Review
A mid-sized MPV needs to be exceptional to stand out in a segment packed with talented machinery. And if you can see beyond the Zafira / Picasso default choices, the Verso has plenty to recommend it.
Toyota responded to criticism of the previous generation Corolla Verso's five-seat layout by giving the all-new Verso a third row of fold-out seats, bringing the total up to seven. To be honest, the company probably shouldn't have bothered with the extra pews as they're awkward to use, extremely cramped and pretty much finish off the boot space when in use.
But the rest of the Verso experience is all positive. There's plenty of room for four or five occupants, a spacious and well finished cabin, good standard equipment and a very grown-up driving experience. We even reckon that the chunky design looks pretty good, in a mid-sized-people-carrier kind of way.
The best news is that the Verso drives surprisingly well, delivering an impressively mature dynamic performance. Taut body control means that, unlike most of its rivals, it doesn't feel all at sea on a twisty road. And although the pay-off is a sometimes firm ride, the overall effect is an impressively capable long-distance cruiser.
Both 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrol engines are worth avoiding, though. Both spin sweetly enough, but they struggle to motivate a well-laden Verso. Far better to go for the excellent new 2.2 litre D4-D diesel version, which is available in both 135 bhp and 175 bhp states of tune. Both are excellent - smooth and frugal.