TOYOTA seems determined to have the last word in the mid-sized people carrier market with its second take on the Corolla Verso.

The midi-MPV sector is now stacked to the rafters with five-seater model choice, but so very few offer the quality, safety, versatility and close attention to detail that comes with the Corolla.

With those points in mind, the only real rivals are the Volkswagen Touran and Vauxhall Zafira, which both, like the Verso, offer decent space across three rows of seats for seven people.

But the Corolla works so much better, because Toyota took the unusual step of revamping a model which was just two years old.

This unorthodox facelift has worked, though, as the all-new Verso (pictured above) has been massively improved.

The result is class-leading safety, with nine standard airbags - including one for the driver's knee - and a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating.

Add the very latest in driving aids, and a host of other refinements, and Toyota is making buyers of well-made midi-MPVs an offer they will find hard to refuse.

The Corolla's cabin is a great place to put down driving roots, with good seat adjustment, a clear view of the road, and an instrument panel that's an example to all with its stunning clarity.

While it doesn't deliver the same high-quality drive of the Corolla hatchback, and certainly doesn't set any standards among midi-MPVs, family drivers tend to forgive such faults.

The 1,995cc diesel unit is fairly frugal, returning a combined figure of 45.6mpg.

It has far better low-down pull through the five manual gears than the 1.6 and 1.8-litre petrol options, a vital asset when coping with seven people and their luggage - most of which will have to go on the T Spirit's standard-fit roof rails.

Top speed of the two-litre D-4D, as Toyota term their 114bhp diesel, is 112mph, with a nought to 60mph time of 12.4 seconds.

But discovering the Verso's one outstanding talent, that of load versatility, is a bit like watching the magician's handkerchief trick. Just when you think you've seen them all pulled out, there's another one up the Verso's sleeve.

In a couple of minutes, a swift tug on seat straps, or in-built levers, transforms the Corolla Verso from a seven-seater down to a five, or right down to a two-seater with a van-sized, totally flat, cargo area.

The longest job in all this is removing the rear headrests.

Seats can fold down individually, too.

With just two front seats left up and taken well forward, it will carry large, awkward loads.

In the £19,795 T Spirit - the flagship specification - it's got the whole job lot, plus a classy audio set-up and DVD player with two headrest-mounted screens and headphones.

The T2 and T3 are the equipment alternatives, but only with T Spirit can you opt for the £2,300 satnav system, which includes a rear-view camera to aid with precision parking.

For more information on the Corolla Verso, call Inchcape Basingstoke Toyota on 01256 406500.