The Toyota Verso is a frustrating car. It’s very capable in most respects, but its towing credentials are undermined by a 1300kg towing limit and a towball limit of 55kg. That means that despite a healthy kerbweight of 1715kg there are many family tourers this seven-seat MPV can’t tow.

Pulling a caravan weighted to the Verso’s legal maximum, the Verso proved stable at speed with only a few steering corrections needed, even in breezy conditions. In the lane-change test the Verso put the caravan firmly in its place and settled down quickly even after violent steering inputs.

Having relatively little weight to pull will have helped the Verso in the hill-start test, which it coped with very well. After completing the manoeuvre in first gear and reverse there was no sign of an overheating clutch.

Leave the caravan behind and the Verso proves a comfortable and practical seven-seat MPV, although space in the third row is tight. With the rearmost seats folded into the floor (a quick and easy job), our practicality testers found enough space for a typical load of holiday luggage.

The diesel engine promises excellent economy, the price is reasonable and Toyota’s five-year warranty is reassuring.