All-New 2009 Toyota Venza Review

Perhaps the best way to conceptualize the Toyota Venza is by thinking of it as half Toyota Highlander, and half Toyota Camry. The Venza rides on the same platform, offers ample interior space and the same ground clearance of the Highlander, but shares no interior pieces or body panels with either the Camry or Highlander. Although it may not know whether it’s a wagon or a crossover, the Venza is certainly good looking. Inside the Toyota Venza, drivers will find an equally attractive interior with high quality materials and plenty of space. There are also several options packages that will help make the Venza surprisingly luxurious. The interior also provides excellent ergonomics, such as the location of the gear shifter on the upper portion of the center stack. Sit-in height is also optimal, with hassle free ingress and egress. Potential Venza buyers will also find a slew of Toyota accessories available to further personalize their new crossover both inside and out.The Toyota Venza even provides plenty of attractive features and options, such as a powerful 13-speaker JBL sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, and even a place to store you’re your portable music devices within the center console. Rear seat room should easily accommodate adult passengers with ease, thanks to large seats and loads of legroom. There is even an optional rear sunroof to help brighten up rear seat quarters. Overall, the rear seats should provide enough room to keep everyone happy. Powering the new Toyota Venza is base 2.7-liter four cylinder engine, which will soon be available in the Highlander. With 182 and 182 lb ft of torque, the engine is powerful for a four cylinder, but many Venza buyers will likely opt for the larger, more powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine which produces 268 horsepower and 246 lb ft of torque. The engine is capable of propelling an all-wheel drive Venza to 60 in only 6.5 seconds. Although there’s plenty of power with the V6, you will only be able to tow about 3500 pounds with this vehicle. Thanks to sporty 20-inch wheels, the Venza also handles well for a larger crossover and is certainly on par with the competition.Although there won’t be too many drivers that will say the Toyota Venza is a blast to drive, the performance characteristics will certainly meet the needs of most drivers considering the crossover. Consumers will have to expect prices higher than those of the Camry when checking out the vehicle in showrooms. The base Venza is priced just below $27,000, with base front-wheel drive V6 Venza starting at around $28,000. The Venza offers good looks and excellent driving dynamics, but we expect many consumers checking out the Venza to end up with either a Camry or Highlander.