FunCargo Becoming Rare in Japan, Flowing Out to Overseas Markets
Debuting in 1999 and selling over 350,000 units in approximately six years, the Toyota Yaris Verso was a smash hit as a compact tall wagon at the time. However, no second-generation model appeared, and production ended in 2005, with the number of units in Japan now drastically reduced. Few vehicles circulate in the used car market, with only around a dozen units listed domestically as of 2025, making it a rare find. Due to this scarcity, some are reevaluating it as a “hidden gem.”
Meanwhile, these rare Yaris Versos have strong popularity and demand overseas, with many being exported from Japan. The Yaris Verso is equipped with the same 1.3L 2NZ-FE/1.5L 1NZ-FE engines as the first-generation Vitz/Platz, and these engines are famous for being “practically indestructible.” In Japan, they’re said to “routinely run 300,000 kilometers,” demonstrating exceptional durability. Due to their robustness and ease of maintenance, even high-mileage or broken-down vehicles tend to fetch high prices overseas as long as the engine is intact. In fact, first-generation Vitz-series used cars (Vitz/Platz/Yaris Verso) are almost entirely exported from Japan.
The reason for the Yaris Verso’s overseas popularity lies in its practicality and reliability. Despite a compact body measuring just under 4 meters in length, the tall wagon body provides exceptionally spacious interior room, and when the rear seats are folded, it creates a flat cargo area capable of accommodating even bicycles or motorcycles. With its large cargo space, it’s valued as suitable for various uses from commercial to daily driving, and overseas it’s prized as an “inexpensive, reliable small commercial vehicle.” In Japan, even vehicles on the verge of being scrapped can be purchased even if broken or immobile if they’re the popular-overseas Yaris Verso. Used car dealers have established overseas sales routes and even export parts from dismantled vehicles, with high demand for engines and individual parts.
Popularity is particularly notable in Russia and Africa, where Yaris Versos (Russian name: Функарго) are frequently seen. For example, Russian used car websites list over 600 Yaris Versos for sale auto.drom.ru, and in East African countries (such as Tanzania), over 400 Yaris Versos in stock can be confirmed cars.tz.cari.africa. As reliable Toyotas with readily available parts, they continue to be used as taxis and commercial vehicles in Uganda and Tanzania, repaired when broken and passed down over long periods. In this way, there are numerous cases of Yaris Versos that have finished their service in Japan living a second life overseas, creating a situation where they’re becoming increasingly rare domestically while remaining active as practical vehicles abroad.
Highly Rated as “Yaris Verso” in Europe
The FunCargo was also a model developed with the European market in mind, and was sold in Europe under the name “Toyota Yaris Verso.” European users gave it high ratings, and records show that the Yaris Verso ranked first in a UK customer satisfaction survey at the time of its release. Indeed, a UK consumer magazine survey found that 92% of Yaris Verso owners would “recommend it to friends,” earning top-tied ratings among all vehicle models auto123.com. Despite being a small car, its excellent interior space and practicality were appreciated in Europe as well, where it was selected as one of the “best buys” alongside the Honda Jazz (Fit).
The Yaris Verso was a pioneer in the European supermini MPV market and was described as “the model that defined that class” rac.co.uk. Measuring only about 3.8 meters in length while securing accommodation for four people and cargo space, and achieving fuel efficiency exceeding 20 km/L in diesel specification, it was an ideal city car on paper slashgear.com. Additionally, its outstanding reliability and durability were noteworthy, with UK used car reviews describing the Yaris Verso as “a very hardwearing car.” Indeed, it’s known for being “extremely reliable and highly durable,” with many examples of older vehicles continuing to run without major failures.
While the design was considered either plain or quirky and didn’t become a massive hit at launch, owner satisfaction was generally high. The Yaris Verso’s distinctive appearance (rounded front mask and teardrop-shaped side windows) divided opinions, but its utilitarian concept was supported from young to senior demographics, with users in various European countries continuing to love it for years. After production ended in Europe, successors like the Toyota Ractis (Verso-S) and Peugeot 1007 appeared, but few models matched the Yaris Verso’s combination of compactness and utility, resulting in it becoming a niche popular vehicle in the used car market. For example, around 2017 in Germany, Yaris Versos were abundantly available for around 1,000 euros, with cases reported of them being chosen as transportation by expatriates due to their ease of parking and practicality curbsideclassic.com. Thus, even in Europe, the Yaris Verso/Yaris Verso maintains quiet popularity as a “well-known quality used car among those in the know.”
Why Durability and Unique Practicality Are Valued
The reason the Yaris Verso is being reevaluated domestically and internationally and called a “hidden gem” lies in its outstanding durability and unique practicality. The main points are summarized below.
- Remarkably Durable Engine: As mentioned earlier, the 1NZ-FE/2NZ-FE engines it’s equipped with are famous for their trouble-free operation. Known overseas as engines that “simply don’t break,” they can withstand long-distance driving of hundreds of thousands of kilometers as long as basic maintenance like oil changes isn’t neglected. Due to their high durability, many people overseas continue driving older models, and they’re in high demand even as salvage engines for parts.
- Spacious Interior and Seat Arrangements: The tall box-shaped body provides surprisingly spacious interior room for a compact car. The rear seats are thin retractable seats that can be easily stored under the floor to create a fully flat cargo area (later models changed to thicker seats emphasizing comfort). This mechanism creates cargo capacity exceeding 575 liters, easily accommodating bicycles and large luggage. The innovative seat gimmick and storage capacity for the time remain practical today and are rated as “irreplaceable.”
- Unique Offerings Including Welfare Vehicles: The Yaris Verso included welfare vehicles with ramps allowing wheelchair access. Full-fledged welfare-modified vehicles in passenger cars under 4 meters in length were rare, and at the time, they could be seen serving for care transport and shuttle services throughout narrow alleys nationwide. The characteristic of a large space in a small body was a unique strength well-suited to transporting elderly and disabled persons.
- Simple Construction and Reliable Toyota Quality: While maintaining a basic layout as a 5-door hatchback without sliding doors, the simpler mechanism keeps vehicle weight light and design failure risk low. The interior was criticized as “modest” with its hard plastic focus, but conversely, this makes it durable and resistant to wear, with many users continuing to drive it for years as a “solid, unfailing companion.” Combined with the stable parts supply typical of Toyota vehicles, the low maintenance costs and peace of mind are major attractions for used car buyers.
The Surprisingly Good Driving Dynamics of the Yaris Verso
When people hear “Yaris Verso,” many may picture a “practical tall wagon.” However, this car actually offers excellent driving performance.
The chief engineer was Isao Tsuzuki, who worked on the 80 Supra, MR2 Group B prototype, Raum, and other vehicles—a veteran engineer with extensive experience from sports cars to practical vehicles. The three elements he prioritized—body rigidity, suspension roll stiffness, and well-matched tires—harmonized beautifully, and European tests reportedly showed the Yaris Verso outperforming rival vehicles.
Body rigidity was enhanced for cargo capacity, and in response to the high center of gravity weakness—likely influenced by the Mercedes-Benz A-Class elk test incident—handling stability was thoroughly emphasized. The top G grade featured the steer-shift automatic transmission also found in Toyota sports models like the Aristo, Supra, and Altezza, demonstrating a commitment to driving pleasure despite being a practical vehicle. The Yaris Verso is not merely a “convenient box” but a hidden gem packed with Toyota’s serious driving dynamics.
A Beloved Car Reborn as Art — A Dutch Owner’s Wonderful Yaris Verso
This article featured on Toyota Netherlands’ official website tells the heartwarming story of art lover Elly and her beloved car.
Elly’s kunstzinnige Toyota Yaris Verso | Toyota.nl
One day, prompted by a dent in the body, Elly commissioned street artist Ox Alien to paint her car. The theme: “the sea.” Inspired by the Zeeland region she loves, he created octopus artwork that beautifully complemented the car’s blue color.
Completed in just an hour and a half, this artwork transformed Elly’s life. At the supermarket, people want photos; her car becomes a topic on social media. Friends request, “Let’s take Elly’s car!” She affectionately calls her beloved vehicle “Oxalientje” and says she’ll “never let it go.”
This is a wonderful story of how the Yaris Verso (known as FunCargo in Japan), recognized as a practical tall wagon, was given new life as a work of art.
Supported by these characteristics, the Yaris Verso continues to find new value domestically and internationally more than 20 years after its release. While described as “the mysterious hit car that sold 350,000 units without sliding doors,” behind it lies progressive yet rational development philosophy and Toyota’s solid manufacturing spirit. In Japan, a limited number of passionate fans continue to communicate its appeal, with inquiries from across the country coming to Good Loop, said to be Japan’s only Yaris Verso specialty shop. A former hit car that has become a “hidden gem” over time and is loved across seas—the story of the Toyota Yaris Verso continues to run on roads around the world today.