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MM Full-Review: 2021 Toyota Venza
A Review of the all-new American-market Toyota Venza.
https://www.toyota.com/venza/
IN A NUTSHELL: This what the original Lexus NX should have been, and wasn't.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Simply too many to list in a practical sense...they easily run into the dozens. The absolute closest one I could think of would probably be somewhere between a loaded Honda CR-V Hybrid and an Acura RDX.....and the RDX lacks a hybrid option.
OVERVIEW:
Toyota introduced the First-Generation Venza to the American market in 2008, based on the Camry-sedan platform, which was, in effect (but not exactly), a raised-suspension Camry with a somewhat-revised wagon body and a choice of FWD or AWD....and a normally-aspirated in-line four or V6, depending on the FWD or AWD. Honda did more or less the same thing with its awkwardly-styled Crosstour, which was done on the Accord's platform, but had a most un-wagon like droop to the rear, which limited cargo room too much. Neither were ultimately successful competing against the tremendously successful Subaru Outback, and both were withdrawn from the American market. I think that what killed the First-Generation Venza the most (in 2017), was not its basic design, which IMO was actually pretty nice, and certainly not its good reliability, but the ridiculous 19 and 20-inch wheels, which not only gave an overly-firm ride for a vehicle in that class, but which Toyota refused to downsize, in spite of customer complaints. The new Second-Generation Venza corrects at least part of that mistake, with a choice of 18 or 19-inch wheels.
The Second-Generation Venza is based on an entirely different platform. This time, instead of the XV-40 Camry platform, it uses the Japanese-market Toyota Harrier XU-80 platform, and is essentially a rebadged version of the Harrier, converted to American-market specs. For the American-market trim, it comes in a gas/electric hybrid version only. Size-wise, it slots in roughly between the RAV-4 and Highlander, though in actual cubic-feet measurements, its interior, perhaps because of the bolder styling, is less-roomy than the latest RAV-4. Particularly in the American market, among small-to-medium-size crossover-SUVs, there are so many different competitors, potential competitors, and upcoming competitors that I'm not going to even bother to try and list them all here....they easily run into several dozen. Welcome to the Age of the Crossover.
Three basic versions of the Venza are available in the American market....the base LE ($32,470), mid-range XLE ($36,000), and the top-line Limited ($39,800). Except for trim and convince features, there is little difference mechanically between the three versions. All three come with the same drivetrain.....AWD, with one electric motor powering the rear wheels, the normally-aspirated in-line 2.5L in-line 4 gas engine and two electric motors powering the front wheels, and a CVT (Continuously-Variable Transmission), for a system-total of 219 HP....Toyota does not publish torque-figures for hybrid powertrains on its web sites. Unless one specifically wants the added standard features on the upmarket versions, that relative uniformity, IMO, makes the base LE version a rather attractive buy....and 32K is probably not a bad starting price considering the amount of sophisticated hybrid equipment standard on it. The base LE version also gets the smoother-riding 18 inch wheels that should have come on the first-generation model, and didn't....the others get 19s.
Toyota have almost always rated well above average in reliability, and many of them reach 200,000 miles or more without having to be scrapped. They still rate very high in reliability, but, in general, although there have been some exceptions (like the 4Runner and Land Cruiser), a lot of newer Toyota products have not impressed me with their general build-solidness, quality of interior materials, or in terms of what they really deliver for the money. The corporation seemed to be reading on the laurels of their own (previous) success. With the Venza, that seems to be changing...at least to my senses and judgements. The Venzas I looked at today (a Limited and an couple of XLEs) seem to be out-doing comparable Lexus SUVs in this size and price class....Fit/finish and material quality-wise, I'd chose a Venza, blindfolded, before I would a current Lexus NX. *(See the additional note below)
*(I also want to note that the best fit/finish I saw on Venzas today, perhaps not surprisingly, was on a showroom-model Limited that had apparently been given a lot of wax, silicone-spray inside, and a generally very high level of detailing. It also had an extra-cost Blizzard White Pearl paint job that appeared to have got extra attention even in the factory before it was shipped. The other Venzas I looked at were above-average in fit/finish, but not quite to the level of that really nice one in the showroom)
I also briefly looked over a new Highlander in the showroom, and was equally as impressed with its build-solidness and fit/finish as I was with the Venza....and, of course being a higher-line vehicle, its interior trim was even more plush. Toyota designers have apparently taken some of the cheapness-complaints to heart, and are doing something about it.
For the test-drive, I chose a burgundy-colored XLE model (also an extra-cost paint job), with light gray SofTex fake-leather interior and a light-colored wood-tone trim, that listed for around 40K...a reasonable price, IMO, for what this vehicle delivers, even excluding any incentives or discounts (which are not likely on a brand-new Toyota model).
MODEL REVIEWED: 2021 Toyota Venza XLE
BASE PRICE: $36,000
OPTIONS:
Ruby Flare Pearl Paint: $425
Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation and JBL and SofTex Package: $2560
DELIVERY/PROCESSING/HANDLING FEE: $1175 (over $1000 for this is becoming common these days)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $40,160
EXTERIOR COLOR: Ruby Flare Pearl
INTERIOR: Light Gray SofTex seats / Light Birch Woodtone trim
DRIVETRAIN: AWD Hybrid, 2.5L normally-aspirated in-line gas-engine 4, Three permanent-magnet electric motors (combined 219 HP), CVT (Continuously-Variable-Transmission).
EPA MILEAGE RATINGS: 40 City, 37 Highway, 39 Combined
(Unlike conventional vehicles, Gas/Electric Hybrids end to do better in the city than on the highway, because the gas engine runs less often recharging the Hybrid-Battery, and more time is spent on the pure-electrics)
PLUSSES: (+)
Enormous dealer-network nationwide for convenient sales/service.
Toyota reputation for reliability.
Silky-smooth/quiet drivetrain, particularly on the electrics.
Silky-smooth braking-action.
Reasonably good handling concerning the ride-comfort level.
Excellent exterior/interior fit/finish.
Solid-feeling doors and exterior sheet metal.
Decent underhood layout concerning the complexity of the drivetrain.
Superlative fake leather inside on many surfaces...I couldn't tell the difference.
Excellent fore/aft (real-leather-covered) console-shift-lever design.
Excellent stereo sound quality.
Rock-solid sun-visor attachments.
Well-damped stalk-motion on the steering column.
Full-size temporary spare in the cargo area.
MINUSES: (-)
Boring and limited exterior paint-color choice.
Hatch-lid rake-angle compromises some cargo room for tall objects
Tacky-looking sideo-sceen housing and mount.
Rear-seat headroom marginal for those over six feet.
Underhood prop-rod unsuitable for an SUV in this class.
Not much difference between ECO/SPORT/NORMAL drive-modes.
Some road noise over coarse pavement (but not bad).
Brake pedal not well-located for large feet.
EXTERIOR:
Outside, as you first walk up to the new Venza, its general styling, while definitely on the sport-oriented size by crossover/SUV standards, is noticeably less bold or In-Your-Face than some other recent Toyota products. The black spindle-effect of the grille and front end is still there, but now somewhat muted. The Toyota designers seemed to have finally gotten the message...it certainly doesn't scream at you like the current Lexus RX or Toyota Avalon. But the most impressive feature outside is clearly the fit/finish and assembly-quality. Particularly on the Pearl-White Limited version I mentioned above, the paint job and chrome-trim/brushed-metal pieces were as smooth and well-finished as the surface of a gem. Many new vehicles have tinny sheet metal and tinny-feeling doors.....not the Venza, which, in comparison, felt and shut with a solid thunk....I suspect that some of the heft in the doors is a good amount of sound-insulation and multi-paneled glass....though some road noise did get through on coarse pavement, which I'll get into later. I wasn't impressed with the general choice of exterior paint-colors, though.....in most cases, the usual three or four Neutral colors, plus dark red and dark blue (in other words, it mimics the choice of many other vehicles). Even on the Limited version, a belt of black cladding runs around the lower body, but not up around the wheel wells. I know some people don't care for the black cladding, and prefer body-color paint all the way down the side (I respect that view), but I myself like the two-tone effect of the black or dark-gray cladding, and the protection gives the lower-body from damage from salt and road-debris...especially important, IMO, with a really nice smooth paint job like this vehicle has. As I mentioned earlier, the last-generation Venza used oversize wagon-wheels that made the ride too firm....19 inch wheels are still on the upmarket versions of the new Venza, but the base version uses a more-reasonable 18-inch size, with 60-series profiles. Even the 19-inch wheels, though, now come with 55-series profiles, which aren't too bad.....more on the ride quality below, in the ON THE ROAD section. In back, the full-width taillights span the entire deck-lid....an increasingly common styling-theme on crossovers and SUVs.
UNDERHOOD:
You must fumble with a manual prop-rod to open the hood...IMO, a nice vehicle in this class should have gas struts or hold-up springs. On the underside of the hood is the usual sound-insulation pad. With a gas engine, a CVT, and two electric motors on the front drivetrain, things are naturally a little tight underhood laterally, but, since there is no large plastic gas-engine cover, it is relatively easy to reach a number of components from above. The dipstick, fluid-reservoirs, and filler-caps, as with most vehicles, are generally easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Material quality and fit/finish is as good, if not better, inside the Venza as it is outside. The fake-leather and Alcantra/suede-feel trim covering the upper part of the dash and door panels is excellent, and even the non-fake-leather surfaces on the upper dash have a soft feel to them. The wood-tones used are clearly fake (you can definitely tell they aren't real)...but, nonetheless, have what IMO is a nice pleasant look and grain-texture to them, particularly the light-colored woodtone in my test vehicle. The twin stalks on the steering column are parts-bin Toyota, but smooth-operating and well-damped. The front seats are comfortable and fit the contours of my big frame very well. The rear seats are generally comfortable for tallish people, and headroom is not bad once you get in, but those over six feet tall (like me), unless they duck their heads way down, may bump them on the upper-door frame when getting in...a concession to sport-oriented styling. Legroom in the rear, depending on how the front seat is adjusted, is not limo-like, but not bad for this size vehicle. The top-line Venza Limited, as an option, is one of the first American-market Toyotas to get the Star-Gaze roof-option, which offers the choice of clear/transparent or opaque glass at the push of a button....something I personally could do without, although it is clearly preferable, IMO, to the possibility of a conventional electric sunroof (or power windows) failing and and being stuck open as a nice rainstorm is coming up.
A weak point (and something that clearly wears over time) in many vehicles is the hinge-attachments for the sun visors. They tend to get loose and allow the visor to sag down a little, or the snap-lock weakens and doesn't provide a solid grip any more. The snap-lock for the Venza's sun-visors is one of the strongest I've felt in quite a while....they should stay in place a long time.
Most of the ergonomics inside are good-to-excellent, and the gauges are clear, colorful, and easy to read, with bright blue needles. The operation of the video-screen controls/icons is one of the best I've seen yet from Toyota, and the stereo sound quality is excellent...my test vehicle had the Premium Audio package-option. A hybrid power-flow-indicator can be configured if desired, which will show you when you are running on either the gas or electrics (or both). A superb (and, IMO, properly-designed) fore/aft-motion shift lever for the CVT transmission is on the console (no zigzags), and smoothly glides through the gear-ranges like butter....too many vehicles today are dumping this for quirky push/pull buttons, rotary-twist-knobs, E-joysticks, L-shaped patterns, and other gimmicks. My advice to those automakers....don't fix what ain't broke. Being a state-of-the-art vehicle, virtually all of the conveniences, Multimedia, and safety features one would expect are included or available, particularly on the Limited model.
The only really tacky-looking thing inside, IMO, is something that Toyota, Ford/Lincoln, and some other automakers seem fixated on...the Etch-a-Sketch-type mounting of the video-screen housing on top of the dash, instead of properly integrating it into the dash like GM, Kia, and other automakers do. Some people don't mind it, but I'm just not a fan of that tacked-on look...in the Venza's case, mounted directly over the center-dash air-vents. But it wouldn't necessarily be a deal-breaker in my book....there are plenty of other nice things in this vehicle to compensate.
CARGO AREA:
Lift the hatch-lid, which, of course, is power-operated in the upper trim versions, and the cargo area is generally roomy and well-done, although the relatively sharp forward-rake of the rear window (a concession to sport-oriented styling) compromises the ability somewhat to carry large bulky items...the cheaper RAV-4, with its more squared-off traditional SUV styling, might be a better choice for that. The materials used in the cargo area are of high quality and fit/finish...the pull-out cargo cover hardware, in particular, feels solid and well-constructed, particularly in comparison to the almost-junk one in past Toyota Prius models, which felt almost like a piece of paper. The usual cargo-accessories (net, all-rubber-mat, cargo-separators, etc...), if not standard, are available. Under the pull-up floor panel is a full-sized temporary spare. While I still would prefer to see a real usable spare tire/wheel assembly that could be rotated with the other tires like years ago, a full-size temporary spare, at least, beats poorly-done substitutes like donut-spares, run-flat-tires (which are usually only good for 50 miles), and impressed-air Fix-a-Flat bottles. If the automakers aren't going to use real spares any more (and, except for some trucks and off-road-designed vehicles, they usually don't nowadays), then, IMO, a full-size temporary spare should be made standard, even by regulation if necessary.
ON THE ROAD:
Even with the CVT transmission (many reviewers don't like typical CVTs for their driving characteristics), a fair amount of work and engineering went into the Venza's hybrid drive train. As with many hybrids, with the electronic fob in the car with you, you step on the brake, push the power button , and the electrical system powers up with a "READY" green light on the panel. If the battery is sufficiently charged (and the gas engine warm enough or at rest), you will take off in silence, on the electric motors. The CVT transmission is a generally pleasant experience, help by the aforementioned fore-aft shift-lever. It starts off ultra-silky and quiet, and, if desired, has a Sport Mode with several imitation '"Gears" (or drive-belt positions), that can be +/- manually-shifted with the lever (which also works as smooth as silk. This is not a performance vehicle by any means, but power is adequate for most normal driving in most conditions. On significant or harder acceleration, the gas engine cuts in with some minor engine noise. The aforementioned Hybrid-Flow-Meter will show you what power source you are on at any given second. There is an ECO/NORMAL/SPORT drive-mode selector-switch on the console, but I found little difference in road manners with it....all three positions, to my senses, produced about the same level of steering-response/feel, transmission response, and ride-quality. Some road noise comes through on coarse asphalt pavement (the type that is commonly used for anti-skid nowadays)....but, on traditional smooth surfaces, road noise is quite low, as wind-noise from the well-sealed doors/windows. Ride quality was generally smooth over bumps in all three drive-modes, although there was a slight amount of fore/aft pitching/bobbing that is common in small-to-medium-size crossovers. Hybrids were once known for jerky and over-sensitive brake-pedal response, but the Venza's brakes, like much of its other characteristics, were smooth and linear...the engineers apparently also spent time on that system. But the brake pedal, as sometimes happens with my big Men's-Size-15 clown-shoes, was not well-located for big feet shifting from the gas-pedal to brake....you had to be careful, lift your foot, and make sure the edge of the shoe did not hang up on the side of the brake pedal. Ford, a number of years ago, used to offer a system that power-adjusted the height of the pedals, but that had only limited usefulness, as it adjusted both pedals together in unison, not independent of each other where it would have done more good. I'd like to see that automakers include a system (although it would, of course, add to costs) that allowed separate adjustment of the brake and gas-pedal-height. Still, all in all, with the Venza, a relatively minor issue.
THE VERDICT:
I'll repeat what I said up front.....IMO, this is the vehicle that the First-Generation Lexus NX should have been, several years ago, and wasn't. The NX, IMO, appeared to be built to a tight budget, and Lexus clearly skimped on some things. That's not the case with the Venza, although if one really wants to nit-pick, yes, the Venza could have had gas struts under the hood, a less-tacky mount for the video-screen, and perhaps a little more sound-insulation in the wheel wells for coarse pavement.
But, even for a loaded top-line Limited-Trim model, the 40-50K, IMO, would be money well-spent, as long as you are not looking for something with spot-oriented road manners. The Venza's ultra-smooth drivetrain, generally smooth road manners (though there is some slight bobbing), well-trimmed interior, and sedate driving character are more in line with everyday commuting/shopping and relaxing long trips than canyon-carving on twisty roads....though cargo capacity suffers a little comparison to its cheaper brother RAV-4. Fit/finish and assembly quality delivers for the price. With the hybrid gas-mileage, you will also save some fuel while doing so. And, of course, there is Toyota's solid record of reliability to fall back on...though not quite today what it once was, still better than average.
And, as Always, Happy Vehicle-Shopping.
MM
__________________
DRIVING IS BELIEVING
A Review of the all-new American-market Toyota Venza.
https://www.toyota.com/venza/
IN A NUTSHELL: This what the original Lexus NX should have been, and wasn't.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Simply too many to list in a practical sense...they easily run into the dozens. The absolute closest one I could think of would probably be somewhere between a loaded Honda CR-V Hybrid and an Acura RDX.....and the RDX lacks a hybrid option.
OVERVIEW:
Toyota introduced the First-Generation Venza to the American market in 2008, based on the Camry-sedan platform, which was, in effect (but not exactly), a raised-suspension Camry with a somewhat-revised wagon body and a choice of FWD or AWD....and a normally-aspirated in-line four or V6, depending on the FWD or AWD. Honda did more or less the same thing with its awkwardly-styled Crosstour, which was done on the Accord's platform, but had a most un-wagon like droop to the rear, which limited cargo room too much. Neither were ultimately successful competing against the tremendously successful Subaru Outback, and both were withdrawn from the American market. I think that what killed the First-Generation Venza the most (in 2017), was not its basic design, which IMO was actually pretty nice, and certainly not its good reliability, but the ridiculous 19 and 20-inch wheels, which not only gave an overly-firm ride for a vehicle in that class, but which Toyota refused to downsize, in spite of customer complaints. The new Second-Generation Venza corrects at least part of that mistake, with a choice of 18 or 19-inch wheels.
The Second-Generation Venza is based on an entirely different platform. This time, instead of the XV-40 Camry platform, it uses the Japanese-market Toyota Harrier XU-80 platform, and is essentially a rebadged version of the Harrier, converted to American-market specs. For the American-market trim, it comes in a gas/electric hybrid version only. Size-wise, it slots in roughly between the RAV-4 and Highlander, though in actual cubic-feet measurements, its interior, perhaps because of the bolder styling, is less-roomy than the latest RAV-4. Particularly in the American market, among small-to-medium-size crossover-SUVs, there are so many different competitors, potential competitors, and upcoming competitors that I'm not going to even bother to try and list them all here....they easily run into several dozen. Welcome to the Age of the Crossover.
Three basic versions of the Venza are available in the American market....the base LE ($32,470), mid-range XLE ($36,000), and the top-line Limited ($39,800). Except for trim and convince features, there is little difference mechanically between the three versions. All three come with the same drivetrain.....AWD, with one electric motor powering the rear wheels, the normally-aspirated in-line 2.5L in-line 4 gas engine and two electric motors powering the front wheels, and a CVT (Continuously-Variable Transmission), for a system-total of 219 HP....Toyota does not publish torque-figures for hybrid powertrains on its web sites. Unless one specifically wants the added standard features on the upmarket versions, that relative uniformity, IMO, makes the base LE version a rather attractive buy....and 32K is probably not a bad starting price considering the amount of sophisticated hybrid equipment standard on it. The base LE version also gets the smoother-riding 18 inch wheels that should have come on the first-generation model, and didn't....the others get 19s.
Toyota have almost always rated well above average in reliability, and many of them reach 200,000 miles or more without having to be scrapped. They still rate very high in reliability, but, in general, although there have been some exceptions (like the 4Runner and Land Cruiser), a lot of newer Toyota products have not impressed me with their general build-solidness, quality of interior materials, or in terms of what they really deliver for the money. The corporation seemed to be reading on the laurels of their own (previous) success. With the Venza, that seems to be changing...at least to my senses and judgements. The Venzas I looked at today (a Limited and an couple of XLEs) seem to be out-doing comparable Lexus SUVs in this size and price class....Fit/finish and material quality-wise, I'd chose a Venza, blindfolded, before I would a current Lexus NX. *(See the additional note below)
*(I also want to note that the best fit/finish I saw on Venzas today, perhaps not surprisingly, was on a showroom-model Limited that had apparently been given a lot of wax, silicone-spray inside, and a generally very high level of detailing. It also had an extra-cost Blizzard White Pearl paint job that appeared to have got extra attention even in the factory before it was shipped. The other Venzas I looked at were above-average in fit/finish, but not quite to the level of that really nice one in the showroom)
I also briefly looked over a new Highlander in the showroom, and was equally as impressed with its build-solidness and fit/finish as I was with the Venza....and, of course being a higher-line vehicle, its interior trim was even more plush. Toyota designers have apparently taken some of the cheapness-complaints to heart, and are doing something about it.
For the test-drive, I chose a burgundy-colored XLE model (also an extra-cost paint job), with light gray SofTex fake-leather interior and a light-colored wood-tone trim, that listed for around 40K...a reasonable price, IMO, for what this vehicle delivers, even excluding any incentives or discounts (which are not likely on a brand-new Toyota model).
MODEL REVIEWED: 2021 Toyota Venza XLE
BASE PRICE: $36,000
OPTIONS:
Ruby Flare Pearl Paint: $425
Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation and JBL and SofTex Package: $2560
DELIVERY/PROCESSING/HANDLING FEE: $1175 (over $1000 for this is becoming common these days)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $40,160
EXTERIOR COLOR: Ruby Flare Pearl
INTERIOR: Light Gray SofTex seats / Light Birch Woodtone trim
DRIVETRAIN: AWD Hybrid, 2.5L normally-aspirated in-line gas-engine 4, Three permanent-magnet electric motors (combined 219 HP), CVT (Continuously-Variable-Transmission).
EPA MILEAGE RATINGS: 40 City, 37 Highway, 39 Combined
(Unlike conventional vehicles, Gas/Electric Hybrids end to do better in the city than on the highway, because the gas engine runs less often recharging the Hybrid-Battery, and more time is spent on the pure-electrics)
PLUSSES: (+)
Enormous dealer-network nationwide for convenient sales/service.
Toyota reputation for reliability.
Silky-smooth/quiet drivetrain, particularly on the electrics.
Silky-smooth braking-action.
Reasonably good handling concerning the ride-comfort level.
Excellent exterior/interior fit/finish.
Solid-feeling doors and exterior sheet metal.
Decent underhood layout concerning the complexity of the drivetrain.
Superlative fake leather inside on many surfaces...I couldn't tell the difference.
Excellent fore/aft (real-leather-covered) console-shift-lever design.
Excellent stereo sound quality.
Rock-solid sun-visor attachments.
Well-damped stalk-motion on the steering column.
Full-size temporary spare in the cargo area.
MINUSES: (-)
Boring and limited exterior paint-color choice.
Hatch-lid rake-angle compromises some cargo room for tall objects
Tacky-looking sideo-sceen housing and mount.
Rear-seat headroom marginal for those over six feet.
Underhood prop-rod unsuitable for an SUV in this class.
Not much difference between ECO/SPORT/NORMAL drive-modes.
Some road noise over coarse pavement (but not bad).
Brake pedal not well-located for large feet.
EXTERIOR:
Outside, as you first walk up to the new Venza, its general styling, while definitely on the sport-oriented size by crossover/SUV standards, is noticeably less bold or In-Your-Face than some other recent Toyota products. The black spindle-effect of the grille and front end is still there, but now somewhat muted. The Toyota designers seemed to have finally gotten the message...it certainly doesn't scream at you like the current Lexus RX or Toyota Avalon. But the most impressive feature outside is clearly the fit/finish and assembly-quality. Particularly on the Pearl-White Limited version I mentioned above, the paint job and chrome-trim/brushed-metal pieces were as smooth and well-finished as the surface of a gem. Many new vehicles have tinny sheet metal and tinny-feeling doors.....not the Venza, which, in comparison, felt and shut with a solid thunk....I suspect that some of the heft in the doors is a good amount of sound-insulation and multi-paneled glass....though some road noise did get through on coarse pavement, which I'll get into later. I wasn't impressed with the general choice of exterior paint-colors, though.....in most cases, the usual three or four Neutral colors, plus dark red and dark blue (in other words, it mimics the choice of many other vehicles). Even on the Limited version, a belt of black cladding runs around the lower body, but not up around the wheel wells. I know some people don't care for the black cladding, and prefer body-color paint all the way down the side (I respect that view), but I myself like the two-tone effect of the black or dark-gray cladding, and the protection gives the lower-body from damage from salt and road-debris...especially important, IMO, with a really nice smooth paint job like this vehicle has. As I mentioned earlier, the last-generation Venza used oversize wagon-wheels that made the ride too firm....19 inch wheels are still on the upmarket versions of the new Venza, but the base version uses a more-reasonable 18-inch size, with 60-series profiles. Even the 19-inch wheels, though, now come with 55-series profiles, which aren't too bad.....more on the ride quality below, in the ON THE ROAD section. In back, the full-width taillights span the entire deck-lid....an increasingly common styling-theme on crossovers and SUVs.
UNDERHOOD:
You must fumble with a manual prop-rod to open the hood...IMO, a nice vehicle in this class should have gas struts or hold-up springs. On the underside of the hood is the usual sound-insulation pad. With a gas engine, a CVT, and two electric motors on the front drivetrain, things are naturally a little tight underhood laterally, but, since there is no large plastic gas-engine cover, it is relatively easy to reach a number of components from above. The dipstick, fluid-reservoirs, and filler-caps, as with most vehicles, are generally easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Material quality and fit/finish is as good, if not better, inside the Venza as it is outside. The fake-leather and Alcantra/suede-feel trim covering the upper part of the dash and door panels is excellent, and even the non-fake-leather surfaces on the upper dash have a soft feel to them. The wood-tones used are clearly fake (you can definitely tell they aren't real)...but, nonetheless, have what IMO is a nice pleasant look and grain-texture to them, particularly the light-colored woodtone in my test vehicle. The twin stalks on the steering column are parts-bin Toyota, but smooth-operating and well-damped. The front seats are comfortable and fit the contours of my big frame very well. The rear seats are generally comfortable for tallish people, and headroom is not bad once you get in, but those over six feet tall (like me), unless they duck their heads way down, may bump them on the upper-door frame when getting in...a concession to sport-oriented styling. Legroom in the rear, depending on how the front seat is adjusted, is not limo-like, but not bad for this size vehicle. The top-line Venza Limited, as an option, is one of the first American-market Toyotas to get the Star-Gaze roof-option, which offers the choice of clear/transparent or opaque glass at the push of a button....something I personally could do without, although it is clearly preferable, IMO, to the possibility of a conventional electric sunroof (or power windows) failing and and being stuck open as a nice rainstorm is coming up.
A weak point (and something that clearly wears over time) in many vehicles is the hinge-attachments for the sun visors. They tend to get loose and allow the visor to sag down a little, or the snap-lock weakens and doesn't provide a solid grip any more. The snap-lock for the Venza's sun-visors is one of the strongest I've felt in quite a while....they should stay in place a long time.
Most of the ergonomics inside are good-to-excellent, and the gauges are clear, colorful, and easy to read, with bright blue needles. The operation of the video-screen controls/icons is one of the best I've seen yet from Toyota, and the stereo sound quality is excellent...my test vehicle had the Premium Audio package-option. A hybrid power-flow-indicator can be configured if desired, which will show you when you are running on either the gas or electrics (or both). A superb (and, IMO, properly-designed) fore/aft-motion shift lever for the CVT transmission is on the console (no zigzags), and smoothly glides through the gear-ranges like butter....too many vehicles today are dumping this for quirky push/pull buttons, rotary-twist-knobs, E-joysticks, L-shaped patterns, and other gimmicks. My advice to those automakers....don't fix what ain't broke. Being a state-of-the-art vehicle, virtually all of the conveniences, Multimedia, and safety features one would expect are included or available, particularly on the Limited model.
The only really tacky-looking thing inside, IMO, is something that Toyota, Ford/Lincoln, and some other automakers seem fixated on...the Etch-a-Sketch-type mounting of the video-screen housing on top of the dash, instead of properly integrating it into the dash like GM, Kia, and other automakers do. Some people don't mind it, but I'm just not a fan of that tacked-on look...in the Venza's case, mounted directly over the center-dash air-vents. But it wouldn't necessarily be a deal-breaker in my book....there are plenty of other nice things in this vehicle to compensate.
CARGO AREA:
Lift the hatch-lid, which, of course, is power-operated in the upper trim versions, and the cargo area is generally roomy and well-done, although the relatively sharp forward-rake of the rear window (a concession to sport-oriented styling) compromises the ability somewhat to carry large bulky items...the cheaper RAV-4, with its more squared-off traditional SUV styling, might be a better choice for that. The materials used in the cargo area are of high quality and fit/finish...the pull-out cargo cover hardware, in particular, feels solid and well-constructed, particularly in comparison to the almost-junk one in past Toyota Prius models, which felt almost like a piece of paper. The usual cargo-accessories (net, all-rubber-mat, cargo-separators, etc...), if not standard, are available. Under the pull-up floor panel is a full-sized temporary spare. While I still would prefer to see a real usable spare tire/wheel assembly that could be rotated with the other tires like years ago, a full-size temporary spare, at least, beats poorly-done substitutes like donut-spares, run-flat-tires (which are usually only good for 50 miles), and impressed-air Fix-a-Flat bottles. If the automakers aren't going to use real spares any more (and, except for some trucks and off-road-designed vehicles, they usually don't nowadays), then, IMO, a full-size temporary spare should be made standard, even by regulation if necessary.
ON THE ROAD:
Even with the CVT transmission (many reviewers don't like typical CVTs for their driving characteristics), a fair amount of work and engineering went into the Venza's hybrid drive train. As with many hybrids, with the electronic fob in the car with you, you step on the brake, push the power button , and the electrical system powers up with a "READY" green light on the panel. If the battery is sufficiently charged (and the gas engine warm enough or at rest), you will take off in silence, on the electric motors. The CVT transmission is a generally pleasant experience, help by the aforementioned fore-aft shift-lever. It starts off ultra-silky and quiet, and, if desired, has a Sport Mode with several imitation '"Gears" (or drive-belt positions), that can be +/- manually-shifted with the lever (which also works as smooth as silk. This is not a performance vehicle by any means, but power is adequate for most normal driving in most conditions. On significant or harder acceleration, the gas engine cuts in with some minor engine noise. The aforementioned Hybrid-Flow-Meter will show you what power source you are on at any given second. There is an ECO/NORMAL/SPORT drive-mode selector-switch on the console, but I found little difference in road manners with it....all three positions, to my senses, produced about the same level of steering-response/feel, transmission response, and ride-quality. Some road noise comes through on coarse asphalt pavement (the type that is commonly used for anti-skid nowadays)....but, on traditional smooth surfaces, road noise is quite low, as wind-noise from the well-sealed doors/windows. Ride quality was generally smooth over bumps in all three drive-modes, although there was a slight amount of fore/aft pitching/bobbing that is common in small-to-medium-size crossovers. Hybrids were once known for jerky and over-sensitive brake-pedal response, but the Venza's brakes, like much of its other characteristics, were smooth and linear...the engineers apparently also spent time on that system. But the brake pedal, as sometimes happens with my big Men's-Size-15 clown-shoes, was not well-located for big feet shifting from the gas-pedal to brake....you had to be careful, lift your foot, and make sure the edge of the shoe did not hang up on the side of the brake pedal. Ford, a number of years ago, used to offer a system that power-adjusted the height of the pedals, but that had only limited usefulness, as it adjusted both pedals together in unison, not independent of each other where it would have done more good. I'd like to see that automakers include a system (although it would, of course, add to costs) that allowed separate adjustment of the brake and gas-pedal-height. Still, all in all, with the Venza, a relatively minor issue.
THE VERDICT:
I'll repeat what I said up front.....IMO, this is the vehicle that the First-Generation Lexus NX should have been, several years ago, and wasn't. The NX, IMO, appeared to be built to a tight budget, and Lexus clearly skimped on some things. That's not the case with the Venza, although if one really wants to nit-pick, yes, the Venza could have had gas struts under the hood, a less-tacky mount for the video-screen, and perhaps a little more sound-insulation in the wheel wells for coarse pavement.
But, even for a loaded top-line Limited-Trim model, the 40-50K, IMO, would be money well-spent, as long as you are not looking for something with spot-oriented road manners. The Venza's ultra-smooth drivetrain, generally smooth road manners (though there is some slight bobbing), well-trimmed interior, and sedate driving character are more in line with everyday commuting/shopping and relaxing long trips than canyon-carving on twisty roads....though cargo capacity suffers a little comparison to its cheaper brother RAV-4. Fit/finish and assembly quality delivers for the price. With the hybrid gas-mileage, you will also save some fuel while doing so. And, of course, there is Toyota's solid record of reliability to fall back on...though not quite today what it once was, still better than average.
And, as Always, Happy Vehicle-Shopping.
MM
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DRIVING IS BELIEVING
