The Toyota Verso was a compact MPV produced from 2009 to 2018 as the direct successor to the Corolla Verso. It was sold with five or seven seats and positioned above the Verso-S or Space Verso in Toyota’s European range, and its name comes from the English word versatility.
Toyota Verso at a glance
| Maker | Toyota |
|---|---|
| Production | 2009–2018 |
| Markets | Europe, Morocco, South Africa, China and Israel |
| Class | Compact MPV |
| Seats | Five or seven |
| First shown | Geneva Motor Show, March 2009 |
| Facelift | 2012 Paris Motor Show, for 2013 |
| Designer | Mehmet Kiliç of Toyota ED2 |
| Chinese version | Toyota E’Z, 2011–2017 |
| Name | From versatility |
| Safety | Euro NCAP named it the safest MPV of 2010 |
Based on one source, and a short one: the English Wikipedia article on the Toyota Verso.
History of the Toyota Verso
Launch
The Verso was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2009 as the successor to the Corolla Verso. It was marketed in Europe, Morocco, South Africa, China and Israel, but not in Japan, and not in North America, where the similar Matrix was sold instead. It sat above the smaller Verso-S, also known as the Space Verso, in Toyota’s European catalogue. In South Africa the only diesel offered in the range was the 2.0-litre D-4D.
Safety and facelift
Euro NCAP’s 2010 test results concluded that the Verso was the safest MPV. A facelifted Verso was revealed at the 2012 Paris Motor Show alongside the E180 Auris, with a front end similar to that car’s, designed by Mehmet Kiliç of Toyota’s ED2 studio in southern France. The facelift kept the five- and seven-seat layouts that made the Verso a family car, with a fold-flat third row on the larger versions.
The Chinese E’Z
A Chinese-built version of the Verso was sold as the Toyota E’Z, Chinese for Yìzhì, produced and marketed by GAC Toyota from 2011 to 2017. The Verso itself continued in Europe until 2018, when Toyota’s European MPV range was reduced and the model was discontinued without a direct replacement, as buyers moved towards SUVs and crossovers.
Design and features
- Five or seven seats: a compact MPV with a fold-flat third row in larger versions.
- Safest MPV: Euro NCAP’s 2010 conclusion.
- ED2 facelift: a 2013 front end designed in Toyota’s French studio.
- Chinese E’Z: a locally built version by GAC Toyota.
Toyota Verso versions
- Verso (2009): the original five- and seven-seat range.
- 2.0 D-4D: the only diesel offered in South Africa.
- Facelift (2013): new front end designed by Mehmet Kiliç.
- E’Z (2011–2017): Chinese-built version by GAC Toyota.
The Verso succeeded the Corolla Verso-era MPVs and sat above the Ractis-based Verso-S in Europe. Its larger relative is the Ipsum, and more cars are in the Toyota collection.
Sources
- Toyota Verso, English Wikipedia: launch, safety, Chinese version
