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.