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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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:

• 

  Feels bulky - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By discerning - March 21 - 4:10 am

  Good room and nice ride but steering uncomfortable, perhaps because of 20" tires. Dash is massive and makes vehicle feel huge and more like an RV. Good cargo room with or without rear seats down. Good pep and fairly agile for size. Been driving a BMW X3 and wanted more cargo room, which this has but handling just doesnt compare, even though ride a bit smoother. Sloped front end makes parking a bit of a challenge in tight spaces until accustomed to it. Feels a bit like driving one of the giant sedans of the 60s.

• 

  What a great car! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By M of Ohio - March 20 - 9:26 am

  Prior to this car, I had a Rav4 which I liked. Then My wife bought an Avalon and after one drive, I had trouble enjoying the Rav anymore! I decided it was time for a new ride, but another Avalon didnt make sense because I have a bad back and it is hard for me to get in and out. I wanted something with a ride height similar to a Rav, and the luxury of the Avalon. As soon as I sat in the Venza, I knew it was what I was looking for. The test drive sealed the deal. It has the same 6 cyl as the Avalon, which I really like, and AWD which I insist on with all my cars. The interior is huge, and the ride is as good as the Camry even with the 20" wheels. The 6 speed trans is silky smooth.

• 

  Venza 4 cyl. 4x4 - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Lou - March 17 - 5:23 pm

  Traded an 08 Trailblazer in on a new Venza and im not sorry I did, the Venza has a car like ride and handling, although the ride is a little stiffer it makes up for it with the handling, quality and workmanship.Im very happy with my purchase but there some improvements I would like to see, first the car seems to wander a bit on the road requiring correction, but to me seems more of a tire problem than the vehicle itself,and I also feel Toyota should soften the front seats a bit they seem to be a little to stiff other than that, great crossover/sport wagon.

• 

  Everything I thought it would be - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Bill - February 12 - 11:43 am

  I have wanted a Venza since I first read about them. I have had the car for a 10 days and it was worth the wait. I love the interior room. The V- 6 provides plenty of power. It is a very smooth ride. My biggest surprise has been the gas mileage. I got 23 1/2 mpg on my first tank. This was about 4 mpg better than my 03 Highlander. I usually would not buy a car in its first year of release, but since it was a Toyota product I felt it would be reliable I decided to make an exception and get the car. So far I am glad I did. This is an amazing vehicle. It handles like a car and retains the versatility of an SUV with better gas mileage.

• 

  Fantastic Vehicle!!! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By centurion68 - February 7 - 8:30 pm

  I have had my Venza since 11/10 and I am thoroughly pleased and continue to be excited about my purchase. This is my second Toyota and I am elated. When it comes to styling and reliablilty, Toyota continues to create vehicles that keep the American manufacturers on their toes.

• 

  Noisy - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Cinco - February 2 - 10:00 am

  After 1 month of ownership Ive experienced no mechanical problems. Everything works as designed. The interior is of good quality and the outside design is progressive. The seats are comfortable. The dashboard is well designed and bright, very easy to find everything. There are a few blind spots while driving in the rear but once you get use to them you make accommodations and understand what needs to be done.

• 

  5,000 mile review - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By wollace1 - January 23 - 12:03 pm

  I purchased this car in December of 2010 and now have about 5,000 miles on it. My wife wanted it mainly to haul her dogs and for trips back and forth to the cabin. For both purposes it is a good car; lots of cargo capacity (as much as an Outback), nice hatch opening and the seats lay flat (unlike the new Chevy Equinox). For dirt roads and bad weather the AWD is great, plus the car has the clearance of an SUV without the sub-20 mpg. On average, we get about 23.5 mpg in mixed driving. Oddly, it never gets over 24 on the highway, but weve only owned it in colder months and with lots of ethanol in the gasoline. The seats are comfortable, it handles great, looks great and is powerful

• 

  Car, SUV, or Wagon. Whatever, It Works. - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By qs933 - January 14 - 1:46 am

  I shopped across multiple categories, but in the end, it was between the Venza, Highlander, Nissan Murano and Lexus RX (09 and 10). I didnt need a 3rd row, which is the Highlanders primary advantage. I almost went with the Murano back in 08 when it was released. However, a fully- equipped LE was in the $35-40K range. The RX was the most luxurious, but it wasnt worth the premium over the Venza. YMMV. In the end, the Venza was the right mix of the strengths of each candidate: utility (Highlander); unique style (Murano); and luxury (RX) at a lower relative price- point.

• 

  Couldnt be happier! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Iowa Girl - January 9 - 1:43 pm

  We have owned our Venza for 3 weeks now and still can find no faults. We drove several other crossovers including the Highlander, Buick Enclave, Chevy Equinox and Traverse, Ford Edge, and we kept coming back to the Venza. It has good ground clearance yet very easy to get into and out of. We like the wide wheel base, good ride, and overall width of the vehicle which makes it very roomy and comfortable. I really like sitting up higher. The back seat also sold us in comparison to other SUVs. We were owners of a 2007 Camry XLE. We will miss the gas mileage of the Camry, but we now have a 6 cyl and AWD so thats the way it is, but so worth it. We went with the Blizzard Pearl and love it.

• 

  2012 Venza Limited - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By roadrunner70 - January 8 - 7:49 pm

  Had 2012 Venza limited since 3/24. Like others, copared to Ford Edge, GM crossovers, Kia Sorrento. Came down to sorrento vs. venza. Preferred the sorrento for price and features but didnt care for seat comfort. Overall happy with purchase. Too soon to rate most catagories, but have to agree that the shifter is poorly designed. It is too long and should be 2 or 3 inches shorter. Not happy that CD player requries opening nav unit. Presume that 2013 venza has corrected these design issues. However, if it gives the same level of reliability that my 2002 highlander has given (two minor repairs in 125,000 miles), I will be very happy. Oveall, a good vehicle.