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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  You Drive It, You Love It - 6cyl AWD - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Glen Harper - December 14 - 3:53 pm

  I read about the "sticks" in the steering but I have not seen it on the 6cyl model. It has enough power for me. I had a Tacoma 4x4 for 11 years and the ride of this Venza cannot be compared to the ride of a truck and the 20" wheels help to smooth out the ride.

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  Very pleasantly surprised - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By sberdoc - December 1 - 10:00 pm

  I was going to go with either a VW Tiguan or Ford Edge or the Venza. VW had to deliver, taking 3 months (salesman originally said 4-6 weeks), Edge was over priced and interior not as nice. Drives well, great driving position and comfy seats. Handles nice, 6 cyl has great pick up from standing and passing. Cons: no power mirror turn in (have to roll down window to turn in mirror), no seat memory for a limited trim line, cups in holders make getting to climate control difficult. Some minor fit issues with interior. Touch screen is not flush with console so I have to bend in my long finger to tound an icon at bottom of screen. Fuel econonomy so so, I have only been getting 24 on highway.

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  My Second Toyota!!! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By centurion68 - December 1 - 2:57 am

  This car is ergonomically sound. I really enjoy how comfortable it is. Road trips are fantastic in this vehicle. Even better than the 07 Camry I had before. It provides a very smooth ride yet it has a beefy enough suspension and clearance to handle some of the more challenged roads in America. Even though I have the 2.7 liter DOHC engine, the performance is sound. Coupled with the 6 speed transmission, it makes carrying five passengers and luggage effortless.

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  Uncommon Beauty - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Deborah H - November 26 - 12:30 pm

  Comfortable and sleek, fun to drive! What I like most about this car is the spacious interior and uncommon looks of exterior design. Also, it drives comfortably and handles nicely. What I dont like about it is that I hear some noise during sudden acceleration, and hard to change lanes and make turns during traffic. Still, I think the VENZA is fantastic car because it drives like Camry and rides high like SUV.

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  Heed my advice, Do NOT, get a Toyota! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By David - November 17 - 7:36 pm

  I traded in my TRUSTWORTHY Ford Escape for this....and coughed up a good amount of cash. They asked for 34,000 Dollars, for a Toyota....but, this is with the V6 and highest Luxury trims....Well, it was not better build quality than by Ford Escape.....which was on 05. It drove like a Camry......boring, and looks horrible. Also, I noticed, it took much of its styling from the Ford Edge, which I would recommend over this vehicle. The car rattles on paved roads. Navigation is sluggish, like Windows XP, and the entire car is lackluster. Thank god for the high resale, I am getting a FORD!

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  Nice car with poor reliability - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By rancher8 - November 16 - 10:00 am

  It looks great, very nice to drive, i love all the features, but i will never buy another Toyota. Ours is getting a new transmission installed at the time i write this review- and its backordered, our service guy said its a common failure on awd Venzas. Our A/C quit needing a new compressor unit, right seat heater quit, front brake rotors warped, the nav system often freezes up, and after 32,000 miles this car rattles and is starting to feel old. Its a nice vehicle but i seriously doubt it will hold up well, my old 98 Rav4 felt better than this with 200,000 mi. While loitering around the service department waiting i can say Im not the only one disappointed with my new Toyota!

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  Just what I wanted - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Fla granny - October 28 - 11:36 pm

  Saw, researched then traded a 2005 Nissan Murano and love it! Looks great, drives well, responds quickly & takes regular gas. My first Toyota - a good choice.

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  38000 mile review - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By veevolt - September 11 - 1:59 am

  My comments seem to unfortunately mirror other who have posted a review for this model. I to have had several rattles pop up, humming from the rear at highway speeds, navigation unit failure, leaking water pump, leaking sunroof, abs sensors replaced, and two battery replacements so far. This is my first Toyota and quite sure Itll be my last.

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  Big letdown - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By alexsdad2 - September 7 - 3:49 pm

  I had this vehicle for less than a year because of 3 things: 1) The mpg was poor! I do a combination of city and driving. I could only get 20 mpg out of it. 2) The brakes in hard braking situations required me to press the brake all the way to the floor. The reaction of the car was not one of confidence. 3) It was brought to my attention that the safety rating needed to be looked at further. There was something the passengers safety being rated 2 out of 5 (safest) in an accident. I do not remember if there were qualifications on the angles of the crash or speed, etc. All of the above led me to bail on the vehicle. The vehicle was spacious and was attractive.

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  very good family car - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By kris - September 6 - 10:10 pm

  We own a 2003 Toyota matrix and we never had a problem with it. though Toyotas suffering from the recall media hype, we still consider buying a venza. WE LOVE IT! the interior is very well crafted with all the electronic gadgets in mind. JBL speakers are awesome. we got the panoramic roof and the kids enjoy the view. bluetooth saves us tons from buying different headsets. the backseat is very roomy. the leather seats are spectacular. i just wish we can save on gas.