Toyota Verso 115D Advance, road test (engine, performance, handling and consumption)

This week in the Highmotor garage we have the test of a vehicle a little calmer than the one my colleague Diego has shown you in recent days.

We are talking about the Toyota Verso, which despite its age has established itself as one of the safe bets in its segment, and which, thanks to the recent incorporation of an engine unit of BMW origin, receives a boost that suits it wonderfully.

Engine

Without a doubt the engine is one of the most interesting parts of the analysis of this Japanese compact MPV. With a displacement of 1.6 litres and four cylinders, this powertrain, supplied by BMW, has already been fitted -and is still fitted- to vehicles such as the previous generation MINI or the current MINI Countryman. Its identification code is 1WW (N47D16), and although it has BMW origin, Toyota has modified some elements (such as the flywheel or the control unit) to achieve a smoother feel, typical of the brand’s vehicles.

It delivers 112 CV and 270 Nm, and replaces the previous 2.0 D4-D of Toyota origin, which produced 126 CV. It is a powertrain with a feel similar to most modern diesels. Below 1,500 rpm there is no response, then stretching up to 3,500 rpm with a decent response. Above that range it starts to run out of breath, so it is advisable to consider shifting up a gear.

Performance

The performance of the Verso 115D is not brilliant at all -we did not expect it to be-, in fact, overall it has deteriorated slightly compared with the engine it replaced. However, with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 12.7 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h, we cannot speak of a fast vehicle, but it is fast enough for today’s demands.

It is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox with rather long ratios, which make it quiet on the road, but not extremely agile when it comes to regaining speed. If we need to make progress quickly, we will have to work the gear lever. So much so that the sixth gear is practically unusable below 80 km/h unless we are coasting while barely touching the accelerator pedal. On fast roads there is no problem: sixth gear works perfectly for covering distance at 110-120 km/h.

Handling

The handling of the Toyota Verso is in line with the segment. With a rather soft damping on the front axle and somewhat firmer at the rear (anticipating the load it must bear), the Verso behaves well in any situation. It is not the kind of vehicle one thinks of when heading out for fun on a winding road, but it defends itself with dignity, always maintaining composure thanks to a stability control that cuts off at the root any hint of understeer, which is the natural reaction of the Toyota.

However, the car’s ability to lose traction in second-gear corners is noteworthy, something attributable to the aforementioned soft front damping and to a torque of 270 Nm from 1,750 rpm. The steering is extremely assisted, perhaps too much, and does not communicate enough about what is happening at the front axle. The braking system is sufficient for the Verso’s ambitions, stopping the vehicle firmly.

Consumption

The Toyota Verso surprises with how easily remarkable consumption figures can be achieved. It is perhaps where the change of powertrain is most noticeable, since it is possible to obtain a combined consumption below 6 litres with relative ease, driving carefree. If we take some care and travel on national roads (90-100 km/h) it is possible to achieve consumption around 4.5-5 litres per 100 km, excellent figures for a vehicle of almost 1,600 kg and a more than notable size.

In the next instalment we will talk about everything related to both exterior and interior design, also analysing the practicality of the Japanese MPV.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso