Item: Used Toyota Yaris Verso 2003 - 2005
Author: Steve Huntingford

What is it like?

Ownership cost

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Estate

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

YARIS VERSO

Looks aside, it's a wise used buy

Used Toyota Yaris Verso 2003 - 2005

Okay, so the Yaris Verso's styling means it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but owners love them. What's more, their rarity on the used market - compared with the standard Yaris - coupled with Toyota's legendary reliability means they hold their value very well. Expect to pay at least 50% of the new price for a three-year-old model.

The low-cost insurance is another reason for its desirability, with the diesel in group 5 and the petrol one category below. Fuel economy is excellent, too, with the 1.4 returning a very impressive 56mpg. Even the 1.3's figure is 44mpg, although the automatic gearbox brings it down to 40mpg. The bills shouldn't be too big at the garage, either. This is a straightforward car to look after and Toyota's parts aren't any more expensive than its rivals'.

There's a choice of two engines: the 1.3-litre 84bhp petrol or the 1.4-litre 74bhp D-4D diesel. The former is great for city use but you'll need to work it hard to get decent performance, and it's noisy at motorway speeds.

The diesel, on the other hand, is more relaxed when you're cruising, but very noisy around town. There's extra low-down power that the petrol doesn't have, but it feels flat at higher revs. In the end, which you buy will come down to personal choice, but both are acceptable performers.

Standard kit on all models includes twin airbags, remote central locking, electric front windows and a radio cassette player. S models have 13-inch alloys and tinted glass, while GS gets a better sound system and 14-inch wheels. A sunroof and electric mirrors are part of GLS trim. In early 2003 the names changed to T2, T3 and T Spirit.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

The Yaris Verso proved particularly popular as a new buy with two groups of people: more mature drivers, who appreciated its high-up driving position, wide doors and easy access, and small businesses who loved its load space but didn't want a van. Find a car that falls in the first category and it should be fine.

If it has been looked after properly you'll be unlucky to suffer mechanical problems. Just check the service schedule to see what was done and when. Some cars were recalled by Toyota after it discovered problems with the brakes.

Excess wear and tear in the boot can be evidence of business use, and look also at the edges of the rear door. As a side-opener it's not the most practical in tight parking spaces and is prone to damage if it's opened too far.

It's not what you'd call pretty. The front end says 'city car' - one just like the standard Yaris on which it's based - but the rear screams 'van'.

However, if you can get beyond that, the Yaris Verso has a lot to recommend it; behind the wheel, the driving position is comfortable with good visibility, although the digital central instrument binnacle can be hard to read.

There's room for five adults, but the big plus-point is the load space. With the back seats folded away it's vast, and the large side-opening rear door with a very low lip makes for excellent practicality.

Dynamically, though, things aren't so great. The car's tall body means it leans into the bends and the ride is too easily unsettled by an uneven road surface. It's not as supple as some rivals and the steering can be slow to react.

Used Toyota Yaris Verso 2003 - 2005 review

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