Background
Launched in 2011, the Toyota Verso S is the successor to the Yaris Verso produced from 1999-2008. The Yaris Verso was the poster child of the supermini-MVP and though it gained some traction in the UK market it didn't really take off as well as hoped.
The Verso S tackles many of the Yaris Verso's issues and it lives up to its Toyota heritage as a reliable and comfortable car. It doesn't have an NCAP safety rating yet, but with all its 7 air bags its sure to rank highly like many other Toyotas.
Bang for your buck
Variety isn't something the Verso S excels in. There is only one engine choice, a 1.33 VVT-i petrol. You can however get both manual and automatic transmissions. Unusually the automatic gear box is slightly more efficient than the manual option, but with 6 gears you are still looking at a pretty fuel efficient car. It also won't cost you a bomb on road tax either, with yearly costs at £30 and £90 for the automatic and manual options respectively.
When it comes down to looking for your preferred trim for the Verso S, Toyota also kept it nice and simple. There are two choices, the standard TR and the higher-end T-Spirit. That's not to say that the standard trim is lacking in features. Every Toyota Verso S comes with blue tooth and USB connectivity. And it is all controlled from a centre dashboard mounted multimedia touch screen, which also functions as a reversing camera. If you do want a bit more however the T-Spirit also comes with alloy wheels, air conditioning and a huge panoramic sun-roof.
With loads of luggage space, a boot floor that drops down and rear seats that fold flat there is plenty of space in the Verso S, which can comfortably carry passengers and luggage. There is even enough leg room for a larger person to sit comfortably in the back, surprising for a car this size.
One complaint with the Verso S has been that the seats can only fold flat, unlike its main rivals which all have sliding rear seats. Apart from this however you are looking at a well-designed car which comes with all the modern interior features you could hope for.
What you'll pay
Only being on the market for a few years as you would expect these cars aren't exactly cheap yet. With new prices from between £15,000 and £18,550, you should be able to pick up an older model from around £12,000 and up.
What to check
Again being so new there hasn't really been time for any apparent faults with the design of the Verso S to come to light. Being a Toyota you can rest assured that as long as it has been looked after there is probably nothing to worry about. Look for an up-to-date service record and if not you can always get an RAC check for peace of mind.
Parts
Parts, like most Toyota's aren't cheap, but most of the major parts used in the Verso S have been used in other recent Toyota's. This means they are for the most part tried and tested and you can be assured they are reliable. Also some parts may still be covered by the cars warranty, especially if you go newer so there is even less to worry about.
How it drives
Despite all the features you get for your money with the approved used Toyota Verso S, it's not the most exciting car to drive. It is, as you can expect though, very comfortable. With decent handling and good brakes, driving around in urban environments the Verso S will feel at home.
Once you get out on the open motorway or country roads however some problems do become apparent. The engine is a bit underpowered and so can feel quite slow. The automatic gear box, whilst being more efficient, is also quite noisy and can become quite annoying.
If you were looking for a purely fun car though you probably wouldn't be considering a mini MPV anyway. The Verso S is excellent at what it does, giving you plenty of room and a comfortable drive in a car around the same size a hatchback. Just don't go racing down any country lanes in one.
