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 They've long since been replaced by minivans, SUVs and crossovers.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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  Love My Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Cordy382 - May 17 - 11:50 am

  Purchased my Venza in February and love it. It turned 5900 miles today and every day I find it a pleasure. Had a late meeting last night and was driving home after a long day, turned on the JBL and just coasted home. This car is a true pleasure to own, drive, and enjoy. Unfortunately, Im beginning to see more of them on the road, so guess my days of being a trend-setter are over!

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  Excellent Car - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By Ting Xu - May 13 - 8:56 am

  Purchased the new Venza Feb 2010 after months of research. I compared several crossover vehicles include the Acura RDX, Lexus RX350 and found the new Venza to be the best value. You can get same luxury items and reliability for a lot less. I wasnt disappointed. Rides and drives are very comfortable and has plenty of power. Planty of interior space and the dual sunroofs is beautiful . The controls are driver- friendly and easily accessible. It is quite too. I do not know why some people complain about the noise. I would recommend it to anyone in the market for a car/suv and interested in a crossover!

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  Very Pleased - 2010 Toyota Venza
  By californiakid - May 12 - 11:55 am

  People need to realize all cars have there potential problems, its part of owning a vehicle. If you look on here, there are only a few neg reviews, which are mostly prompted by an unhappy customer. They sold 48k Venzas in 2010. If you only have a few bad reviews on Edmonds, its a safe bet the car is fine in general. I perfectly happy with mine, not one problem. Poor ride quality could be attributed to air pressure in the tires. Too much pressure=stiff ride. My Venza is great. Never an issue. If your looking to buy a Venza dont let a few reviews affect your decision. If you find a vehicle on here that does not have one problem, let me know what it is, cause I want one.

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  Venza - great job Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By FM - April 20 - 3:20 am

  Car interior is excellent. Love the blue tooth, MP3 ease of use and keyless ignition options. Really enjoy not getting keys out to get in to start the car. Dash layout is good and easy to store things. I have owned the car one week and have never received so many compliments. Barcelona Red color is eye catching. Interior seating is roomy and comfortable. I went in looking at a Highlander and this car caught my eye. It didnt take long to change my mind. Great crossover and enjoyable vehicle.

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  I love this car - 2015 Toyota Venza
  By lisa - February 12 - 1:00 pm

  it is everything I want, wish fuel economy was a little better

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  Very happy new Toyota owner - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Diana - February 9 - 11:40 pm

  Smooth and in control. Easy maneuvering, enjoyable very smooth steering, precise. Braking and acceleration just as great. All driver controls from the steering wheel to the easy no-reach dashboard are wonderful. Turning and cornering feels very stable, safe, and smooth. The gear shift is exactly where it should be, easy to reach, natural. Solid comfort. So easy to "crossover" from an Avalon to my Venza.

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  My new Venza - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By merrel - January 31 - 9:03 am

  Special ordered- Waited 45 days to include passenger seat with power & lumbar. Traded in 06 RX330 Lexus with no regrets. Added a $400 2pc chrome mesh grille from California. Do miss memory seats and rain sensors. Great ride, quality built. Hood stays up with a stick (ugh!) Very happy.

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  Well Thought out Cross over - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By Perfect Balance - January 24 - 6:50 am

  Purchased my Venza almost a year ago replacing a Honda Odyssey and no longer needing a mini van. This vehicle has ample cargo space with a easy fold down back seat, lots of leg room in the back seat, comfy leather bucket front seats, and easy access without the need to bend or jump up into the vehicle. The front windshield allows good visibility and the backup camera is an added feature providing confidence in backing, It is fun to drive and comfortable, easy to maneuver. Mine came with great Michelin tires. Gas mileage is acceptable for a car this size but wished it came as a hybrid, then it would be about perfect! Two tone interior is nice and leather luxurious. A bit pricey, but nice!

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  Incredibly roomy! - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By VenzaYaris - January 20 - 4:46 pm

  Proud owner of a FWD V6 Venza w/ premium package for over a month. Ride isnt as bad as others have complained -- we do feel some of the bumps on the road, but its nothing to lose sleep over. Storage capacity is incredible; weve taken ours for a 1200km shopping trip and was able to load quite a bit of stuff in the rear. Fuel economy is alright, considering its a v6 (avg about 23mpg mostly city so far). The amount of power & torque in the V6 is pretty amazing; Im not surprised if this thing can do 0-60 in 6.5 secs!

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  Very good all-around car - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By andjer200 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  In addition to being very stylish, the Venza has more than enough space for my family of 4. The fuel economy is impressive considering the size of the engine and the car. I calculate my mpg manually at each fill-up, and i normally get 21-22 mpg doing an almost even mix of city and highway. I recently drove down to Pennsylvania , a 400 mile trip one way, and i got a calculated fuel usage of 28 mpg. This was with the A/C on auto at 78 degrees, 2 adults and 2 kids, plus luggage. On the return trip i got 26 mpg because we did some city driving in NJ and NY. This is a very versatile vehicle - perfect for a small family.