Overview & Reviews

It's been decades since midsize wagons were the vehicle of choice for American families. They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers. The Toyota Venza, however, could very well be described as a modern take on the old station wagon formula. The sleekly styled Venza boasts carlike handling, good fuel economy and plenty of versatility. Though lacking the ruggedness inherent in an SUV or the option for a third-row seat, the Venza is an otherwise ideal choice for families.

Current Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza is related to Toyota's Camry sedan, so in a way you could think of it as a beefed-up Camry wagon. It sits relatively low to the ground, which makes it easier for passengers to get in and out. There's seating for up to five people, as no third-row seat is offered. Toyota has built in plenty of storage nooks and crannies to keep things organized, and there are plenty of cupholders, too. Cargo capacity with the rear seats folded down is just north of 70 cubic feet, which should suffice for most families.

Under the hood you'll find either a 2.7-liter four-cylinder that makes 182 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque or a more robust 3.5-liter V6 that cranks out 268 hp and 246 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels. All-wheel drive is optional. Towing capacity when properly equipped is 3,500 pounds.

The Venza is offered in LE, XLE and V6-only Limited trim levels. Standard feature highlights for the LE include 19-inch alloy wheels (20 inches on V6), dual-zone automatic climate control, a touchscreen infotainment interface, a power driver seat, Bluetooth and a CD player with a USB/iPod interface. Stepping up to the XLE gets you keyless ignition/entry, power-folding mirrors, a power liftgate, Toyota's Entune smartphone integration system, a rearview camera, leather upholstery and heated front seats. The Limited tops it off with xenon headlamps, a panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, a navigation system and an upgraded sound system.

Driving the Toyota Venza isn't a sporty experience, but in reviews, we've found this tall wagon handles reasonably well on curvy roads given its utilitarian purpose. On the highway, the overall ride is quite comfortable. The base four-cylinder engine provides adequate power to motivate this sizable wagon, although the V6 is obviously the way to go if passing folks on the highway takes precedence over achieving the best fuel economy. In terms of everyday usability, the Venza is an excellent, highly refined choice for just about anyone who needs to haul kids, pets, scuba gear, golf clubs and other family recreational cargo.

Used Toyota Venza Models
The Toyota Venza debuted for the 2009 model year and has received only minor changes. From 2009-'11 Toyota sold the Venza with just optional packages rather than the more traditional trim level structure implemented for 2012. The 2013 model year gained the Entune smartphone integration system and a slight exterior styling update. These latter Venzas are identical to the current version apart from the unavailability of a few convenience features, such as power-folding mirrors and front and rear parking sensors.

User Reviews:

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  09 Venza, V6 FWD - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Kinkajoo - October 31 - 5:53 pm

  We like VENZA a lot and bought one and we like the drive. But the sales guy forced us to buy a flip-down DVD player that too 10.2 Inch screen size to give us $100 off. Now when we flip down the DVD player it completely blocks the rear view mirror causing huge safety concern, Also If cops notice that you may be liable for penalty as well. On top of the safety issue they plugged a wireless-audio DVD player which signals to the existing radio... thats disgusting... you always hear static and the volume is bad. If sales person had given an option of rear-seat two screen DVD player as an option we would have gone for this... that sales guy was not trained to give out options to the customer.

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  What Happen to Toyota Quality??? - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By abrown20 - October 31 - 2:36 am

  I was so excited when I got my Venza. I do think it is beautiful and I love the bronze color. However, I have never had a Toyota so poorly made. My Venza is a fully loaded 09 and i had high expectations. Within a year all the rubber seals in the doors, hatch and sunroom had fallen out and been replaced. The warranty just ended and now the sun visors have fallen down. How do sun visors just fall apart??? My last Toyota was 11 years old with orginal visors! The clips that hold the belts in the back have broken. The quality of the detail work should be an embarrassment to Toyota but they have taken no responsibility. Road noise is Horrible and it has always pulled to the right. Just Sad!

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  Comfort, speed, sound! - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By dbbksl - October 30 - 7:31 pm

  Drove a Camry XLE V6. Adored that car, never had a problem, averaged 15K yearly, got better than EPA fuel economy. Considered new Camry when I bought car in March 12, but test drive of Venza XLE V6 changed my mind. Incredible seat comfort, versatile storage, stylish interior, and magnificent stereo. Also exceeds EPA rating for fuel economy, just like my reliable Camry did. Not a jiggle or squeak in the body. Traction and stability control make this car perform faultlessly in pouring rain and on slick streets. Braking also excellent.

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  Im loving it! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Steven M - October 30 - 7:00 am

  This is a car for anyone who wants a good dose of comfort, economy, and performance. The I4 moves it with authority. The amenities and quality are impressive. Reliability is an unknown for me as this is my first Toyota, but Toyota has a reputation for reliability.

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  great crossover - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By kenny - October 28 - 12:08 am

  We have a 2014 Venza Le v-6 AWD and love it. It is roomy, rides nice and handles great. We have been to Tucson twice and San Diego twice and this vehicle is great on the highway. Fuel economy could be a little better but some of that is due to the 20 inch tires. Over all we are very happy with the venza. That said if they dont bring it back we will probably switch back to a GM product.

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  Surprisingly Great - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By ken - October 10 - 2:06 am

  Traded a 2004 Mountaineer for the Venza primarily because of gas mileage. The 4 cylinder has enough guts to get me everywhere, even with four 200 pounders and golf clubs in it. The ride is OK - better than the Mountaineer, but not as good as my wifes Avalon. Can carry 3 sets of clubs with carts (tight) and 4 sets without carts.

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  AutoStart - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By J. Kirwan - October 7 - 2:00 am

  We recently purchased a 2010 Toyota Venza and love it with the only exception being that we have been told we cannot have an autostart installed on it because it has a push button start.

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  My Venza woes PART 1 - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By larryoutwest - September 18 - 6:33 am

  Purchaced new off the lot late in 2010 as a 2011 model. This vehicle has been a huge let down, I have had a truly unacceptable amount of issues with it. Lets start with dead batterys, I cant count how many times this car has failed to start because its dead. Toyota has replaced the battery 6 times now, they have no idea where the drain is coming from. Ive also had troubles with transmission shifting, rattles, wind noise, creeking sounds when going over speed bumps, a dead climate control unit, and im sure there will be more as I only have 37,000 on it. Also fair to mention this baby is a fuel-a-holic, 15-17 MPG mixed with mostly highway is average. I will update quarterly with my reviews

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  some easy fixes to increase sales - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By dfreshdee - August 25 - 10:15 am

  I was disappointed that Toyota did not make some easy changes to improve this car. I know it just came out less then 2 years ago, but the number of people who have complained about the tire size/cost/fast wear is very high. Neither walmart nor costco even carry a tire this size, and the local shops want $1,250 to replace all 4 tires - all of which wear out very quickly. yuck.

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  New Comfort - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Driver - August 14 - 4:06 am

  Bought my 09 Venza 6 weeks ago and have driven it 1550 miles. No trips yet but averaging 24.5 mpg. I have a light foot. My wife is trying to talk me out of it. We both love it. Its dark gray metallic and loaded. Im a senior with back and neck issues and wanted a vehicle easy to enter and exit. This is it because of its height, and mine. I slip in and out without having to drop down or step up and dont hit my head on the way in. Perfect! The bells and whistles are great as is the leather. Others on my list were Murano, Santa Fe, Edge, GMC Terrain, and used Lexus.