The Toyota Ipsum, also sold as the Picnic and Avensis Verso, was a compact MPV with three rows of seats produced from 1995 to 2010. In Japan it was sold only at Toyota Store alongside the Carina, and it formed a trio with the Gaia and the Nadia, which went to other dealer channels.
Toyota Ipsum at a glance
| Maker | Toyota |
|---|---|
| Production | May 1995 – December 2009 |
| Japanese name | Toyota Ipsum |
| Export names | Picnic, Avensis Verso |
| Class | Compact three-row MPV |
| First generation | XM10, 1995–2001 |
| Second generation | XM20, from May 2001 |
| Engines | 2.0 and 2.4 petrol, 2.0 and 2.2 turbo-diesel |
| Sold through | Toyota Store, Japan |
| Sister models | Gaia, Nadia |
| Award | Australia’s Best People Mover 2002 and 2003 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Toyota Ipsum.
History of the Toyota Ipsum
First generation (XM10; 1995)
The first Ipsum was built from May 1995 to 2001, with export versions arriving in 1996 under the Picnic name; a commercial version was sold in Denmark as the Toyota SportsVan. It offered a choice of two four-cylinder engines, a 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.2-litre 3C-TE turbo-diesel. The petrol unit produced 135 PS in Japan and 128 PS in Europe, and the diesel 90 PS. The Ipsum was Toyota’s first real success in Japan’s then-new recreational vehicle segment: the initial target of 10,000 cars a month was beaten by almost fifty per cent in the first few months.
Second generation (XM20; 2001)
The second generation was introduced in May 2001 in Japan, Europe and Australia, where it was sold as the Avensis Verso; in Singapore and Hong Kong it was the Picnic. It had a longer wheelbase, rear air conditioning and room for seven, with seats that could be pushed forward and folded flat in various configurations and an optional roof rack for outdoor equipment. Engines were a 2.0-litre 1AZ-FE of 150 PS, a 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE and a 2.0-litre 1CD-FTV D-4D turbo-diesel of 116 PS. An October 2003 facelift brought new bumpers, headlamps, LED tail lamps, interior trim and alloy wheels. In Denmark the SportsVan name continued on a commercial version, and after the Ipsum was discontinued Toyota Denmark applied it to a commercial Toyota Verso.
Australia and the end
The Avensis Verso was sold in Australia from 2001 to 2010 and won Australia’s Best People Mover award in 2002 and 2003. Two models were offered, the 2001–2003 ACM20R and the 2003–2010 ACM21R, each in base GLX and Ultima trim; the first used the 2.0-litre engine with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual, while the 2004 ACM21R brought the 2.4-litre engine and an automatic only. The Avensis Verso was discontinued in Europe in 2005, Ipsum production ended in December 2009 and Japanese sales in the following month, and Australian exports continued until 2010.
Design and features
- Three rows: seven seats in a compact MPV package.
- Flexible seating: seats slide forward and fold flat for cargo.
- Three names: Ipsum in Japan, Picnic and Avensis Verso elsewhere.
- Australian award: Best People Mover in 2002 and 2003.
Toyota Ipsum versions
- XM10 (1995): first generation with 2.0 petrol or 2.2 turbo-diesel.
- SportsVan: commercial version sold in Denmark.
- XM20 (2001): second generation with a longer wheelbase and rear air conditioning.
- ACM21R (2004): Australian Avensis Verso with the 2.4-litre engine.
- 2003 facelift: new bumpers, lamps and interior.
The Ipsum was the sister of the Gaia and Nadia, and its European name tied it to the Avensis. More cars are in the Toyota collection.
Sources
- Toyota Ipsum, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, markets
_Sept_2025_01.jpg){kind=link}