TOYOTA hopes its latest product - the Avensis Verso - will help the company reach its target of a 5% share of the European car market by 2005. The car replaces the Picnic compact MPV and will go on sale in the UK this summer, giving drivers the choice of six or seven-seat versions.

Avensis Verso will be powered by the 2.0-litre VVT-i petrol or the 2.0-litre D4-D common rail diesel. Toyota chose the Verso label which is already used to describe the compact MPV based on the Yaris, and while the Previa gives people the option of a full-size MPV, Toyota says the Verso badge will appear on other models in the near future.