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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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Best Value - 2010 Toyota Venza
By Steve Walters - April 20 - 6:00 pmWhen my wifes car was totaled in an accident she decided to purchase an SUV/Crossover. We looked at the Venza, the Lexus, the Chevy and the Ford. It was not even close. We both agreed that the Toyota was the best car. Even though the Lexus was definitely a cut above, we could not justify the price differential. I am a Detroit patriot, I drive a Chevy van and a Z06, but there was no way I could convince my wife or myself that the Chevy or Ford product was even close. The Toyota is just a better product. We purchased the Toyota in March 2010 and have not been disappointed. I am surprised that Toyota does not highlight this car as a good value.
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Love my venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
By dmkent - March 18 - 10:56 amOur 15 year old Mercedes e class was totaled in an accident and we made safety a priority in buying a new car which led us to the venza... It had a phenomenal amount of safety features and was able to make it out of our steep driveway due to the 8 inch ground clearance... When we drove it we were impressed by the feel of the car and by the overall design... At this pricepoint other vehicles dont come close... It can never replace our Mercedes but it is giving us a great safe ride and a big bang for out buck!
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First Toyota--Venza Rocks - 2010 Toyota Venza
By David Smale - February 21 - 9:36 pmI went from a Murano to the Venza. I need room for big product. It has the feel of a lexus without the same "see me, I have a Lexus" statement which I did not want for a company car. One business associate said the wheels looked like they belong in the hood. I took it as a compliment. It has a great feel and ample power. Our other vehicle is a BMW 330xi. This vehicle does not have that "grin while you drive" sense but I enjoy getting in it every day and I love the cargo bay. We are cyclists and are gone a number of weekends. We could put a full hitch on it and can haul lots of gear. I have not raved about a vehicle other than the Beemer in a long time. I think Toyota hit a home run.
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Venza 2009 - 2009 Toyota Venza
By Dave - February 21 - 3:43 amI bought a fully loaded Venza 2009. I love this car. It is luxurious, well build, solid and safe feeling. I look forward to driving it. Do not get this car without the navigation system. It is so worth it
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Wont miss my Murano - 2010 Toyota Venza
By XMuranoDriver - January 25 - 10:43 amI traded in my 2004 Murano on the Venza. My Muranos driver seat decided to break loose from one corner of its side rails 2 days after my Nissan extended warranty expired and Nissan refused to fix it - even though I had not made a single claim against the warranty during my entire time owning it! I found out by researching online that this was a known, common problem with Muranos, yet they would not offer me any assistance other than to quote me a mere $750 to fix i!. My Venza is way more responsive that the Murano, wider and more spacious feeling, a lot less top heavy feeling in turns and the glass roof is way cool!
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The Radio - 2013 Toyota Venza
By jduer1 - January 20 - 7:00 pmI have had my 2013 Venza for a month now. Its a great car, but, two complaints. The Buick SUV I traded in rode much better and was much quieter. First complaint - the radio - my goodness, what a tinny sounding unit (not the JBL). Tried all the settings with no great improvement. My new Ford Escape has a much better radio. Other complaint - rough ride and noisier than my American cars. Sure seems like the much vaunted Toyota could do better than this. Will probably go back to American brands after this. If you are looking only at Toyota - look at a couple American brands - you might change your mind.
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Best value in its class - 2009 Toyota Venza
By ValueWonk - January 9 - 4:56 pmThe Venza is perfect for our current needs and has been a joy to drive in both city and rural/mountain driving. With two of three teenagers in college we no longer needed 7 seats and traded in a Honda Odyssey which we loved. But the Venza is a more luxurious car and we like the security of AWD along with all the safety features. Fit and finish are great, reliability has been perfect in the first 7000 miles. Backup camera as part of the navigation package is very helpful. Backup on its own has too small a display. Teenagers love the sound system and the MP3 plug and play capability. Looked at the Lexus RX350 but the Venza is virtually identical and is $8,000 less.
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noise - 2009 Toyota Venza
By endangered - January 5 - 3:10 pmLove the vehicle, very noisy on highway. Toyota needs to solve this problem, if they cant solve the noise will trade for highlander.
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Our new Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
By merrel - December 28 - 10:46 pmWe now have 09 Venza for 3 months and love the handling, and quality built workmanship. 24 mpg city and 28mpg hway. Wish vehicle had 2 position memory seats but paid $675 extra for full power passenger seat. Also opted for double sun roof & radio. Do not see the need for 20" tires but that was not negotiable. Highway cruising is a dream. Sold a 2006 RX330 Lexus for this with no regrets. Did splurge $400 for two piece mesh chrome (aftermarket) grille from California which really adds class!!
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Aerodynamics and Space in a Crossover - 2009 Toyota Venza
By Art Wallace - December 20 - 12:26 pmThe Venza has been a surprising delight to drive with the four- cylinder version providing excellent fuel economy and adequate acceleration and hill climbing capacity. Weve enjoyed the spacious seating in front and back, along with the excellent standard features and back storage area with easy fold down seats (with lever). Its aerodynamic design and styling make it drive smoothly on the highway and its tight turning radius is a welcome change after owning a minivan.
