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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  9-Plus Car - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By skahikin - April 26 - 7:36 am

  In 13K miles (12K in Houston commute traffic), the 4-cylinder is more than adequate and a fuel saver (27 MPG) from crawl speed to aggressive speeds (5 - 75 mph) in my 9 month ownership. Adjusting to a slower pedal response, it is quite maneuverable with good pickup. As others state, the seats are too sparse for rides above 2-3 hours. Additionally, the ride is less comfortable with Bridgestone Dueler tires. Fortunately, Toyo came out this Spring with Versado CUVs to save those of us with 19" tires with reviews that state the ride is improved with Toyos. Unfortunately, the dashboard glove compartment area is now producing an irritating rattle due either to inadequate fit or sun warping.

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  Lexus of AWD Toyotas - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Value4Money - April 21 - 12:56 pm

  This is the best AWD vehicle in its class. Traded in a 2004 Lexus RX330 which was a great car and thought we would stay with the RX350. But the Venza is built on a newer platform, has more room and costs $8000 less fully loaded with NAV and including all the features we care about. Handled well in late spring snow and does equally well on twisty mountain roads and city driving. Plenty of back room for three teenage boys who all top 6 feet.

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  Nice vehicle - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By k12shorty - April 14 - 5:00 pm

  I have had my venza a month with 1500 miles put on so far. I love this car! I get 24 mpg overall and have Avg. 28 mpg highway at 70 mph I enjoy the nav system and the rear view uses the same screen and rocks. Heated seats are sweet also. No wind noise at all, slicgt tire was dampened when i installed a rubber mat in cargo area. fit and finish is nice. I would recomend this car to anyone. The v6 has plenty of pep and is reated for 3500 lbs towing.

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  Venza: Im loving it! - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By love2bnik - April 11 - 3:16 am

  One word: AWESOME. I have owned this car for a few weeks now, and am so glad I made the purchase. I use to own a 2007 Camry SE, and the Venza totally blows it out of the water. The exterior of the car speaks for itself and I love the 20" tires. The leather interior is a MUST have- it has a nice texture, and the piping is a darker color than the seat. The V6 engine rides smooth, and is pretty peppy. The turning radius is great, making it very easy to park. The JBL stereo sounds great, and I love the blue tooth capability for both my phone and audio player (iPhone). This car really is Lexus quality with the Toyota price. I even chose it over the Lexus RX330!

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  Head turner called Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Chris - March 29 - 6:33 am

  Road noise is more than excessive, computerized fuel consumption display is inaccurate, remote starter limiting engine run for only 5 minutes is senseless: warming up cooling down the car interior requires more than 5 minutes, distance for remote starter is another brainless design: maximum distance to use remote is only 80 feet. Despite all this my black shiny Venza is still great had turner.

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  2013 Toyota Venza XLE V6 AWD - 2013 Toyota Venza
  By ronn - March 28 - 2:04 am

  Traded my 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited for the Venza AWD...I love it ! I call it a baby Highlander ! The Golden Umber Mica is a sharp, beautiful color that gets many comments ! The ride is smooth and very quiet. The engine purrs just like the Highlander, as the V6 is the same. The comfort and roomy interior is wonderful, and its a fun car to drive ! The fit and finish seems to have improved in the 2013 , as mine is wonderful looking. Test drive a Venza...you will love it !

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  Venza 2,7 L - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By ABEMAN - March 27 - 10:10 am

  We have the Venza about 6 months and now has about 6,000 miles. We got a great price at the dealership. Rare Tropical Blue color makes the car look beautiful and luxurious. Very pleased with the roominess of the interior and the back seat. The drive and handling. The car is very dependable with no problems up to the first oil change. Toyota put a lot of thought into the design. Even at a base model there a lot of features which are standard. More than enough for the casual driver. The longer, I sit in the vehicle the more uncomfortable the seat. I think in time I will put Leather Seats in this car. I plan on keeping for a long time.

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  Great Value - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Mrstacy - March 26 - 12:26 am

  Features like Keyless Go, Bluetooth (Stereo and Hands-Free Cellular), Automatic Tailgate, Remote Folding Seat Lever, 20 in wheels, and rear-view camera make this a great value. The ride is nice and sedan-like. The wide stance makes it very stable. The stated fuel economy puts it among the best in its class. The fit and finish is like a Lexus. Weve owned BMW, Landrover and this meets or exceeds them both. The legroom could be better in the back, but it is OK. You could spend 60k for all of this and not get as refined a package. The resale should be OK too. This is our first Toyota, so we will see about that.

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  lots and lots of problems - 2011 Toyota Venza
  By georgejacobs - March 23 - 3:43 am

  Weve purchased our 2011 Venza new and have had it now for three years and 35k miles. We have had continual problems with the alarm going off for no reason. Its been in the shop three times but Toyota cant fix it. They did manage to silence the horn on the alarm but the lights still flash. On and off the steering makes a whining or creaking sound. Recently the sun visor on the drivers side broke--it wouldnt stay up or down, just mid-way where it obstructed the front view. The mileage is not quite what Toyota claimed--we get about 22-24 on the highway. For a vehicle that had a sticker price of $40k, its definitely a disappointment.

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  Back to Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Chuck - March 4 - 2:10 pm

  What I was looking for to replace my durango. Smaller but still has plenty of room, with good gas mileage. I got the 4cyl it has plenty of pep and getting 25mpg after a month.