which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

We love our Toyota Corolla Verso and were hoping we'd be able to buy the same model in the US but we've discovered they don't sell it there, only in Europe. Bit of a long shot but does anyone know which car would be the most similar?

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Try Toyota Matrix - it's a crossover and the closest to Verso.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Which is the same vehicle as the Pontiac Vibe:)

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I don't think Pontiac exist any more

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Yes, GM killed the brand along with oldsmobile. You can still get second hand ones though.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

In 2007, when I was looking for a new car, I was seriously considering either the Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky. I wanted a little sports car. I decided on a Fort Mustang GT... which, after both Pontiac and Saturn ceased to exist, made me very happy with my decision! I love my Mustang!

Ian

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Thanks :) sorry, its Japanese cars all the way for us. We've had our 2002 car for 4 years now with no trouble ever.

We won't touch American cars with a bargepole!

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

:) An amusing concept... since most Japanese cars sold in the US are built or assembled in the US - including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Acura, Lexus, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Scion.

Ian

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I don't mind if they're made in the US (no idea where my own Toyota was made, guessing they don't ship them all from Japan) but cars made by US brands have a terrible reputation.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Not over here they don't :)
OH, who used to work in the car industry has always driven US "brands" whereas I've had several "foreign" cars including Audi and Nissan...guess who's never had a problem, and it isn't me and when "foreign" brands go wrong over here they often cost a lot more to sort out:ohmy:

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

IMO, the Japanese cars are the best. I prefer Honda - had my Civic 11 plus years and have had no problems with it. I've owned American cars, both Ford and GM and had no end of problems - of course this was a long time ago. The quality of American cars may have gotten better now, but I still wouldn't buy one - too many bad experiences with the American cards I've owned.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Yes, that's been our experience too. My husband had a pontiac when I met him, he HATED it! Always some problem. Then he ditched it and we got a Toyota starlet which lasted us for years with no problems. And our current Toyota has been fabulous (with an OK for the price Hyundai in between). We've more or less seen the same experience with our friends as well. So, yep, Toyota or Honda for us.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Yes we've stayed with Toyotas and Hondas in the twenty years we've lived in America and never had a problem. The US-based brands have dismal design and ergonomics and generally bad reliability. We don't have any GM, Ford or (whatever the third American brand is?) dealers around here anyway. So not really in the running for us.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I drive a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 4x4 Crew Cab - No Problems

My Wife drives a 2004 Pontiac Grand-Am V6 - No Problems

My F-I-L drove a 2002 Pontiac Bonneville (Wide Body) with 140,000 miles on the Clock - No Problems

He now drives a 2008 Buick Lucerne (Absolutely Loaded - The Car That Is) - No Problems

My Brother-In-Law drives a 1996 Chevu Silerado Pick Up Truck. He uses it to plow his 1/4 mile driveway and drives it to work on a daily basis - No Problems.

The point I'm getting at is that whoever told you that American Company's cars have a bad reputation hasn't got a bloody clue what they are on about.

Both Ford and Chevrolet have made drastic improvements quality wise over the past 15 years.

You can't beat either a Ford or Chevvy Truck, if you are looking for a 4-wheel drive.

Jim.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I'd violently disagree here. While the newer models from Ford or GM may have improved (and they needed too!), the older 90s models were abysmal. How do I know? I had the (mis)fortune to own a '98 Chevy Malibu. Nothing but trouble and a lot of it was to do with poor design or build quality. Do a search for "Chevy intake manifold gasket problems" and you'll see what I mean. Also they were famous for going through brake rotors fast, in part because the original spec rotors were too small!

I ditched it in 2005 and bought a brand new Honda Accord Coupe which is still going strong at 87k :)

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Consider that a lot of what are referred to as American cars are made in Mexico. Buick and Ford come to mind. Fiat and Volkswagon are also made in Mexico.
I've had Hondas since they first imported the Civic around 1972. They don't have the same quality anymore. I don't think they are recommended by Consumers Report anymore. The last Honda I had was new in 2005 and I had trouble with it. It was an Accord. I have read that the new Hondas are stripped of what you would normally expect to find in a car. The materials are also cheap plastic.
My present car is a Mazda 3 Sport and I have no problems with it but when the lease is up at the end of next year I hope to get an American car or failing that a Korean car.
Cheers.
PS as a fellow scouse I agree with your post on American cars.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The reputation might not be justified anymore but the reputation definitely exists - and it's not good. Why switch a winning horse?

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I'd buy a Subaru or a Subaru or a Subaru. Mrs. FB nearly went and bought a Merc GLK, but relented at the last minute and chose an Outback. 10k plus saved.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Maybe I'm just weird. I buy what I like regardless of where it comes from. Quite co-coincidentally, they all happen to be Japanese at the moment - a Toyota, Honda and Infiniti. The Honda was actually built in the U.S. although (according to the sticker) only 55% of the parts come from here.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The Honda could be made in Canada.
The Honda Fit is made in Japan.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Yes I'm interested in the Subaru even though I've seen some of the 'boxer' engines in workshops. I almost bought one before I got the Mazda.
They seem to be popular with the British police.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Well made, handle beautifully, good resale, reasonably priced, bit design quirky.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

........and made in the USA

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I used to feel as you do and always bought Toyota. However, the recent plethora of recalls for Toyota have really disappointed me. Like FatBrit, I think I'll look seriously at Subaru for a future vehicle.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

We had a 1998 Subaru Outback & kept it for ten or eleven years. Very nice vehicles, good in the snow & ice obviously, but they are "high maintenance" compared to a Toyota or a Honda. In other words, something was always going wrong and it was expensive. There was some kind of a design fault with the brakes, for instance, and the brakes failed spectacularly a couple of times.. eventually Subaru recognized the problem and had a master cylinder recall. Plenty of silly little things too; hatchback lock mechanism kept failing, for instance. Friend of mine has a much newer one, 2004 I think, and it still has a lot of the same problems. The current one is a complete redesign, though, so it might be better..

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I drive a 2003 or 4 (can't remember!) Forester. It's had new batteries (battery never lasts more than a couple of years in this heat), tires and brake pads. Nothing else except I broke the AC compressor off-roading in it. It's never cleaned or especially looked after, but gets its oil changes and major 30k services @ $500 a pop. I estimate it's probably half way though its life.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Back to your original question on US cars most similar to a Corolla Verso - the soon-to-be discontinued Toyota Matrix is similar in size but lacks those 2 extra seats you might be used to.

I would suggest that if you are happy with Toyota, try the new Venza crossover - it's bigger than a Corolla Verso but that's proportionate to the fact most cars are bigger in the US. It gets good mileage, looks nice and is very well appointed (mechanically related to a Lexus RX). It's also got those extra seats in the boot but at least $10k cheaper.

Failing that, a Ford Edge crossover is a sound buy. I hear very good things about new Fords.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

.... um, did we have a midlife crisis in 07?

We had a '81 Starlet growing up... great, great car.
Sadly, when it was given to my brother, it very quickly met its demise after he put it on a dolly, hitched it up to the back of a U-Haul, hopped onto I-495 ... all the while forgetting to disengage the clutch and releasing the e-brake beforehand. According to accounts, both rear tires blew, sparks flew as he ground flat the hubs; dislodged the rear axle and toasted the gearbox... Obviously, the radio drowned out all the screeching and grinding noises.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Indeed. Check out the resale values for a used Ford or GM. Nowhere near that of a used Honda or Toyota of the same age.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The US counterpart would be Toyota Sienna. Get used to things being different over here, and enjoy a much larger car.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

It was less expensive than a girlfriend! :)

Ian

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Well, no need to run a larger car - unless you need one. We had a Subaru Outback as our primary car when we had two children at home & were running all over Ontario and northern New York with a hockey goalie & her equipment. Now that we are empty nesters, we drive a Toyota Yaris and save all that gas money. Just because gas is cheaper here, doesn't mean there is no incentive to minimise use..

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The Verso is perfect for us size wise. Not a huge SUV but enough room for the mutt in the back and can carry 5 people easily (we have the older model which doesn't have 7 seats). Ugh, I wish they had that model in the states.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

I don't find the cost being any more expensive these days....but location does matter.

Honda is cheap as chips to maintain in MA, but costs a hell of a lot more up in Maine for instance, just as there aren't nearly as many on the roads up there.

Getting a small car here in the US can be a little scary though, unless you live in a big city.

If you do decide to go the pick up route, the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado and the Toyota Tacoma are all pretty good, for different uses and even the girly Nissan Frontier? Ain't to bad....only one I've been in that hated was the Dodge Ram 5000 I think it was.

Anyway, all cars these days are shit with all the electronics, meh :D

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The re-calls aren't that bad.

Ford/Chevy/Honda/BMW have all had just as many recalls in the same period, but less publicity. The Mini Cooper is getting a huge one right now, recalling all back to 2006 for a slight fire risk with a pump going.

Toyota were also given the all clear of any wrong doing with their recall btw.

As for Japanese cars though, Honda are within a whisker for going under, part of why the interior quality has sunk a little lately. Nissan aren't to far behind them unfortunately.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Have a look at the new Toyota Prius V. I sat in one at the Washington Auto show last week and it has a large boot, lots of rear seat leg and head room, and is economical to run. Otherwise I would also suggest a Subaru Forester, the 2012's have a new engine with a timing chain which should mean lower long term maintenance costs, plenty of rear seat leg and head room, a decent size boot, easy to see out of, and its a couple of inches shorter than the Prius V, and 9 inches shorter than the Outback.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

Honda have made a few errors in the last few years, most notably the new 2012 Civic which has not sold well. It's so bad they are doing a complete clean sheet design for the 2013 models. Hyundai have come up fast in the past few years and beaten Honda at their own game IMHO. Our 2011 Elantra is hard to beat.

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

The Elantra was a good choice on your part.
Honda have lost their way IMO. They had a design ready to go and it again was to grow some more. That has now been shelved and they are going to shrink it.
Have you seen the trend to small cars?
Have you seen the trend to the low end priced cars going to $20K?

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

We too have a 2011 Elantra and love it. I think it's a great car personally and if you want something a little sportier the 3.8 Genesis coupe is pretty sweet as well.
I think Hyundai have really picked up their game in the last few years. They need to rework the Veracruz imo but at the smaller end they have some pretty great choices (Elantra and Tuscon from 2011 onwards are both very good imo).

Re: which US car is most similar to Toyota Corolla Verso?
 

You calling my beloved pick up girly?????? Tire irons at dawn! :p