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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

AVENSIS VERSO

Terribly bland and not as roomy as many rivals

Used Toyota Avensis Verso 2003 - 2009

Residual values are average for the class, so a used Avensis Verso falls somewhere between compact and large MPVs on price as well as size.

It's firmly in the compact MPV camp when it comes to insurance, though, with the diesel attracting a lowly group 8 rating and the petrol sitting just one band higher.

The diesel also returns a useful 43.5mpg on the combined cycle, so you won't have to spend too much time hanging around fuel pumps.

Unfortunately, there is a fly in the ointment and that's the maintenance costs. Toyota dealers charge more per hour than most of their mainstream rivals, and they also take longer than most to carry out repairs if you have an accident.

On the positive side, you can cut labour rates by more than 40% by going to an independent Toyota specialist rather than a franchised dealer.

Terribly bland and not as roomy as many rivals

Power comes from two 2.0-litre engines - a 115bhp D4-D diesel or a 147bhp VVT-i petrol. Both are only just up to the job of hauling around what is a fairly heavy car and can feel breathless on the motorway or when you have your whole brood aboard.

Neither engine is especially refined, either. While the petrol delivers its power smoothly and is civilised around town, it becomes boomy at higher speeds. As for the diesel, there's no mistaking which fuel it drinks because it sounds gruff at all times. Still, it'll manage an extra 10 miles on each gallon so it's our pick.

Two trims are offered, and even the cheaper T3 cars have climate control, a CD player, remote central locking, all-round electric windows and six airbags. T-Spirit adds alloy wheels, roof rails and a DVD player with two headrest-mounted screens, but you'll pay a hefty premium for these.

<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.

Toyota has a reputation for building cars you can rely on, and this is fully deserved. The annual JD Power survey shows that Toyota customers are among the most satisfied with their cars and the company has consistently been among the top five makes in our reliability surveys.

Given the relatively high repair bills you face at franchised dealers this is especially welcome, but can you expect any problems with the Avensis Verso?

Well, cars built between February 2001 and April 2002 were recalled because there was a chance the inlet pipe on their fuel tanks could corrode and leak, so double check the service history if the car you're interested in was affected.

Avensis petrol engines have also been known to drink oil and there are a few reported cases of early gearbox failure. Generally, though, little goes wrong mechanically and the interior ages well because it's built from hard-wearing materials.

The Avensis Verso may have seven seats, but it's closer in size to compact MPVs than fully-fledged people carriers. As a result, the rear two seats are only really suited to children.

What's more, the Avensis isn't ultimately as flexible as some of its rivals because the rear seats don't fold flat into the floor when they're not needed. However, they are reasonably light to lift out and, even with all seven seats in place, you get a usable luggage space. The three seats in the centre row slide and recline individually, too.

Where the car claws back some of that lost ground is that its firm suspension means the Avensis Verso avoids much of the sloppiness traditionally associated with MPVs on the road, even if it does lean more than an Avensis saloon through bends. The trade-off for this control is a firm ride that allows coarse surfaces to be felt in the cabin.

Road noise can also become intrusive as your speed rises and there's a lot of wind roar from around the front pillars when cruising on the motorway.

Used Toyota Avensis Verso 2003 - 2009 reliability

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Used Toyota Avensis Verso 2003 - 2009 review

Toyota has a reputation for building cars you can rely on, and this is fully deserved. The annual JD Power survey shows that Toyota customers are among the most satisfied with their cars and the company has consistently been among the top five makes in our reliability surveys.,Given the relatively high repair bills you face at franchised dealers this is especially welcome, but can you expect any problems with the Avensis Verso?,Well, cars built between February 2001 and April 2002 were recalled because there was a chance the inlet pipe on their fuel tanks could corrode and leak, so double check the service history if the car you're interested in was affected.Avensis petrol engines have also been known to drink oil and there are a few reported cases of early gearbox failure. Generally, though, little goes wrong mechanically and the interior ages well because it's built from hard-wearing materials.

What to look for when buying a Toyota Avensis Verso 2003 - 2009, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

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