The choice for buyers looking for something with seven seats has grown rapidly in recent years - there are full-size MPVs, compact-MPVs, SUVs, 4x4s and all manner of other incomprehensibly-named cars out there that each claim to offer a little something different from the next car in line.
The Toyota Verso sits in the middle of this segment warfare, trying to serenely rise above it all. It isn't particularly compact, and neither is it particularly sleek and sporty - it merely attempts to be as practical as possible and do a good solid job. That, it seems, is the Toyota way.
The artful crease along the side of the car hints at something funky, but that is about as exciting as it gets with the Verso. It is, however, relentlessly practical. The seven seats might not be removable, but they do all fold to form a vast flat loadspace. There are cubbies galore across the cabin and an excellent range of safety features available (seven airbags come as standard).
It must be said, though, that the luggage space perhaps isn't as accommodating as you might expect from a car of the Verso's considerable size - getting those seats to fold flat has meant that the boot floor sits quite high. As you would expect with such a car, luggage space is also quite limited when the extra two seats are in play at the back of the car.
The interior showcases Toyota's usual solid reliability, though - the dashboard is well constructed and the whole thing feels like it will sustain abuse for a good length of time. The downside is the swathes of grey plastic that have been used on the dashboard - a little something to break it all up wouldn't go amiss.
The engine range for the MPV is geared at being economical - the 2.0-litre diesel engine will probably be a default choice for most, but we found it too sluggish. The 1.8-litre petrol unit offers the best blend of talents, putting out 145bhp and even returning over 40mpg.
The Verso handles with a stoic air - predictable enough, resorting to quiet understeer if things get too excitable. It is very refined, with minimal road and wind noise making its way through to the cabin. It is quite a comfortable way to spend a long journey, with a supple ride. Ultimately the Verso is yet another solid, if quite forgettable, effort from Toyota.