Review
/5
- Pros:
- Excellent build quality
- Good residual values
- Low running costs
- Cons:
- Cramped rear seats
- Expensive to buy
- Small boot with all seats in place
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The Toyota Verso's appeal lies in its practicality and ease of use. It's a very capable family car, though the rearmost seats are cramped."
At a glance
- The greenest
- 2.0 D-4D T2 5dr
£20,050 - The cheapest
- 1.6 Valvematic T2 5- Seat 5dr
£17,765 - The fastest
- 2.2 D-CAT T-Spirit Auto 5dr
£26,210 - Top of the range
- 2.2 D-CAT T-Spirit Auto 5dr
£26,210
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If you you are a school run veteran, who needs space for up to six kids as part of your early morning commute, then the Toyota Verso is an excellent choice. It puts reliability and fuel efficiency before style and sporty handling. The 2.0 D-4D version, although not as smooth to drive as petrol variants, returns over 50mpg, while the third row of seats can be easily folded - creating a spacious five-seater with a large boot. Those looking for something smaller than the Verso, should consider the new Toyota Verso S, available from February 2011.
Drive
Don’t expect sporty handling, comfort and economy take priority
The Verso clearly hasn’t been developed with driving fun in mind. The light steering leaves you feeling detached from the driving experience. Other controls, such as the gearchange, have also clearly been designed for ease of use. However, body roll is well controlled in the corners, and the car feels safe and surefooted at all times. The 2.0 D-4D is refined and economical, while the 1.8-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines are smoother, but feel sluggish at low revs. The driver sits high giving an excellent view of the road ahead.
Comfort
Forgiving suspension and a spacious interior give the Verso good long-distance comfort
The suspension is smooth, absorbing bumps in the road well. The cabin is quiet at at high speed, although wind noise from the large wing mirrors can be heard at motorway speeds. The third row of seats can accommodate adults at a squeeze, but is really only designed for children. Leg and headroom is good for all other passengers.
Reliability
Throttle issues withstanding the Verso retains Toyota’s legendary reliability
Toyotas have a reputation for outstanding reliability, although that has taken a hit over the last 12 months. The Verso was one of the cars recalled for modifications to a potentially sticky throttle pedal, but new cars will all have the modification already applied. The dashboard has a bland design, but the materials used are tough and durable – so the Verso stands up well to the wear and tear of family life.
Practicality
Excellent packaging allows space for seven, or five with a big boot
No matter what you think of the cabin design, the Verso has lost none of its versatility. As before, it features Toyota's ‘Easy Flat 7’ seating system. This not only sees the three individual chairs in the middle bench slide independently, but they also tumble forwards to aid access to the third row. Unfolding either of the two rear seats from the floor is a one-handed operation, too. Boot space is limited to 178-litres with the third row of seats in place. With five people on board, there's a healthy 607-litres of loading space.
Value for money
Strong residuals and a cheap base model make the Verso good value
With prices starting at £17,275 for the entry-level 130bhp T2 1.6 V-Matic model, the Verso range starts at nearly £400 less than the Renault Grand Scenic and almost £2,000 less than the Ford Grand C-MAX. Residual values are strong too, so you should recover a good chunk of your initial outlay when the time comes to sell. If you’re looking for a much cheaper alternative though, it's worth considering the Kia Carens.
Running costs
Short service intervals are offset by high fuel economy and low CO2 emissions on diesel models
With CO2 emissions of 139g/km for the manual 2.0 D-4D version, and combined fuel economy of 53.3mpg the diesel Verso is around average in its class in terms of efficiency. It requires a service every 10,000 miles which is shorter than some rivals, but Toyota dealers have a reputation for providing excellent service and good value. You can guarantee that any major repair bills will be a rare occurrence, too.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
