New Toyota Corolla Verso Achieves Top Euro NCAP Rating

Best in class performance earns five-star award

The new Toyota Corolla Verso has achieved the highest possible five-star rating for passenger crash protection in Euro NCAP testing. The seven-seat Verso, which went on sale in the UK on 1 May, emulated the performance of the Toyota Avensis by setting the highest points score in its class.

It also performed strongly in the new child protection testing, with an equal best-in-class four-star rating.

Safety was a prime concern for Toyota designers and engineers in the development of the Corolla Verso. Their “Total Safety” approach to provide the most effective active and passive safety equipment has been fully recognised by the Euro NCAP results.

Features unique to the Corolla Verso in its class include an 18-litre driver’s knee airbag, the efficiency of which was well-proven by the Euro NCAP tests. Toyota has developed the technology of the system to achieve a 40 per cent load reduction on the driver’s knees in the event of a frontal impact similar to the official test.

The knee airbag is one of nine airbags fitted as standard to all Corolla Verso models. Driver and passenger front airbags have dual-stage inflators, combined with a seat position sensor on the driver’s side and a front impact severity sensor mounted behind the front bumper.

Also standard, and unique within the compact MPV segment, is a two-stage seatbelt reminder which activates a warning light and persistent buzzer if front seat passengers fail to buckle-up within a set period of time.

The structure of the Corolla Verso is particularly strong and rigid, using a development of Toyota’s MICS (Minimal Intrusion Cabin System), originally used to great effect in the Avensis. Components are designed to help absorb and disperse energy from front, rear and side impacts, so minimising cabin deformation.

The active safety package includes a wider track, thicker anti-roll bars and the use of rebound springs – another segment first – for greater stability and improved roadholding. A new brake control system incorporates the latest ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Vehicle Stability Control and Brake Assist.

The Corolla Verso is also the first car in Europe to offer Toyota’s Cornering Assist Monitor, a front-mounted miniature camera that helps the driver “see” through blind corners at junctions by means of real time images transmitted to a centre dashboard display screen. This comes as part of the package for T Spirit models that also includes Rear View Monitor with Park Assist system, which provides images from behind the vehicle for safer and simpler reversing manoeuvres.

The Corolla Verso’s impressive performance in the child protection test was helped by the excellent qualities of a Toyota-developed child seat. A triple-anchor ISOFIX system is provided for child seat attachment to the outer rear seats in the second row.

Thierry Dombreval, Toyota Motor Marketing Europe’s Senior Vice President Sales and After Sales, said: “The five-star rating achieved by the Toyota Corolla Verso in the Euro NCAP tests demonstrates our strong commitment towards making cars that are not only more rewarding to drive, but are also safer.”

ENDS