Review of the new Toyota Verso-S

The Verso-S marks Toyota's return to the growing 'supermini MPV' segment. Toyota says this car, which looks a little like a supersized version of its iQ supermini, is shorter than rivals such as the Nissan Note, Kia Venga and Citroen C3 Picasso at less than 4 metres. Yet, on the inside, it maximises usable space and flexibility, with added doses of comfort and perceived quality. Sounds promising.

First a little history. Back in 1999, when no one else imagined that it was possible to make any kind of MPV out of something supermini-sized, Toyota brought us the Yaris Verso. It quickly established a loyal following, especially amongst the elderly, but sales were slow overall, this being essentially a car ahead of its time. So when work should have begun on a replacement in the early years of this century, Toyota's product people didn't bother. How wrong they were. By the time the Yaris Verso was deleted from Toyota's pricelists in 2008, dealers were wishing they did have something else of this kind to direct customers towards.

By then, the market was just waking up to the importance of cars like this, with Nissan's Note selling well amongst small car buyers looking for something more versatile, a model quickly followed by cars like Citroen's C3 Picasso, Kia's Venga and Hyundai's ix20. With this Verso-S, Toyota is fighting back, aiming to elbow itself back into contention in the segment it first created. This car is a much smarter proposition than its predecessor, taking its styling cues from the cute iQ and boasting a maximum load space of 1388 litres, which compares favourably with that of a mid-sized family hatch. It's powered by Toyota's 'Optimal Drive' 1.3-litre Dual VVT-i four cylinder petrol engine and, in a first for Toyota, has a touch screen multimedia interface for on-board audio, Bluetooth and rear parking monitor.

The Verso-S marks Toyota's admission that perhaps it's taken its eye off the ball in recent years when it comes to MPVs. It isn't just the fact that the brand never replaced this car's Yaris Verso predecessor. After all, in recent years, the huge Previa people carrier was also deleted from the company's range without replacement, as was the also substantially sized Avensis Verso. Which left the compact Vauxhall Zafira-sized 7-seater Verso as the only MPV of any kind that the world's bigger car maker sold in Britain. And this at a time when mainstream rival brands offered three or four different MPV alternatives. Not good enough, but now likely to change in quick order, starting with this car. It's seen inside Toyota as a niche model, but is nonetheless competing in a part of the European new car market that has nearly tripled in size since 2002 and shows little sign of slowing, with more and more motorists downsizing to smaller cars with space-efficient packaging and high levels of interior flexibility.

"It's well-equipped, versatile, quite fun to drive and relatively affordable.."

The Verso-S is powered by Toyota's 'Optimal Drive' 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i petrol engine which delivers 98bhp at 6000rpm and 126 Nm of torque at 4000rpm. A 6-speed manual gearbox comes as standard but a continuously variable transmission (Multidrive S) is available as an option. It features a 7-speed sequential automatic mode which also allows the driver to call the shots via steering wheel-mounted paddles or the transmission selector. Interestingly, Toyota claims better economy and lower emissions for this version (54.3mpg and 120 km/g of CO2 versus 51.4mpg and 127 g/km for the manual), though the claimed 0-62mph time slumps from 14.7 to 15.5sec.

As you've probably worked out by now, the big news about the Verso-S isn't the speed at which it sprints away from the lights but its Tardis-like packaging. Despite its comparatively compact footprint, the claim is it can carry four full-sized adults in comfort and does this without sacrificing boot space. Everything has been done to make the cabin as spacious as possible, including 'streamlining' the front seats to provide plenty of rear seat legroom and hollowed out door panels help the impression of being in a bigger car. Stowage space is generous, too, with a three-level compartment in the facia.

The high seating position front and rear gives a good view all round and makes it easier for passengers to get in and out, while the driver's seat gets individual height adjustment and an arm rest. The 60/40 split rear seats have a one-touch fold-flat mechanism that can be operated from the boot and, usefully, the tailgate cuts deep into the rear bumper, so there's no boot lip for easier access to the lightweight, removable flat load floor and the 336-litres of boot space. Remove the floor panel and this increases to 440-litres and folding both rear seats flat gives an impressive 1388-litres. Toyota says it's worked hard to provide a high level of 'perceived quality' and that this is reflected in the soft touch materials used on the facia and door panels and the brushed metal surrounds for the instrument cluster and centre console.

Equipment specifications for the Verso-S are higher than buyers in this sector have traditionally been used to, so expect pricing slightly above rivals from Citroen, Nissan and Hyundai, respectively the C3 Picasso, the Note and the ix20. Still, Toyota residual values should compensate when the time comes to sell. Safety is a key strongpoint and all versions get seven airbags (including one for the driver's knees) and pretensioning seatbelts with emergency locking retractors and force limiters. The active safety systems include ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), brake assist, traction control and vehicle stability control (VSC). More technology trickled down from Toyota larger cars includes the 6.1-inch, full colour touchscreen Multimedia Interface for the radio, CD/MP3 player and Bluetooth. In addition, there's a USB port for connecting portable music players. The screen also shows the view from the rear parking camera, if specified.

Toyota's Optimal Drive technology has in recent times placed the brand amongst the market leaders for keeping motoring costs down - and this Verso-S benefits especially in this respect. Though there's no diesel option to start with, the 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i petrol engine buyers do get is impressively efficient. Matched to a six-speed manual transmission, it manages decent pulling power - 98bhp at 6,000rpm and peak torque of 126Nm at 4,000rpm - with a class-leading combined cycle fuel economy of 51.4mpg, along with 127g/km CO2 emissions.

If the elderly clientele that favoured the old Yaris Verso switch to this car, then the Multidrive S automatic option will prove popular and those choosing this won't loose out too much when it comes to running costs. In fact, they'll gain. Expect 54.3mpg combined cycle fuel consumption and 120g/km CO2 emissions from this variant. The Multidrive system features a manual override seven-speed sequential mode which the driver can operate using the gearlever or paddle shifts mounted on the steering wheel.

Toyota clearly regrets abandoning the supermini-MPV market to its rivals but has answered them in kind with this impressive Verso-S. It's well-equipped, versatile, quite fun to drive and relatively affordable - the Multidrive S auto model in particular offering a tempting ownership proposition if you can justify the premium over the standard manual variant. Try one, then by all means set about trying to find another little car that would better suit your family's ever-changing and ever-more demanding needs. It may take you some time..

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