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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  Great vehicle - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By cferl - June 6 - 5:26 am

  This is great!! Its a car with excellent space, performance, style. I bought it for my wife and she loves it. Have a 3 year old with car seat in the back and it is huge in the rear seat. Also very safe for kids and wife. Nicest riding car Ive ever owned. At night the auto high beams and hid lights make for the best night driving experience Ive ever had. I found myself saying that quite a bit the best. 20inch wheels are awesome, and the ride does not suffer.

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  Awesome car! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By mama - June 5 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love this car. I went from a 2005 camry to a 2007 camry to this 2009 venza and there are no words for this car. Pure luxury. Leather seats are well made, dust does not stick to the dash as most cars do. The rear hatch door with a push of a button opens and closes. SAT radio, seat warmers and just so many options that came with it.

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  The best Crossover vehicle on market - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Jackson - May 10 - 4:36 am

  Bought my Venza V6 FWD at the end of the year to take advantage of the new car sales tax incentive. Only if I had known Toyota would be in such trouble + incentive of $1500 cash, I would have waited. Felt like I was short changed by Toyota. Other than that, the Venza is great! I was drawn to the styling inside and out since day 1 of introduction. Took me a year to take ownership. Love the 20" wheels and aggressive styling. The interior is spacious and center console well designed.

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  Good Family Car, But..... - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By RG5626 - May 6 - 4:30 pm

  Although I test drove this car three times before deciding to buy, I did not appreciate how "floaty" it drives until I had it for a while. Also, I live in a hilly area and was liked the hill assist feature it was supposed to have for the brakes. But since stopping on a hill a few times Ive noticed that this feature does not work at all and the car rolls backwards even more than my last one that did not have this feature. Ill take it in for a look in case its just not working. The interior is the real selling point for this car and is very functional. I like it better than all of the flippy doors on the Camry. Have not gotten the Bluetooth to download my cell phone address book yet.

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  Jekyll and Hyde Impression - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By R.Carr - May 4 - 4:03 pm

  My initial impression and test drives with the 09 Venza were great. But 2-1/2 months and 13,000 later... I wish I could take it back! A lack-luster 23.5 mpg average and 90% of that is Highway and non-aggressive driving techniques. The drivers seating and placement is extremely uncomfortable after only an hour or two of driving (makes me wish I had my Honda Odyssey back). Road Noise at Highway speeds is excessive! You cannot drive with just one hand or the steering starts shaking (maybe the 19" wheels?). Hit a medium-sized dog at 50mph... the front-end fell apart. $3,200 damage!!! Love the Style and Looks of the car, but all other aspects remind of a Yugo.

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  2009 Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By gowron67 - April 29 - 5:35 am

  Purchased in Nov 2009 and for the most part have loved the vechicle. AWD in the snow and ice on the city streets has been excellent. Transmission did have to be replaced at 16,000 km. Gas milage not great but expected with a V6 and AWD.

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  Big regret for purchasing - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By mt - April 18 - 3:13 am

  Less of feeling fun, but comfort and bring body from point A to point B. Very disappointing to compare from my old Ford. Same junk with a good name.

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  Very Nice - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By mjljr - April 17 - 7:10 pm

  After 6 months I still like this car. I was given a loaner for a few days till mine came in. The loaner had Goodyear tires. (Junk) Mine came with Michelin. All most no noise, soft over bumps. The V6 has plenty of power, drove it 2400 miles in 10 days. through the smokey mountains the cruse control held with out downshifting. Average mpg was 25.6 across Ohio and lower Michigan it got 26.4 (I set the cruse at the posted limit) To work and back average is 24.1mpg. The seats are very comfy. 800 miles one day with no back or leg pain. Plenty of room for big shopping trips.

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  Like the venza - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By marvin - April 14 - 9:23 am

  6 cyl venza bought in April now has 2,600 miles. Great car for the money with very nice features. Love the keyless entry! HDs are great. Nice leather, but too much hard plastic elsewhere (couple small rattles in dash and rear area). Almost all highway miles averaging 25 mpg at 70 mph with Cruise. The 6 cyl has great power when taking off, but the slightest incline causes it to downshift and thats been disappointing. Backup camera is useless. View is too small and with any light at all you can see nothing. Venzas we test drove had michelins and rode nicely. Ordered ours and it came with goodyears and the ride is harsh - feel every bump.

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  Love/Hate relationship - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By ricksreview - April 8 - 5:25 am

  Love the vehicle. Hate having the Toyota sevice department know me by first name! All was well in the first year and half of owning our fully loaded 2010 Venza AWD. Recently the car developed a clunk in the rear, this required an extensive rear suspension repair. the noise has returned 3 months later! The transmission started to shudder and slip, Toyota replaced it saying its fairly common on the AWD model. This car only has 27,000 careful miles. I think it has more squeeks and rattles than the 02 Dodge Caravan that this Venza replaced.