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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  Wish they were still making it - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Susan - December 25 - 5:03 am

  Loved it ! Passengers always impressed with the look & interior very luxurious! Friends with Lexus thought it look like theirs!

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  Yes and No to a decent "car" - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By wld8hrt - December 24 - 5:16 am

  After only a couple of days the brakes started to squeak. The dealer replaced the brakes today so well see. The interior is very nice and well laid out (certainly one of Toyotas better looks). The exterior... boring, unoriginal but not bad. Rides a little rougher than it should. Not been able to get avg MPG past 19.3 but working on it. Climate control works well and I love the push to start button. Overall power is not bad and the brakes are very responsive. The rear door seems to be very picky as to when it wants to open for you but that is probably just a learning curve. No USB???? Annoying oversite! Bluetooth streaming works well but often needs resetting. Cruise buttons hard to find, see.

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  So disappointed and terrified! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Uilleand - December 23 - 1:40 am

  I LOVED my 2009 Venza until two days ago, when the accelerator stuck. Even in park, the engine revved so high that smoke poured out from my hood until I turned off the ignition. After 40 minutes of blocking traffic because I was too terrified to turn my car on again, the car was towed to a local Toyota dealer. Now, because their technicians are unable to reproduce the incident, theyre telling me its the fault of my car mats and nothings wrong with the Venza. The recalled Camrys get an accelerator override system that simply cuts the accelerator when the brake is applied. Why cant they do that??

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  Could have been great... - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By heymark - December 14 - 5:25 pm

  It’s a good looking car with great trunk space thats wider than many SUVs. The 6 cylinder has great acceleration and is fairly nimble when driving around town. Unfortunately, Toyota cut too many costs with this car. The plastic dash and faux wood inserts look cheap and the leather looks like shiny vinyl. The cabin is very loud at high speeds and the low profile of the 20 inch tires lets you feel every bump. Despite 13 JBL speakers, the sound is average. Nav and backup camera work fine, but the screen resolution is very low. At 30k miles, the steering column had to be replaced and at 36k miles, trans is starting to wine.

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  My grown up Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By doodude - November 12 - 11:48 am

  Ive owned nothing but Toyotas- a celica, 3 supras, a Tacoma and all have treated me well. I finally decided that I wanted something that was good for longer road trips, could get me to and from ski resorts, haul bikes and sports equipment, and do it reliably. With much consideration of other vehicles, I settled on the Venza and am pleased with the decision after a year and a half of driving it. Comfortable in front or back, easy to load, fantastic in snow, and looks nice. No trips back to the dealer as of yet but I have to say that Im not pleased with the roughness of the engine. I have the V6 which is not a new design (has been used in the Highlander for years).

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  So close, yet so far - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By nyinpb - October 25 - 2:00 am

  First, the huge tires create lots of noise and are very expensive to replace. Second, the c pillar is just to thick and long/angled and blocks views. I really feel that if they had put on normal tires and lowered the car an inch, I would get much better highway mileage, the car would be less noisy, and the cost for new tires would not be a shock. Otherwise, it is a very pleasant near-luxury wagon. I could have used another set of latch in 2nd row.

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  Ive tried them all - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Brian - October 20 - 4:23 am

  I have test driven them all myself. From GM to Ford to Honda to Toyota. I tested many different makes and models. The Venza wins hands down. Just to give an example today it got windy while I was driving. I asked myself why the car seem hard to hold on the road. I couldnt hear the wind noise. It was that quiet. Got out of the car and it was really windy. This was while driving at 60 mph. Very roomy interior. A wide vehicle, but plenty of arm room with passenger. 3 children fit in back seat with room in between ages 8-10. 8 year old twins.

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  My Personal "HOT WHEELS CAR" - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Kelly - October 11 - 6:03 pm

  Have had this car now for 2 weeks and love it. We just had a road trip to Disney World and it was very comfortable. Im glad I chose this loved the style and looks of it the first time I saw it. My husband said it looks like a hot wheels car.

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  Luv It - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Randy - October 6 - 6:46 am

  This is really my wifes car but she lets me drive now and again. Think it is great looking,options are great, performance is all we had hoped for. Ride is quiet and comfortable. I have seen some reviews that dont like the fact that there is no 3rd row seats, that is a big plus for us we have no need for these and in vehicles this size a 3rd row seat just squishes everything together. The Venza has more rear seat leg room than my Tahoe and is much more comfortable than the Tahoes rear seat. We had narrowed our choice to either an RX350 or the Venza and I am more than happy with our choice and saving about 7k didnt hurt.

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  As good as a Lexus - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By lakeside - October 2 - 5:13 am

  Have found the VENZA to be an excellent all around car. The looks are youthful and classy together. The inside (w/leather pkg, incl woodlike trim) is actually beautiful. Agonized over 4 vs 6 and am so glad I got the 4. While not a screamer, this 4 jumps like a rabbit from standstill, 40-60 and even passing at 60-70. Performance with the 4-cyl was a pleasant surprise, and hwy mileage of 29 (!) is fabulous for a car this big. Ride is quiet and smooth and handling is also very good, esp for a big wagon. Overall its got looks, quality and performance. The car reeks of quality. Put a big "L" on it and it could be a Lexus.