Toyota renamed its Corolla Verso as Toyota Verso in 2013 and, even if it was just a mid-life cycle facelift, it was a major one.
The seven-seat MPV was designed with the European roads in mind. Its front end was refreshed and brought in line with the other Toyota products such as the Auris. The redesigned front end also included a new bumper and an enhanced overall aerodynamic. It was already a safe car and, in 2010, it tops the scores for the EuroNCAP crash-test institute for the MPVs with a five-star rating.

Inside, there was room for seven, even if the last row wasn’t that comfortable. With all the rear seats folded, it offered almost one cubic meter of space (32.7 cu-ft). The car featured a new infotainment unit with a 6.1” touch-screen display with a navigation system and the audio controls included. But it didn’t have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Since it was built mostly for Europe, it was offered with four engine choices. For the gasoline versions, it featured a 1.6-liter and a 1.8-liter engine with 132 hp and 147 hp, respectively. For the diesel enthusiasts, there were another three options from a 2.0-liter or 2.2-liter engines. The two-liter offered 124 hp while the latter had two power options: 150 hp and 177 hp, respectively. For the 2013 Verso, Toyota revised also the suspension, which was firmer and offered a better experience on a winding road.

The seven-seat family MPV from Toyota was built in Turkey and it was backed up by the renowned name of reliability from the Japanese car-maker.
It was launched at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

The car appeared in a very bad moment on the market. Not only that the world economy was in a very bad financial status but the MPV market share in Europe was dropping fast. Although the plan was made long before the production started. With a good price and decent features, the Verso survived nine years on the market.

Built on the same Toyota New MC platform with the Corolla, Auris, Avensis, Lexus CT, and NX, the Verso was the answer for the parents who were doing car-pooling to the schools and back. It also ensures a high grade of safety. The front of the car resembled more of the Corolla than the Avensis. It was a good decision since the compact vehicle was very popular in Europe, where the Verso was sold.

On the inside, the Verso featured a dashboard with the instrument cluster fitted in the middle. The design language was a bit old and bland for the moment the car was introduced, but it was still good for the needs of a family trip.

The Verso was offered with a choice of five engines with gasoline or diesel up to 177 hp, which could move the car and the seven people inside fast enough for those times standards.