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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  This is a Great Vehicle - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Bill - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I love driving this vehicle as it has a smooth,quiet, and comfortable ride. I have read comments about this car having a cheap interior, but I think the interior is very well appointed and the controls are well placed. We also drove the Ford Edge and I liked it, but we have not forgiven Ford for handling a couple of inferior vehicles we purchased from them in the past.The Venza also cost less with more features than the Edge. The Venza is the most enjoyable vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Love My Venza - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Davis - July 30 - 3:53 am

  Just leased a V6 AWD Venza and it is a very nice looking car inside and out. Just downsized from a GMC Acadia so is still getting use to the smaller SUV.

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  2009 Venza April 2009 - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Stuart - July 29 - 9:20 pm

  Ride is harsh, not enough cushion in 20" tires, four warranty repairs- glove box catch broken, rubber molding on roof blew off, headlights adjustment, replace fog light bezel, all within 3700 miles. Not impressed with quality as promoted. Dealership servicing-poor to fair. Telescope/tilt poor design, difficult to adjust and secure, need strong fingers. Not a 62" drivers car, hard to get in and out. Htg. & AC controls not easy to use. Would not buy this model again.

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  Highly recommend - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Lori - July 24 - 6:33 pm

  I was looking for months for the right car for me. I have always driven an SUV and had no intentions of going smaller. Once I drove the Venza AWD 4cyl - I was in love. I never wanted a 4cyl, but the pick up, is that of a 6cyl. The interior space is as much if not more in comparison to the the GMC Envoy I drove previously. I find the car handles very well. All space on the interior was maximized by the design of the storage. The center console has ample storage. We already own a Toyota Camry, so overall trust the Toyota name. Only 3 months in, but the Venza is living up to the brand. I would recommend it to anyone in the market for a car/suv and interested in a crossover!

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  Review after 10k miles - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By brianluedke - June 27 - 12:03 am

  I tested a lot of vehicles before leasing the Venza. Equinox had a rough acceleration it pulled to the right also had clumbsy dash board, cheap Navi plastic cover, Ford Edge got worse mpgs, Crosstour had a spoiler going through the back window(aka Aztek), Buick Lacrosse looked great, but hit head trying to enter the vehicle, tight seat, couldnt see over steering wheel without raising seat really high and had my head scratching the roof. I tried a lot of vehicles and Venza proved the best fit, mpgs and price with options. Wouldnt change the vehicle other than a few minor changes listed in consrunning through the rear window (Aztek),

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  MY VENZA 2011 - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By flakers30 - June 16 - 7:17 am

  MY venza is great so far, I love the intnerior. The leather seems to be an upgrade from my camtry XLE loaded, except for no nav. This vehicle is just about as high up as a truck on the inside, pluus the power steering feels better than the carmy. I love the wood grain interior and My gas mileage so far HAS BEEN averaging 24 MPG with a mix of city and highway. Highway gas goes between30-40 MPG when on cruiise control at m65-70 MPH. I needed room in the back for my work stuff, and there is plenty of space and the cover for there is a god ideA. there is a good idea to put the tint inside the glass & I can see out through the tint at night, no more opening windows so I could see,

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  Love It So Far! - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By carolinagirl66 - June 11 - 3:28 pm

  My husband and I just traded my 2006 Toyota Solara Convertible for a brand new, still on the lot, 2011 Venza. This vehicle has every option including AWD. I LOVE IT! This vehicle is so easy to drive and I really aprreciate all of the cargo room-especially coming from a 2 door convertible. The back up camera and navigation are nice features and I am sure that the AWD will come in handy this upcoming winter. Ours is a V6 and it will pick up and move on the interstate. The best part is that we feel we received such a good deal because they needed to move it before the 2013 models arrive!

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  Toyota Quality! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Greg - June 8 - 4:40 am

  Last vehicle was an 07 fully loaded extended cab Tacoma. Went into the dealer to buy a "double cab" Tacoma and saw the Venza. While I was talking to the salesperson I kept turning to look at the venza and the rest is history. This is an absolute fantastic vehicle. Love the AWD. I bought this cross-over with everything I wanted. The only things I didnt get were the panoramic roof and heated seats. Ive heard of a problem or two, but to date I have had only one. The bluetooth is a problem with the new blackberry tour and Im currently looking for a repair. Other than that this vehicle has operated beautifully. I too usually do not buy first year cars, but Toyotas quality changed my mind.

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  Very nice ride - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By manya - June 6 - 6:40 am

  I am very pleased with my new Venza. This is a very thoughtfully built vehicle. There are several holders for my phone, ipod and other stuff. The ride is smooth although it does not pick up very quickly. The bluetooth pairing and setting up the garage opener was easy. Manual explains everything. I have the normal speakers and they work just fine for me.

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  Best people hauler - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Robert - May 25 - 5:56 pm

  This car cannot be beat for comfort. It is a big improvement over the Camry. Great highway ride and economical, too. We looked at many brands but could find no equal anywhere near the price. It qualifies for the biggest clunker rebate making it a steal.