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End of the road for possibly the dullest minivan? I wouldn’t say so, because the Toyota Verso II is a stylish minivan. Even flies under the radar of the fashion police. By the way, don’t get mad at me Joan Rivers and sue me (she doesn’t read this septic tank anyway).

Some say it’s just a mild facelift, others say it’s a different car. All we know is that the Toyota Verso II has taken from Toyota’s modern design language and comes with a different face, interior and engines. Basically, the Toyota Verso is a kind of Madonna. The non-facelift version has nothing to do with the facelift version. And much like Fashion Police’s jury table, the Toyota Verso II can accommodate a lot of people, offering an attractive visual package. Probably.

But it seems these arguments didn’t hold up to the market aka reality and it was withdrawn from the last chance race in 2018. Just like other minivans like the Meriva that were already withdrawn or were going to be withdrawn. Effectively the minivans don’t have a place in this world anymore. Everyone wants SUVs or crossovers these days and I understand why. An SUV can come with 7 seats, has a higher driving position, doesn’t look like a  van with windows and, perhaps most importantly, today they come with small engines and possibly front-wheel drive so they are no longer exclusive to the wealthier people. I mean, come to think of it, you have a choice of either the Toyota Verso II or a Rav4 because both are equally capable. The only real difference is that the Rav4 doesn’t have 7 seats, but the Verso doesn’t boast much space for the rear seats either.

So why buy a Verso?

To answer in a nutshell – classic Toyota reliability. Sure, there are some engine issues, but the Toyota Verso II is probably the most reliable minivan on the market, of its generation at least. Sure, it’s been plagued by the famous airbag recall, but the Verso remains a car with no notable overall issues. And if you’re the kind of person looking for a minivan, you might be more interested in reliability and practicality than sportiness.

Toyota Verso II Engines

Petrol

• 1.6 Valvematic of 132 horsepower  – The entry-level engine for the Verso, which nobody really bought. Well, Verso, in general, was hardly bought by anyone, but for the 1.6 petrol Verso the sales figures probably were limited to 1, maximum 2 digits.


• 1.8 Valvematic of 147 horsepower  – As with the previous version, we have the same 1.8 Valvematic and it’s the only petrol available with an automatic gearbox. Which is a shame, because out of all 2 engines you only get one with automatic. Oh yes, and you have the same issue with the Valvematic unit. I have a feeling no one bought the petrol Verso and that’s why they didn’t bother to bring new stuff.

 Diesel

• 1.6 D-4D of 112 horsepower – You could fall into the sin of temptation like Nick Cannon fell 12 legitimate times and who knows how many more illegitimate children he has. Only this 1.6 D-4D is actually BMW’s 1.6 N47 diesel which is actually PSA’s 1.6 HDi diesel, notorious for timing issues, timing which is located at the back of the engine. And to have 112 horsepower at your disposal in this van with windows is like trying to get drunk on Radler beer. Or with the vinegar from the salad.


• 2.0 D-4D of 124 horsepower – Fortunately we have the same 2.0 D-4D from the previous generation, only now it has a particle filter and is more sensitive to urban driving than Will Smith is sensitive to making fun of her wife. Yes, her wife. 


• 2.2 D-CAT of 150 horsepower  – Toyota promises to have solved the D-CAT engine’s issue with the melting headgasket, but should we take their word for it? Personally, I’m more sceptical than Alex Jones.

Toyota Verso II General Issues

• For diesel engines, the EGR is leaking like my pants after I drink 5 Primator 24 Double beers. In other words, it has to be cleaned constantly.


• You need college education to be able to use the infotainment system, which is so complicated to use you’re likely to get it wrong. Just as there is a good chance that the Bluetooth won’t recognize your phone.


• It’s a Toyota so the soundproofing isn’t the best. But anyway the kids will scream louder than any external noise so it’s not really an issue.

Toyota Verso II Verdict

It was by far the most reliable minivan in its class. Looks pretty good, especially for a van with windows. And yet you can see that the minivan is as expired as the Fashion Police. But if you still want to buy one, know that I found some interesting ads. I think I also know why it didn’t sell so well. Because it didn’t get the hybrid option, ever. So why buy a simple minivan when I can buy an Avensis wagon or a Rav4, both hybrids? Because Toyota has really made its identity in the market with hybrid engines.

 Which engines do I recommend? For petrol clearly 1.6 MPI with 132 horsepower, and for diesel the pick of the bunch is the 2.0 D-4D with 124 horsepower.