TOYOTA'S reputation for never-ever-letting-you-down reliability was second to none until the latest huge recalls. But its cars have traditionally been among the most reliable and long-lasting so it shouldn’t put you off buying one secondhand. The Avensis Verso midi-MPV is not the prettiest of shapes, but if you can live with that it’s a very accomplished family estate that is extremely unlikely to give you a moment’s unease for as long as you wish to keep it. The D4-D two-litre turbo diesel has decent performance with a smooth and willing power delivery and 40-plus miles per gallon economy. There is also a 2 litre petrol with 147bhp and slightly better performance, but only 32 miles per gallon economy. It’s comfortable, refined and reasonably quiet, and holds the road very well for a something the size and shape of a garden shed. Interior This is one versatile family holdall with a full seven seats, but the rear two are only suitable for kids. There is real family space for five, with loads of storage, and the rear two seats fold down easily into the boot floor to give huge stowage space. FAST FACTS Toyota Avensis Verso D4-D Price: Pay about £5,700 for an ’02 02-reg GLS, £7,800 for an ‘04 04-reg T3 or £9,400 for an ‘05 05-reg T Spirit Mechanical: 114bhp, 1,995cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox Max speed: 112mph 0-62mph: 12.1 seconds. Combined mpg: 43 Insurance group: 8 CO2 emissions: 173g/km Marks: 9/10 Main Rival: Mazda5 | 
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