There can’t be many cars on the market that are easier to drive than Toyota’s compact multi-purpose vehicle.

The Verso offers effortlessly light steering and pedals, while the continuously variable transmission provides smooth and seamless acceleration.

Another major plus point is the family-friendly versatility of the seating and interior space.

The Verso is more compact than most other MPVs, which makes it much more manageable when driving around town or negotiating Yorkshire’s tight country lanes.

It’s also a pleasant vehicle to drive on a long trip, with plenty of space and comfort in the front and noise levels remaining very low even at higher speeds.

In the back, space is plentiful enough to cater for adults comfortably, with the completely flat floor meaning decent legroom.

Meanwhile, the boot is also a good size and there are plenty of little storage areas for bits and pieces dotted around the cabin.

More than 700,000 examples of the Verso have been sold since the launch of the first model in 2002.

Toyota says the vehicle has been built in Europe purely with the European market in mind.

The latest refresh of the vehicle has brought new wheel designs, an improved interior and a revised line-up.

The vehicle already had a reputation as a durable and dependable performer.

That aura of reliability is backed up by Toyota’s reassuring five-year, 100,000 warranty.

What it might have been lacking previously was a dose of panache, but the latest upgrades have helped to overcome that issue.

The front end has a functional look, but the car looks more stylish from the side, where a crease is visible and runs through the lower part of the doors before sweeping upwards between the back side window and the rear window.

Behind the wheel, the Verso offers ease-of-use over driving thrills and flair, but that’s fine because most buyers are likely to favour practicality over excitement.

The 1.8-litre petrol engine is sufficiently punchy for most everyday situations although, if you want to overtake, you’ll have to bear in mind that a 0-62mph time of 11.1 seconds is by no means blistering.

The suspension falls into the highly-comfortable category, smoothing out all but the very worst of ruts and road imperfections.

Continuing the general theme, the controls and dashboard are user-friendly, characterised by clear, well-spaced-out buttons.

The central touchscreen has large buttons that are easy to press and I found the technology to be responsive.

The Toyota Touch 2 media system now includes a screen that features a drag function which operates like a smartphone.

If you’re after an interior that’s easy on the eye, you may be a touch disappointed by the amount of dull plastics.

However, I got the impression that such materials were robust and would stand up rather well to a lifetime of being bashed and battered by energetic children. In a family vehicle such as this, maybe durability is better than extravagance.

The cabin feels airy and there’s no doubt that visibility is good thanks to the large windows.

Meanwhile, all models but the cheapest come with a reversing camera.

One especially helpful feature is the uphill down dale countryside of this area was the hill start assist function. When you come to a halt on an incline, you just need to push the brake pedal firmly until you hear a beep. The brakes will then hold for about two seconds so you don’t have to apply the handbrake to make a hill start.

In the final analysis, it’s appealing to know that, whether you have lots of luggage, plenty of people or a combination of the two, this MPV is capable of dealing with it all with the minimum of fuss.