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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  Venza Regret - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By donpaluh - March 23 - 10:50 pm

  My back was hurting just from driving it home from the dealership. I figured with the almost excessive seat adjustments, I could find some setting I could live with. I am 53 years old and have never had anything like this. I have driven mostly inexpensive cars and even tractor trailer, and Ive never had this issue. I regularly drive from NYC to Buffalo (430 mi), and I dreaded my first trip in this piece of junk. Between the uncomfortable seat, poor ride, road and wind noise I have a horrible headache (which I never get) and I cant sleep again because my back hurts so bad. It has "leather" seats. This leather is below vinyl. I cannot believe how bad it looks and feels. No iPod or blu-tooth?

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  Better than average - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By venza - March 19 - 5:26 pm

  Ive owned my Venza for over 15 months, some road noise from passenger side, have developed a small rattle in the steering wheel, only on rough roads, having it check out. My next car may be a Mercedes or Hyundai Genesis, or may just keep the Venza, AWD , 6cyl, Premier package. For the money it is the best buy.

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  Reliable but definite drawbacks. - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By John - March 2 - 10:42 pm

  We are a Toyota family. We bought our Venza new. It is a 2011 model. The drawbacks: much poorer milage than advertised. Our Venza did not come with a back up camera-and there is a definite need for one. Do not buy a Venza unless it has a back up camera. This car also has a somewhat rough ride. We replaced a Camry with this Venza and the Camry had a much better ride. There is manufacturing design flaw. This car car is subject to animals (rodents) getting inside the car going up through the motor area and getting in in the area at the bottom of the windshield. We have had to remove dead rats from the inside of the car and have used all kinds of repellent to keep them out-it is a constant battle. This is the first vehicle I have owned (I am 70 years old and have owned quite a few) that I have had a problem with rodents. The good qualities: Excellent reliability, minimum maintenance requirement, easy to drive, and usually good resale or trade in value.

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  Venza Frenzy - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By RBScott - February 27 - 8:30 am

  We purchased a Venza because of the way the body style looked, very sporty and doesnt look like a box. After driving it we were very pleased. It is very roomy, I am 64" and I had plenty of leg room, and it handles great. Acceleration is better than expected. We are satisfied with the interior style and its features. It has a very comfortable ride(doesnt ride like a truck)

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  Ripped Off BY Toyota - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By darrell113 - February 9 - 6:34 pm

  This Venza is a piece of CRAP. Have had it for three weeks. You have to rank on the steering wheel back and forth to get the key to turn to start. The key ignition as at a stupid angle. Everything in this Venza is CHEAP. The back up camera is useless. And to top things off Park City Toyota in Medicine Hat, Alberta charged me $ 2,000.00 over the sticker price. They then added on that stupid window etching without my permission. I have to sue them to get my money back that they stole from me. I will NEVER purchase another JUNK Toyota from any of the [violative content deleted] Toyota dealers.

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  Tow Prep Package - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By wonder - February 7 - 8:46 am

  I purchased a new Venza with the tow prep package. Consumers need to know that a wiring harness to hook up a trailers lights is not included in this package. Also, a wiring harness from Toyota will not be available until January 2011.It cost me an additional $150.00 to get the trailer lights to work.

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  2010 venza dissapointed - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Anthony F - February 6 - 9:50 pm

  Loved the look of this car the first time I seen it. Very roomy interior Quiet, powerful 4cyl engine. Having a hard time finding a comfortable seating position, seat feels to hard on my back, firm ride, would of like a softer ride. Not so happy, enjoy driving my 2007 murano a lot more. No back pain in that car.

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  I Love It!!! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By toyotas last - February 4 - 5:36 pm

  I just picked it up yesterday so I will give you my early thoughts. Nice ride but a little bumpy, nothing to complain about. The I4 has plenty of power. The look of the car inside and out is amazing. The JBL is incredible, loud and clear. The leather is very classy. Im looking forward to driving it every day.

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  My Dream Car - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Kris - January 9 - 5:36 am

  Some dream of sport cars, nut this Venza is truly my dream car. I love driving it every day. Meets all my needs with space and comfort. No regrets. Good gas mileage on highway. Love the sequential shift for mountain driving. People always ask me what it is, still dont really have an answer, its so unique.

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  7 months in 2014 Venza LE FWD V6 - 2014 Toyota Venza
  By acework - January 1 - 7:16 am

  Nearly all of the Venzas I see on the road are AWD. I got an LE FWD V6 & think it handles great in the snow. The stability control helps when roads are slick. I love the power, it rockets off of the line & aids with overtaking on the hwy. Fuel economy is right around 20.5 mpg with mostly in town drives. This # is reflected in my math as well as the cars computer. This mileage comes with 87 & 91 octane, it dips to 18 mpg when I use 85 octane. I love this car & am really happy I got it. I test drove a Murano and found it rode too stiff (Jeepish), and a Ford Edge (which was nice but a bit stiff & felt smaller). The computer says my average speed is 25 mph, which has got to be a glitch.