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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  I love the venza!! (:>) - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Cathy - August 18 - 7:46 am

  I love the Venza and would recommend it to everyone. My husband and I just came from a 200 mile trip and it was great!! The weather was BAD --but the Venza didnt mind it at all, no problems and the navagations was sooo very helpful, over all I have a lot of faith in the Venza. I only have it for 1 and half months. I cant think it would give me any problems. In the next 6 months I will let you know if I have any problems --I have a lot of faith in it and dont think I will.

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  Nice but improvements needed - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Nana - August 16 - 8:23 am

  I purchased this beautiful car for 2 reasons: No trunk to lift out of and better gas mileage. I had a Cadillac DeVille and I averaged 25-27 MPG on the road and thought Toyota would give me better. Wrong!!! I only average 20.9 on a highway trip. I also have a "Thump" sound which seems to come from the right rear but the dealership cannot find any problem. Being a single woman, I really have my fears that the noise could be something to do with the wheels on the back and dangerous. The plastic on the dash and steering wheel could certainly be improved. It is a nice car, drives wonderful, turning base is great but the MPG makes me wish I had my Cadillac back.

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  Bad venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By jim - August 12 - 7:33 pm

  I have steering problems with 09 venza Toyota can not repair and I have been told tough! I was told to keep calling the dealer back monthly and if they eventually get the parts they will address it at that time. Toyota has cheated me just like thousands of others. Do not buy Toyota venza unless you want to get cheated.

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  Venza review - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Jimmy Houston - August 5 - 10:00 am

  I put 6k miles on it in the first 2 mos and have been very pleased with the way it handles and its performance. I selected the 4 cylinder engine for a little better fuel economy. The ride is great and the interior space is more than any vehicle I have owned. The back seat is huge.

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  It is the best of the best. - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Ai Nguyen - July 22 - 6:18 am

  It is very comfortable whenever I drive this Venza. Everything was built to make customers feel good and safe for their life. I will recommend all friends, family members and people I know to buy this vehicle. Toyota, please continue to make this super vehicle and you will proud about one of your best products.

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  Eye catcher - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Stan - July 21 - 9:56 am

  Purchased car used with 8400 miles, just turned 12,000. We love our Venza! So classy and fun to drive. Lots of power with the V-6. Really good gas mileage 19/26. Ride is more sporty than the Lexus, but still comfortable enough for us. The Michelins do make a difference. We decided on the Venza vs another RX Lexus which we loved. Price was a strong consideration. We trust Toyota and think they are getting bad press. Its a keeper for us. A good looking SUV/crossover.

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  2011 Venza - Nav system, Leather, Panoramic Sunroof, tow kit, loaded - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By rw_atl - July 10 - 11:15 am

  Ive had the 2011 Venza for a month now. It has steadily grown on us.. what we initially liked, now we LOVE! This is a very comfortable car with lots of headroom, legroom and width! My 3 sons are all 63" and they fit in the back seat with lots of legroom! It drives very well and handles well. Its not a sports car, but it handles better than our old Honda Odyssey Minivan, and my Toyota 4-Runner. Plenty of power (v6) and all the solid technology (Nav, sat, cd, ipod, etc) you need in a car these days. Gas mileage is about 20 around town and 25 on the highway (80mph). Excellent build quality all around. Panoramic sunroof is really a nice feature.

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  Slight Disappointed! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By sam063 - July 4 - 2:20 pm

  Bought the car in March 2010, made sure with the dealer it wasnt on recall list which they assured me it wasnt. 3 weeks later. I get my recall notice. But they said dont bring it in yet as they dont have a fix for the gas pedal yet. ok? (still not fixed) Went from Ford Explorer to Venza. Very different driving. Beautiful styling in &out. Back seat very comfortable. Bought 4-cyl and not enough pep for fast pull outs.Engine has to work hard. Should have bought 6 cyl. so take heed. Brakes are very strange. Had to bring in to dealer after 6 weeks to sand the rotors!! Never heard of such a thing. I am hesitant about this car and I have a 5 yr.loan. Hopefully it holds up like a Toyota used to.

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  Huge Improvement Over my Volvo XC90 - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By gigharborrltr - June 16 - 4:11 am

  Ive only had the Venza for 6 months, 8500 miles, but thats been plenty of time to conclude that this is a HUGE step up from my Volvo XC90. For the price of a used luxury SUV, I got a new Venza and LOVE it. The back seat room is much bigger than all 3 of my prior SUVs. I can carry 5 adults very comfortably. This is the first car Ive owned where I dont have the drivers seat all the way back...great leg room. You sacrifice back cargo room to get the leg room, but Im fine with that. I get 24MPG and 95% of that is driving around town. Interior, even on the base, is very nice (I had the dealership add leather after for $1100). I would get the AWD next time, but other than that, LOVE it!

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  Not for the Road Warrior - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By DustyNC - June 3 - 3:16 am

  I really thought I liked this car when I test drove it. But after 2 months and 12,000 miles, Im very disappointed! Im just under six-foot tall and weigh in at about 215lbs. So...Im not a little guy, but there are certainly many that are bigger. The biggest fault is the drivers seat. Very uncomfortable! I average about 350 miles per day, or six hours of driving time. In two months time, I find myself needing a doctors visit. The back of my legs ache terribly after driving this car! I have tried every adjustment possible but cannot get the seat to where it is not causing discomfort and probably restricting blood circulation. DO NOT BUY this CAR if you drive a lot!