Toyota is to launch a redesigned Verso at Geneva next week alongside the European-spec Prius and more powerful versions of the iQ city car.
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The automaker said the revamp of the Turkish-built, Corolla-based seven-seat MPV (five individual rear seats) had included special attention to increasing comfort for rear passengers with improved second and third row accommodation.
Introducing ‘Toyota Optimal Drive’ throughout the range has boosted engine power by up to 20%, with fuel economy and CO2 emissions reduced by up to 12% compared to the outgoing model.
UK versions on sale in spring will have new 1.6 and 1.8 ‘Valvematic’ petrol engines with claimed class-leading power and low CO2 emissions and the choice of a new six-speed manual transmission or optional Multidrive S continuously variable transmission with the 1.8. Similar CVTs are optional on the recently revamped UK-built Avensis.
The Verso will also be offered with a two-litre D-4D diesel and a 2.2 D-CAT 150 engine with new six-speed automatic transmission – a first for Toyota in the segment and a rival for the likes of the Ford C-Max, GM Zafira and VW Touran – arrives later this year.
The latest Verso also has a class-leading drag coefficient of Cd 0.295, a longer wheelbase, wider front and rear tracks and revised suspension geometry.
Standard equipment will include curtain shield airbags that extend to the third row and intelligent steering assist vehicle stability control (VSC+).
Toyota hopes the new Verso, like the latest Avensis and iQ, will achieving a maximum five-star rating in the more stringent Euro NCAP crash test programme.
The automaker will also show the redesigned Prius hybrid in European specification, which faces new competition from Honda’s cheaper Insight, also a five-door hatchback.
European versions have 22% more power on 10% less fuel while CO2 emissions have been reduced to just 89g/km. UK sales start in July.
Toyota will also launch an additional version of the iQ city car with 99bhp 1.33-litre ‘Dual VVT-i’ engine in July.
This has the optimal drive technology and stop & start system for ‘official’ EU combined test cycle fuel consumption of 58.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 113g/km with standard six-speed manual transmission. As with the one-litre launch engine, automated manual ‘Multidrive’ transmission will be optional, provisionally giving 55.4mpg and 120g/km.
