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3
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Performance
Usability
4
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Readers' rating
2.5
By Glen Waddington
First Drives
08 June 2009 09:40
Toyota’s medium people-carrier is in its third incarnation now, complete with seven seats as standard for every model, this time. Trouble is, it’s a crowded market, with everyone in on the act since Renault’s Megane Scenic kick-started things in 1996. Can Toyota’s latest effort be enough to make it stand out?
And you’d be right not to. But that’s not to damn the Verso from the off. You’ll be interested in this car if painless ownership means more to you than a visceral B-road experience. And while it doesn’t excite, the Verso is certainly painless to drive.For a start, in spite of its modest 125bhp, the 2.0-litre turbodiesel provides effortless go, never feels underpowered, and is always smooth if a little gruff under acceleration. And promised fuel economy of 51.4mpg is ample compensation for 0-62mph in 11.3sec. It feels faster.
The six-speeder’s gearshift is satisfyingly snappy and the Verso rides well too, cushioning the surface of any road in return for a touch of roll and less-than-snappy steering response. Yep, it’s a bit woolly, yet not offensively so. If you like relaxing at the wheel, you’ll like the Verso. And so will your passengers.
Course it is. Like Vauxhall’s Zafira, the Verso secretes a pair of proper seats under the boot floor. Just pull a strap and each pops into position individually. Then you need only adjust the position of the middle row to work out a decent space compromise for all aft of the front row. There’s plenty of room to go round (a couple of sub-six-footers could manage an hour or so on row three), and access via the sliding, tipping and folding middle row is easy enough for most, and a doddle for kids.
This is where the Verso falls down a bit. It feels tautly made, although some of the panel fit around the test car’s dashboard edges was a little suspect by tight Toyota standards. The materials are nothing special, and the styling is incoherent. The dashtop apes the Scenic’s, there’s a bit of iQ in the centre-vent, the outer vents look a bit Lexus, and the centre console and doortrims are blandly generic. Your £19k gets you no unexpected gadgets (sat-nav is an option) so value for money is middling.
The seats are generous though, and their cloth trim is hardwearing.
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Toyota Verso TR 2.0 D-4D (2009) CAR review
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Jonboy999 says
RE: Toyota Verso TR 2.0 D-4D (2009) CAR review
The Toyota Verso comes across as all very expected, dependable and frankly boring, but then if you're buying a people carrier to take the kids to school every day than that's probably exactly what you want. Toyota plays the middle ground well along with Volkswagen, and benefits massively from it, just a shame it isn't a more emotional brand that you can connect with.
The Toyota Verso comes across as all very expected, dependable and frankly boring, but then if you're buying a people carrier to take the kids to school every day than that's probably exactly what you want.
Toyota plays the middle ground well along with Volkswagen, and benefits massively from it, just a shame it isn't a more emotional brand that you can connect with.
09 September 2009 17:38
ema02 says
Jumping in, I don't really think that toyota doesn't have a clue on "creating" new designs for its cars. I totally agree here with babametca. And if ever they copied or just slightly innovated from other car makes' design, which I think they already did, well, I think that doesn't make Toyota a lesser car maker. That is just putting up a clever competition which is really part of doing business. The point should be whether the toyota car parts are still durable and equipped with the longevity that is really needed which I think is still being responded by toyota.
30 July 2009 04:39
babametca says
JohnnyBimmer - "When it comes to design innovation Toyota is totally clueless" I will respond to that. Look at the new Mercedes E-class and the Lexus GS. The fron i mean. Look familiar. There a lot of bits that Audi take from Toyota on the interior and vice versa. It's just that now manufacturers are "stealeing" from one onother to fully satisfy their customers. Nothing wrong with that. Look at the new C5, the dashboard looks a lot like the BMW 5 series. There are all kings of switches, materials and solution used by car makers to make something and when there is a good one why not use it. Come on you cannot win European Car of the year 2000 with a totally clueless design, infront of the Fiat Multipla and Opel/Vauxhall Zafira. And this is done not by one point or a few. Don't get me wrong. I know that Toyota models are not the best looking cars of the world, but most of them have pleasent look and feel inside and out. If you include the price position of the cars it's not so bad at all. I mean look at Lexus they are far more beautiful, but far more expensive. At the end you get what you payed for. Finally I will say that everybody has the right to a bad taste. Even the designers at Toyota :).
JohnnyBimmer - "When it comes to design innovation Toyota is totally clueless"
I will respond to that. Look at the new Mercedes E-class and the Lexus GS. The fron i mean. Look familiar. There a lot of bits that Audi take from Toyota on the interior and vice versa. It's just that now manufacturers are "stealeing" from one onother to fully satisfy their customers. Nothing wrong with that. Look at the new C5, the dashboard looks a lot like the BMW 5 series. There are all kings of switches, materials and solution used by car makers to make something and when there is a good one why not use it. Come on you cannot win European Car of the year 2000 with a totally clueless design, infront of the Fiat Multipla and Opel/Vauxhall Zafira. And this is done not by one point or a few.
Don't get me wrong. I know that Toyota models are not the best looking cars of the world, but most of them have pleasent look and feel inside and out. If you include the price position of the cars it's not so bad at all. I mean look at Lexus they are far more beautiful, but far more expensive. At the end you get what you payed for.
Finally I will say that everybody has the right to a bad taste. Even the designers at Toyota :).
17 June 2009 09:32
JohnnyBimmer says
Trocadero - Congratulations on making a relevant post (on 2nd attempt!!) after your first pointless miscrient attempt of playing the man, not the topic. Regards your relevant (as apposed to previous irrelevant) criticism I'm pleased your happy with your purchase and have a pulse. Regards your will to live I'm also happy you have one. If i drove one of these tedious fridges for more than 2 days I'd slit my wrists!!
11 June 2009 20:06
trocadero says
Yes JB, I have read the article. This is essentially a 7 seater version of the Avensis Estate I now drive to amongst other things carry the kids. Of course, I am now qualified to be the target for another comment from you on soulless fridges,driven by people without a pulse and, lacking the will to live. C'est la vie.
Yes JB, I have read the article.
This is essentially a 7 seater version of the Avensis Estate I now drive to amongst other things carry the kids. Of course, I am now qualified to be the target for another comment from you on soulless fridges,driven by people without a pulse and, lacking the will to live.
C'est la vie.
11 June 2009 10:52
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