there, and the back seats especially are really big (and really nice and high up) for such a tiny car. The back seats fold up to make the (already big) boot even bigger. I moved my son to uni in it last year, and it JUST squeezed all the huge amount of pointless stuff he insisted on taking! The front seats recline very easily with a little lever at the side, that's much nicer than having a twiddly thing you have to rotate for ages. I also find it quite a quirky car, not as dull looking at a lot of Fords or Vauxhalls.
To drive it is just fine. It's not hugely powerful but nippy enough in traffic and pretty good on the motorways. It does inevitably struggle with the steeper inclines, and it could certainly be softer and more comfy over some of the rougher surfaces that we encounter. I have been pleased with fuel consumption and the insurance is fairly low. My other half has just got a Skoda Octavia though which is starting to embarrass our little YRV in terms of fuel consumption. It just seems to sip fuel, really amazing.
The car we got had the see-through roof in it (with moveable covers) which does give a very good view all around, which is nice when we're driving around the highlands. Visibility generally is top notch, it's quite high up for a small car and the body pillars are all in sensible places so it's straightforward to see all around and to park.