Verso - comment

i came a cross with a comment/testimony from one of the test driver ....

This year Toyota celebrates 25 years of making MPVs. Time, you would think, for the Japanese company to radically change its popular people-carrier.

No, not really. This new Verso replaces the old Corolla Verso that went on sale back in 2004 and you wouldn't call it 'radical'. The Corolla name has been dropped and to the untrained eye, the new sharp-suited car appears to be more of a hatch than a family-orientated MPV.

Don't be fooled by its car-like looks though; the Verso is still a proper seven-seater - made all the better by the introduction of a fold-flat feature for the rear five seats.

Built on a new platform donated by the Auris, the new Verso has been engineered for a more refined drive, but the main priorities have been the introduction of the firm's 'Optimal Drive' technology that has boosted power by up to 20% while lowering fuel economy and emissions by 12%.

Three fuel efficient engines are available from its launch: one petrol 145bhp 1.8, a 124bhp 2.0-litre diesel and an automatic-only 148bhp 2.2 diesel.

Pricing for the new car begins at £16,475 for the entry-level 1.8 stretching to £20,670 for the top-of-the range 2.0 D-4D diesel putting it head-to-head with some talented competition including the Ford S-Max.