Toyota Verso-S

What is it?
To be honest, the first time we heard about the Verso-S we assumed it was a sporty trim upgrade for Toyota's full-size MPV, the Verso. Fair assumption, right? But no, the S stands for 'small', 'spacious' or 'smart', says Toyota - take your pick. Those clever marketing people.
Think Kia Venga, Hyundai ix20 or Honda Jazz and you're in the realms of this all-new car; it's a small but tall MPV, with enough room for four and a nice dose of flexibility. The Verso-S effectively replaces the Yaris Verso - a car in about the same aesthetic league as the SsangYong Rodius. But as you can see, the Verso S isn't ugly. In fact, it's rather good looking. Could this be a genuinely desirable mini-MPV?
Is it any good?
A driver of a more relaxed disposition, who isn't enthralled by the notions of speed and handling, but who needs a bit of rear seat and luggage space, will find something to like here. The Verso-S is small but liberates the head- and legroom of a much bigger car, and the boot floor can be raised for easier access or lowered for extra space. On the road it potters about at low speed without wriggling and jiggling like lots of tall cars do; it's comfy.
But picking holes is easy. If you could hear yourself think over the din of engine and wind bluster on the motorway, you'd conclude that this is a car more at home below 50mph. The driving position is of the Italian sort, putting you in an 'arms outstretched, legs folded' position, which gets more troublesome the taller you are. The clutch pedal is springy and hasn't much travel, the brake is spongy and the steering wheel requires a big swing from centre to get the car turning - tiresome when zipping in and out of traffic, especially when you have your arms held out horizontally.
Only one engine is available, the 1.33-litre petrol unit found in other small Toyotas. It wouldn't surprise us if, after a few months with this car, you'd worn a big divot into the carpet underneath the accelerator. If you expect nothing other than low speed movement, it's fine, but at 70mph you're sitting on 4,000rpm, which is tiresome. And the CVT automatic gearbox, that's tiresome too, because more often that not it has the engine working above 5,000rpm, which is like having a hand fan strapped an inch away from each ear.
Should I call the bank manager?
Toyota has, as with the Urban Cruiser, pitched this car at the higher end of the price scale - especially compared to its aforementioned Koran rivals - but it is playing the equipment and build quality angles to justify that. Oddly, the car will go on sale (n the price reduction sense) from the moment it goes on sale (in the availability sense), with Toyota lopping about £500 off the base car's £15,000-ish sticker cost for the first six months or so.
When it arrives, in March, it will have a colour touch-screen and air conditioning as standard, but the entry-level version will still feel quite basic thanks to plastic wheel trims. In May a satnav software pack will become available to make better use of the screen, plus features like digital radio, Bluetooth and internet connectivity can be added too.
The 1.33-litre engine returns 51.4mpg and 127g/km of CO₂ with the six-speed manual gearbox, or 54.3mpg and 120g/km with the CVT. A diesel wasn't deemed financially viable because of the cost it will add to an already pricey car.
Summary
Big, flexible, reliable and sensible, the Verso-S is probably the best stab at stealing Jazz customers from Honda yet - except that it's four grand more expensive. A big deal, you'll agree. It might never satiate buyers that love their cars and into driving them, but it does get the mini-MPV fundamentals of space and general comfort right.
Regardless of last year's 'runaway car' shenanigans (of which Toyota has now been formally vindicated, courtesy of a NASA investigation), Toyota thrives on its reputation for reliability and good service. If you thrive on that sort of thing too, here you go. The thing is, Hyundai and Kia do that too these days, and, like Honda, also do it significantly cheaper.