I'VE recently become a homeowner. It's an exciting time at first, but lurking around the corner is something which I hadn't bargained for: excruciating trips to B&Q.
It's in its warehouse where I try my best to fight off innumerable yawns as my other half ponders which one of 52 shades of magnolia to plump for. MPVs are a permanent fixture in the car park, so excitement levels weren't exactly sky-high when I was handed the keys to a seven-seat Toyota Verso. In the pouring rain.
I'll let you in on a secret - I usually mock every MPV that drives by. More often than not I bemoan their severe style deficiencies, bloated proportions and wonder why its poor driver didn't do the obvious thing and opt for a Mondeo in estate form. Multi-purpose vehicles? Massively pointless vulgarities, more like.
Or so I thought...
You see, there's a lot to like about them when you spend time with one. As I've already said, I loathed every single thing that they stand for, but spend a weekend with one and you'll soon grow to love lofty driving positions, fantastic visibility and having masses of space.
The new Verso, which has recently benefitted from a minor facelift, now has another trump card up its sleeve. Opt for the 'Trend Plus' trim level like our test car and long-distance journeys will become a joy for the kids and a pain-free experience for mum and dad as those in the back will be too busy with their fitted DVD players to ask if they're there yet. Starting at £24,650, the entertainment system comes as standard with wireless headsets and two screens.
It's actually quite handsome from the outside, too. Toyota's new model-wide design cues have been encorporated into the Verso, so a sleeker grille and LED headlights feature. The suspension, steering and engines have also been given ever-so-slight revisions, further adding to the appeal of the marque's impressive 100,000-mile, five-year warranty.
Let's face it, the Verso isn't cheap, but you do get a lot of equipment inside so your money goes quite a long way. Although the woeful, Aygo-style plastics don't sit well in a near £30,000 car, the touchscreen infotainment system is a very good one. It houses the sat nav, stereo, onboard computer and a host of other features which all seem to work seamlessly. Particularly good is the reversing camera and the fuel economy bar chart, the latter of which you're constantly attempting to keep above 60mpg.
It's not a difficult task, either, as this car's fitted with a BMW-sourced 1.6-litre diesel. Although it does feel a little unrefined when up and running, its 110bhp feels just enough despite its bulk, enabling the Verso to get to 60mph in a shade under 13 seconds.
The view out is great and despite it being a big car, you never really feel like you're behind the wheel of a leviathan when you're on the road. Sure, the reversing camera is a handy thing to have, but it just doesn't feel as cumbersome as you'd perhaps expect.
Although the steering wheel has a tendency to sit right on top of your knees even in its highest setting, its driving position offers supreme visibility. The 2+3+2 layout works well, with the middle seats on runners so more leg room can be afforded to the rearmost seats. Boot space is dinky when they're upright, but there's still ample room for most needs at 155 litres. They are of course collapsible, so that figure grows to 440 litres in a matter of seconds. Fold all five rear seats down and you get 1,696 litres in total.
The steering's weight is actually rather good as it's light when manoeuvring and has decent feel once at speed. It's a surprising trait, as is its six-speed gearbox which shifts sweetly.
People buy cars like this as they become a faithful companion, dealing with everything a family could possibly throw in their direction. The fact of the matter is they serve families perfectly. They're safe, easy to drive and swallow a bunch of kids, a pair of adults, the family dog and a dozen bags of shopping. Estate cars just do not possess the same level of comfort, so if you've got three or more kids it really is a no-brainer.
The next time one drives by I don't think I'll be as quick to criticise...
