The newcomer is already...

The newcomer is already on sale in its home market, where it"s badged the Estima. Longer than the outgoing car by 50mm, it looks sportier as the wheels are pushed to the corners of the body, and the rear overhang reduced by 40mm.

Yet the Toyota hides its huge dimensions cleverly with black pillars. On light-coloured cars, this gives the impression of a "floating" roof. The overall height has also been chopped by 40mm to create a lower centre of gravity.

Inside, middle-row passengers can slide their seats back by up to 800mm, and benefit from aircraft-style built-in legrests. Buyers who don"t want such luxury can opt for a more basic bench, making room for a total of eight occupants. Up front, a screen shows images from cameras on the Previa"s front and side, to eliminate blind spots. And an advanced parking assist system steers the car into a parallel space or garage.

There"s a choice of 2.4 four-cylinder and 3.5-litre V6 petrol engines, while the new platform has been developed to deliver the smoothest ride possible. It"s unclear when the Previa will come to British shores, though, as bosses want to see how it fares in other countries.