Next Verso getting into shape

Toyota's all-new MPV has emerged from the shadows. Under the PVC cladding of this car is the Corolla Verso’s replacement – the Auris Verso.

The spy shot shows the compact carrier on test before its launch next year. And as the name suggests, the new model will share similarities with the firm’s compact hatch. It will offer the same engine line-up as the Auris, which means two petrol and three diesels will be available, with a 2.2-litre oil-burner leading the charge.

Although the car has been labelled Auris Verso, its exterior appears to mimic the design of the future Avensis more than the hatch. And the newcomer’s name is yet to be confirmed, too. Since the introduction of the Auris, the Corolla-based model has simply been called Verso.

And with the Yaris Verso supermini-MPV discontinued in 2006, and the larger Avensis Verso unlikely to get a
successor, the new model may not add a prefix to the Verso name. The compact MPV will be launched early next year.