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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  Venza Demographic - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By MichiganMike1 - March 22 - 4:16 am

  We are empty nester, baby boomers that wanted easier entry than our former Acura MDX but with creature comforts, decent performance, good reliability, upright seating, cargo capacity for our dogs and stuff and some style. The Venza suited us better than any of the alternatives we tested. We were seduced by a loaded Venza in Blizzard Pearl. The price was still less than our Acura MDX in 2001.

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  Very Satisfied - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Bill S - March 21 - 5:00 am

  I bought the base 4 cylinder model and am delighted with it after almost 8000 miles. Unless you cant do without a V- 6, the 4 has more than adequate power, (climbs hills nicely), is very smooth and quiet, (right at 2000 rpm at 70 mph, 2500 at 80 mph), and gets 30 mpg on the highway. Very comfortable, quiet and nicely appointed interior. This vehicle ranked #3 in U.S. News & World Reports overall rankings of 26 affordable crossovers and its easy to see why.

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  What were they thinking??? - 2012 Toyota Venza
  By jpf22467 - March 19 - 6:52 pm

  First off, I do like the car. It does what it is supposed to do. It drives nice, has good pickup, gets good MPG for a crossover (mostly highway driving and averaging 26). A few things that drive me crazy. The Navigation system is a mess. Too many things are cut off while the car is moving. Can no add a phone, can not modify contacts just off the top of my head. The screen will not stay on the audio screen. When I listen to music, I want to see the audio screen, but it only stays up for about 10 seconds, then defaults back to the map. The screen is positioned in a horrible angle. It catches the sun and makes it very difficult to read the screen

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  New Venza, feels like no other vehicle - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By John W - March 1 - 5:10 pm

  The 4 Cyl. Venza drives and sounds like no other car that I have ever owned. It glides along like you might imagine an electric car will drive like. It has enough power for safe driving but certainly not enough to satisfy those that are looking for a sports car feel. The exterior & interior design are excellent in my book. The car does get people looking at it, as you drive along. The cabin feels much larger than it actually is due to the very high roof. Bottom Line ...it is a nice vehicle for those tired of owning another SUV.

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  The new has worn off :(.........Troubles at 30k - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By gail76 - February 19 - 9:05 am

  Vehicle has many rattles appear after 30k miles or so, transmission is getting a factory replacement as i write this (Toyota says transmission failures are common in our hilly area). Interior seat quality is poor, our leather is looking very worn out already. Had to replace the battery and recharge the A/C as well. We are a couple in our late 50s and always look after our vehicles. Having very mixed emotions about this vehicle and i doubt well keep it past the warranty.

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  An OK crossover - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Decent but not great - February 15 - 5:46 pm

  Smooth if no bumps on the road. But you can feel the bumps. It is not luxious, but comfortable enough. The seat is a little hard (nylon seat). It is not as comfortable as my old camry. The seats are definitely big. Definitely roomy. Good exterior and interior design. The plastic material inside is cheap. Decent mpg for a large car. Mine is 4 cylinder and the computer read out is 24.7 mpg, not sure how accurate it is. 4 cylinder is not that powerful, but good enough for daily commute. Passanger seats and backseats are very roomy and comfortable. It took me a while to get used to different control knots in the front panel.

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  Wish Toyota still made it - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By jims - February 13 - 3:48 pm

  The Highlander has probably replaced the Venza but if you want sportier handling, slightly less cargo space and car-like comfort and convenience seek out a Classic Venza. Quality, reliability and convenience couldnt be better. Fuel economy on FWD is about 25 mpg overall.

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  My First 1,000 Miles in Venza - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By freesmart1 - February 6 - 3:39 pm

  I just went over 1,000.00 miles on my 2014 Venza XLE FWD V6 after owning the car for 20 days. The most impressive thing about this vehicle is the 3.5 L V6. It is powerful, relatively quiet and works seamlessly with the 6 speed automatic transmission. I am averaging just over 20 mpg in mostly city driving thus far. I have observed up to 30 mpg on the computer in short highway trips traveling at 60 and 70 mph. (Hopefully these figures will improve even further as the engine gets fully broken in). The only negative that I need to write about is the jarring ride on rough pavement. Toyota must do a better job tuning the suspension to complement the 20 in. wheels. I like the roomy cabin.

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  Another great car - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By pontoon - February 5 - 8:37 pm

  Had 2010 Mercedes GLK350. Traded for Venza and so glad we did! This suv and I call suv as it is closer to suv than wagon by a big margin. Is a great automobile. Smooth ride, great construction and space that exceeded our expectations. The v-6 performs wonderfully, shifts smooth and ride meets all expectations. We had now for about 3 months with no problems, mileage on road about 26-29 mpg, not bad. (note at least this auto has a spare tire the Glk 350 had just a air pump-no spare tire. We got the LIMITED version of Venza and so glad we did, many many improvements with top notch equipment. We did not want to spend extra money on Limited, but after using features would not do with out.

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  Exactly what I needed in a Crossover - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By libreez - February 3 - 9:56 pm

  I have had the Venza for over 1000 mi. now and I am impressed with its power, room, versatility, and ease of driving. The fuel economy is good, I average about 21 around town, 27 on the highway. Really like the sunroof and push button start, the power rear door is helpful with the kids and large packages. Yes, the ride is taughter than other Toyotas, and you do sit higher than in a Camry or Avalon, but thats the design. Its not a wallowing, bucking SUV that gets 15 mpg and cant take a turn or accelerate well, thats for sure. And its no minivan that is more of an appliance than a fun to drive vehicle. A few gaps and misaligned seams in the dash, other than that, I really like it!