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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  So far so good! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Joanne - October 6 - 10:16 pm

  I came out of an 07 F-150, so I wont compare apples to oranges. I love the responsive steering. The V6 has quite the pickup, particularly on the highway. Its easy to lose track of how fast youre going, as the drive is very smooth. Love all the gadgets and cubbies for stuff. I have a bad back so seating is important to me. This seat is very comfy and easy to adjust. My son says the back seat is more comfortable than my husbands Lincoln Town Car! Very happy with my new car. (My boss wasnt too happy as I work at a Ford dealership!) Not many of these around yet, so I get lots of looks and questions. Highly recommend this vehicle!

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  My Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By rsj3064 - September 10 - 4:30 pm

  I purchased my Venza in April. I love the car, however my wife says that on the passenger side the seat is uncomfortable and the ride seems like you are rocking and rolling from side to side. Otherwise a fantastic auto.

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  Disappointed with ride/handling - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By i50fwe - September 7 - 2:42 am

  I have less than 500 miles on new 2011 Venza and Im ready to sell it. Very unhappy with the handling. At highway speed it requires constant attention to keep it straight. It just seems to wander out of the lane. It doesnt ride as smooth as I expected either. After first 2 hr trip I thought tires might be over inflated. I checked but all were set at 32 psi. After second 2 hr trip I have same complaint. Must be the electronic steering. This weekend I took my 2007 Honda Accord on same normal trip and remembered how great it handles. It required very little attention to keep in straight. I bought this car to be my primary road trip car because it has larger interior than Hond

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  about 13k miles and still like new - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By luvtoyota10 - August 26 - 11:39 pm

  Ok i got my venza back in 2010 in sept and i have been pleased ever since. It is very stylish and people stare at it when i drive by. Its very comfortable. I just found out the dashboard was padded! What a suprise never touched it. Everything is ergonomically correct. Visibility is great from the front but but as good in the back i really dont care because i have a back up camera. A bird was stuck in my grill and i tried to get it out and it fell to the bottom of the grill and now i have to take it to the toyota dealership to get it out.

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  Fun to Drive - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By Gary Kaleta - August 16 - 6:07 am

  The Venza with the V6 is a fun to drive crossover SUV. It has sporty good looks and its low profile (for a SUV) and large 20"wheels give it great handling for a SUV. It has a large cargo area and the seats fold down very easily from the liftgate area. The Smart Key system makes getting in and out, locking, and start up effortless. The six speed transaxle shifts smoothly both up and downshifts. Although the car has TPS sensors and will warn of low pressure in the tires there is no readout to provide the actual air pressure in the tires. The power liftgate is easy to operate and guarantees the gate will ALWAYS be fully locked before driving away. All in all I am very happy with this vehicle and expect to keep it for a long time.

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  Love my Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By dozagirl - July 28 - 10:06 pm

  Ive had my Venza for 3 months now and I still continue to love driving it. I have the Sunset Bronze Mica and I still get people asking me about my car! The color in the sunshine when it is clean is fantastic! I drive approx 80 miles per day every other week (I carpool into the city every other week) and it is a comfortable drive and ride as my passengers tell me. I am taking it on a 12 hour road trip in the next month or so and am looking forward to trying out the back seat with the reclining seats and the DVD player. I had the Lexus RX300 a 2001 model before I purchased this car. I was looking at the new RX when this car was introduced and I fell in love with it the moment I drove it.

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  Near Perfect Crossover - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Tades - July 28 - 9:20 pm

  I finally pulled the trigger and bought the car 2 days ago. The V6 AWD version has plenty of power and the 20" wheels are not as bad as I read in the reviews; this car really turns heads. The ride is still on the firm side but Toyota managed to compensate it with the suspension design. The interior is very well thought of with all the amenities you can ever need including 3 power outlets. The smart key system is fantastic and cabin space is very generous. My average MPG is probably about 20 with mixed driving, not the best but no worries since I only drive 10 miles to work. All in all its a wonderful and fully functional crossover that I am pleased with and will keep for a very long time.

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  Looks cheap and feels cheap - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Anjali - July 23 - 11:03 am

  At barely 6 months this vehicle has started to fall apart. Rattles from the air vents and door panel. The ride is awful, feel like I am riding a truck, and the steering feels "spongy". Looks like this was designed by a "cheap" engineer, instead of a chief engineer. With this poorly executed car/van, Toyota has proven that they have a lot of work to do before they can catch up to the quality, at least of ride quality and fit and finish, of rapidly improving Korean cars.

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  Vehicle has been a dissapointment so far - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By matheson1977 - July 20 - 9:05 pm

  Ive had several issues with this vehicle in the last year and half. A total of 14 seperate dealership visits with problems in areas such as- Battery, rattles and build quality issues, transmissiom, heated seats, stability control, and remote keyless system. Toyota service is awesome some days, and terrible the next. Im not the only Venza owner with a problem car as ive met several more just at my dealership. What happened Toyota? MY 00 4 runner feels better built at 200,000+ miles.

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  Venza - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By price-6 - July 15 - 10:40 pm

  We bought the Venza to replace our Durango. I absolutely LOVE it, Handles great, kids have lots of room. Easily fits our infants rear facing car seat. Key free is fantastic, so nice to be able to just grab the handle and open the door. Electronic push button tailgate is superb.