If you want a compact used car with seven seats, the Toyota Verso is well worth a look. It’s pretty spacious, really easy to drive and as dependable as you’d expect a Toyota to be. If that sounds like a car to suit your needs, you’re in the right place to find out everything you need to know.
In this guide, we will help you decide if the Verso is right for you. We’ll tell you what it’s like to drive and live with, and give you a full rundown of the models that are available.
There are plenty of used Toyota Verso examples available. While you’re here, why not check out the Versos in stock at heycar?
The Verso has quite ingenious rear seats. The seven seats are in three rows, in a two-three-two layout. The five seats in rows two and three slide forwards and backwards, and fold down individually. The third row folds out of and back into the boot floor by pulling on a single strap. It’s all very easy to use – and very flexible, too. You can have any combination of seats in place or folded down.
There is pretty generous space for five adults in rows one and two, certainly enough for them to sit comfortably for a few hours. The back doors open really wide, which is useful if you have small children who need lifting in and out of the car. The third-row seats are sized for older children and teenagers. There isn’t quite enough space for an adult and access is a bit tricky. If you only need seven seats occasionally, though, that probably isn’t a big issue.
How much boot space is available depends on how many seats are in place. Behind the third-row seats, there’s room for some shopping and school bags. Fold these seats down and the resulting 658-litre space is bigger than you’ll find in any estate car or SUV of similar size. Fold down all five rear seats down and the Verso could double as a small van.
To drive, the Verso feels easygoing. The steering, pedals and manual gearbox are all nice and light. There’s a panoramic view out of the huge windows and you have a very good sense of where the front and back of the car are. It all adds up to a family car that takes very little effort to drive. None of the engines make the Verso particularly fast, but they’re quiet and efficient.
The Verso feels very well made and it’s entirely dependable. You’d expect nothing less of a Toyota, of course. When the Verso was last sold in the UK in 2018, it was available with three engines – two petrol and one diesel – and three trim levels. A couple of additional engines and many more trim levels were offered in previous years.
There’s much to recommend the Toyota Verso. It’s very practical, easy to drive, efficient and reliable. It may not be as fashionable as an SUV, but you’ll struggle to find a used car for similar money that gets close to the Verso’s space for people and things.
As such, the Verso offers excellent value for money and running costs are pretty low. All the engines provide good fuel economy and servicing costs are affordable. There are no reliability concerns either, and retained values seem to be holding up.
Other compact seven-seat cars you might want to consider include the Ford Grand C-Max, Vauxhall Zafira Tourer and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Toyota’s a strong option, though, particularly if you want a used car that’s easy to drive and hassle-free to own.
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Like your children, the Toyota Verso evolved as it grew up. That’s not to say that later models steadfastly refuse to clean their teeth or lift their head from their iPhone, but you will get more toys for your money.
We’d avoid the Active trim on all except 2017 model-year cars, as this was when Toyota’s excellent Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance pack became standard across the range. The Trend trim, introduced in 2014, and Trend Plus, introduced in 2015, provide an excellent blend of equipment and value for money.
As for the engine, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW-sourced 1.6-litre D-4D diesel. We could point to the low CO2 emissions, impressive fuel economy and decent punch, but what really matters is the link to BMW. You can throw that point into the conversation when you’re queuing for a Slush Puppie at the playground.
You can choose between petrol or diesel engines in the Verso. There are faster cars of this type, but the Verso’s engines provide perfectly adequate performance for most people’s needs. Given Toyota’s expertise with hybrid power, it’s perhaps surprising that there wasn’t a petrol/electric version of the Verso. However, a hybrid system’s batteries would have taken up too much interior space.
Toyota Verso 1.6 V-Matic petrol – This is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 132PS. Fitted with a standard six-speed manual gearbox, 0-62mph takes 11.7 seconds and CO2 emissions are 154g/km.
Toyota Verso 1.8 V-Matic petrol – The larger of the two petrol engines is a 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit with 144PS. It has a CVT automatic gearbox, so it’s the one to get if you want the car to change gears for you. Zero to 62mph takes 11.1 seconds and CO2 emissions are 150g/km.
Toyota Verso 1.6 D-4D diesel – The lone diesel option is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 110PS. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, gets from 0-62mph in 12.7 seconds and emits CO2 at a rate of 159g/km.
Toyota Verso 2.0 D-4D diesel – The largest engine in the Verso is this 2.0 litre turbodiesel. It can offer a claimed combined economy of 57.6, and get close to it in normal driving, along with 129g/km CO2 emissions. Performance isn't scintillating, with 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds from this 125PS motor, but it's dependable and quiet.
The Toyota Verso was updated many times over the years – so many, in fact, that it’s hard to keep track. However, the trims available are:
Toyota Verso Active – The entry-point trim level comes with all the features you really need in a family car, including air conditioning, a radio/CD player, front electric windows and lane-departure warning. The seat upholstery is a rather jazzy shade of blue.
Toyota Verso Icon – The mid-range Verso has Toyota’s Touch 2 media system, which includes DAB radio and Bluetooth. It also comes with climate control and cruise control, plus fold-out tray tables for passengers in the second-row seats.
Toyota Verso Excel – The Excel was the top level Verso in its period. It came with Toyota's Touch multimedia system, leather steering wheel, rear-view camera, folding door mirrors, cruise control, DAB radio and Bluetooth. It also has 17-inch alloy wheels, part-leather seats, keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, Bi-xenon healights, rear door sunshades, auto lights, roof rails, and leather trim accents.
Toyota Verso Trend – The Trend offered a 6.1-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, DAB radio, and iPod connectivity - but not Apple CarPlay. It also has cruise control, a rear view camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, electric windows all round, and rear privacy glass. You also get air conditioning and a height adjustable driver's seat.
Toyota Verso Design – This top-of-the-range trim level gets bigger alloy wheels and a panoramic glass roof, along with a package of more upmarket styling details. Extra tech includes satellite navigation and a reversing camera.
The Toyota Verso’s exterior dimensions are:
Length: 4460mm
Width: 1790mm
Height: 1620mm
The Toyota Verso’s boot capacity is:
With three rows of seats: 157 litres
With two rows of seats: 658 litres
With one row of seats: 1655 litres
Later Verso models registered from 1 April 2017 onwards all pay the standard rate of road tax at £180. Cars put on the road prior to this pay road tax based on their CO2 emissions, which means paying anywhere from £150 to £240 at the time of writing.
The Verso is rated in insurance groups 10 to 19 – near the bottom of the 1-50 scale – which should keep your annual premiums down.