Toyota Proace City Verso L2 (2024) review: Functionality ahead!
Panel vans or high-roof station wagons adapted for passenger transport cannot be killed. In compact dimensions, they combine the space of commercial vehicles with some of the amenities of passenger cars. This makes them just as useful for large families as they are for the sports-loving lifestyler or people with limited mobility.
What is that?
The Toyota Proace City was launched in 2020 and received its first facelift in 2024. Like its big brother Proace, it shares its platform with models from the Stellantis Group for economic reasons. Four sister models are also based on the EMP2 platform: Citroën Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Opel Combo and Peugeot Rifter.
In addition, the Proace City Verso is available in a short (L1) and a long version (L2) with five or seven seats as a gasoline, diesel (manual or automatic) and as a fully electric variant. In Toyota's multipath strategy, it should be possible to find a suitable Proace City lid for every pot.
Our test car was powered by a 1.5-liter diesel with 130 hp and 8-speed automatic. The long-wheelbase version as a seven-seater came in the Team Germany variant, which was introduced as a special model with price advantages for the 2024 Olympic Games, but is now no longer available. This would be most comparable to the lounge equipment.
| Fast Data | Toyota Proace City Verso L2 Team D (7 seater) |
| Drive | 1.5-liter D-4D four-cylinder diesel, front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic transmission |
| Power / Torque | 96 kW (130 hp) / 300 Nm |
| Maximum speed | 184 km/h |
| CO2 emissions | 145 - 151 g/km |
| Fuel consumption (WLTP) | 5.8 liters |
| Base price | from 24,265 euros (diesel from 31,670 euros) |
Jump directly to:
Exterior | Interior | Driving report | Prices and competition | Result
Exterior
There is a uniform look. Compared to its sister models, only the front headlights, grille, front apron, rear lights and logos have been adapted. The side view is identical for all makes. If you look them in the eye, however, you can always see that they belong to the brand family.
The long version of the Proace City Verso offers sliding doors on both sides for easy access over a length of 4.75 meters, for example, to better care for children in tight parking spaces. In the test, it took a little more effort to be able to close it again. On the other hand, the driver's sliding door comes with a blockade in case the fuel cap is open. It thus avoids major disasters through internalized idiocy.
The rear offers a flap where smaller people have to stretch properly at a height of 1.84 meters to be able to close it again. Gullwing doors would be more appropriate here. Unfortunately, according to the configurator, it is only available in the short version. Otherwise, there is exactly the opposite of "style over substance". The Toyota Proace City Verso is based on functionality.
Interior
This also applies to the interior. Here, hard plastic dominates the picture, underlining its origin in the commercial vehicle sector. Also typical: many storage compartments, some of which can be locked, which could also have a snap-in function. The cup holders are quite narrow. My standard 500ml thermos bottle didn't fit in there and would also have caused visibility problems due to the placement on top of the dashboard and shallow depth. At most, a slim coffee or a 330 milliliter energy can fits here.
A ten-inch infotainment system provides a central overview and setting options. This works so far without much pause for thought and large nesting, but could also be a tad more accessible (Android Auto is also on board). For the most important driver information, the Proace City Verso has another instrument cluster in the driver's field of vision. However, both screens failed for about 15 to 20 seconds on a trip. The displays remained black. The system had to restart itself completely ... however, the vehicle remained drivable.
| Dimensions | Toyota Proace City Verso L2 Team D (7 seater) |
| Length x Width x Height | 4,753 x 1,848 x 1,843 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,975 mm |
| Trunk volume | 806 (with the 3rd row folded down) - 2,693 litres |
| Tare | 1,471 - 1,575 kg |
| Payload | 629 - 725 kg |
| Max. towing capacity | 1,300 kg |
| Max. drawbar load | 74 kg |
In addition, the sensors had to struggle again and again: The 360-degree parking camera only captured a third of the environment in the test. Some driving assistants failed completely on a trip at a temperature below zero degrees, and the seat belt sensor sometimes needed some time to register that everyone was already wearing seat belts. Somewhat unfortunate is also the switch strip to the left of the steering wheel, which is covered by it from every conceivable angle.
But if you are interested in a high-roof station wagon, you buy it mainly because of the space offered and its utility values. Although the trunk volume with all seats in use is rather manageable, if only the third row is folded down, it rises to 806 liters – mind you, with built-in seats.
However, the last two individual seats can be removed in no time at all and stowed away in the house or garage. With the second row folded down, the usable volume increases to up to an impressive 2,693 litres. For visualization: The almost five-meter-long VW Bulli descendant ID. Buzz, for example, "only" has 2,469 liters in the long version.
Driving report
Long wheelbase, high center of gravity and a chassis typical of commercial vehicles: the Proace City Verso should proceed at a leisurely pace. The chassis is not overly soft, but comfortable, but quickly tilts to the side in fast corners. The steering remains agile for urban liveliness, but quite unimpressed in its feedback.
The 1.5-liter diesel offers 300 Nm of torque and 130 hp. That's enough to get an entire extended family with luggage rolling. This does not have to be dynamic in this vehicle class – rather, it is practical. The power is always enough to start off and get going, even if the diesel quickly sounds strained. However, this is more due to the isolation of the entire vehicle and the leisurely 8-speed automatic transmission, which is not easily disturbed even when accelerating quickly.
Toyota Proace City Verso (2024) Review
Toyota Proace City Verso (2024) Review
So everything is within the expected range. This means that the Proace panel van offers absolutely sufficient driving values, even if some high-roof station wagons are somewhat more car-like on the road. If you like it a little more dynamic, you should focus more on the VW Caddy.
According to WLTP, Toyota specifies 5.8 liters as combined consumption. On average, this was exactly six liters in the test. However, on a leisurely highway tour of about 300 kilometers between 120 and 130 km/h, 4.5 liters were also possible. This is a very good value for a block in the wind.
Prices and competition
The short version (L1) of the Toyota Proace City Verso starts at 24,835 euros with a gasoline engine. The long wheelbase (L2) including plenty of space is available from 27,690 euros. The diesel in the L1 is available from 27,890 euros, in the L2 it costs at least 31,670 euros, while the Proace City is fully electric from 38,830 euros (L1) and 40,250 euros (L2). Our 7-seater diesel test car as a Team D special model cost an impressive 40,990 euros – unnecessary!
Competition is classically provided by the VW Caddy, Renault (Grand) Kangoo and Ford Tourneo Connect. The Dacia Jogger could also be thrown into the field as a cheap alternative, albeit more of a lifestyle station wagon than a commercial vehicle-based van/high-roof station wagon. Other players are, of course, the platform brothers Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Rifter, Fiat Doblo and Opel Combo: Just pick your favorite face.
The competition:
Conclusion: 7/10
The Toyota Proace City Verso comes from the price, the space and its utility value. Everything else is subordinate to that. The driving values and comfort offered by the entry-level variants are absolutely sufficient. The size of our test car is unnecessary in this class and only drives up the price. Whether it absolutely has to be the long version and a diesel depends on the individual benefit.
The diesel is between 3,000 and 4,000 euros higher than the gasoline engine, but is economical on long distances - just do the math. Our tip: do without comfort bells and whistles, live commercial vehicle charm, save on the purchase, and invest the remaining money for a holiday with it. Provided that the software and sensor problems are solved. Then the Proace City Verso could possibly even be an 8/10.