2009 Toyota Venza Review

2009 Toyota Venza - Pleasant surprise.

By: John Stein

As wagons go, the new Toyota Venza is a stylish offering that does everything a wagon should -- and then so much more. You won't find me stumping for wagons very often, but after the Dodge Magnum, in my humble opinion the coolest looking modern wagon ever, this Venza is pretty great at being different, yet sophisticated.

At first glance, the 2009 Venza may appear to be a great-looking wagon that you didn't initially realize was even a Toyota. Nothing wrong with that, I especially enjoy surprises that deliver more than I had been expecting. And that's the case with the Venza.

The Venza is pretty straightforward when it comes to trim lines and options. You have a choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive and 4-cylinder or V6 power. From there, you add on the packages to suit your tastes. Pricing starts at $23,000 and gradually climbs up to $28,000.

My Venza tester was the V6 model with AWD. A luscious Barcelona Red Metallic hue enveloped the sleek exterior lines and tight overhangs, giving it an especially distinctive, yet compact first impression. But don't be fooled, that's just great Toyota engineering and design at work. The V6 Venza sits on 20-inch rims, rides higher than a sedan and delivers exceptional utilitarian function inside. There is really nothing remotely compact about it once you get inside.

Based on the Avalon sedan, there is nothing small about the Venza. Toyota quality is prevalent throughout the vehicle, which easily accommodates five adults. You could start to consider this a cross between the Highlander and the Avalon, but it really would not do justice to the great combination of utility and plush sedan-like handling Venza delivers.

The front-wheel-drive base model Venza offers a brand new Toyota 16-valve, 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine that generates 182 horsepower and 182 lb.-ft. of torque. The EPA rating on the I-4 puts Venza at 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway, which is what you might expect from a wagon weighing in at more than 4,300 lbs. Both the I-4 and V6 engines are mated to a wonderful 6-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift that helps aid fuel economy.

My tester had the upgrade 24-valve, 3.5-liter V6, rated at 268 hp and 246 lb.-ft. at 4,700 rpm. This is the engine you really want in your Venza if you plan to have a family load of passengers or "stuff" on a regular basis. This V6 has great power on demand and it jumps on command to wherever you point it. My all-wheel-drive Venza was rated at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

While it certainly is not an SUV, the 20-inch rims make it feel like you are riding higher (8.1 inches ground clearance) than the average sedan. That bodes well for the overall driving experience because the Venza is almost 190 inches long, which is longer than the Highlander.

Inside the cabin you have comfortable surroundings. My tester had the Premium Package #2 ($4,345) that added chrome accents, power, leather seats and accents, mahogany wood-grain style trim, an intelligent key with push button start, back-up camera and power rear-door jam protection. If you have kids, the last two items are worth the entire cost of the package (but the wood trim and leather are very nice, too).

Cabin room is generous, with front passenger leg and headroom more than average and rear passenger legroom ample. You could actually sit three adults in the back of the Venza. That's not something you can say about other sedans. Rear seats have a 60-40 split with easy access to the back utility area.

New for the 2009 model year, Toyota is branding the STAR Safety System. All Venza models come with seven airbags (including a driver's knee airbag), stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes and brake assist, as well as active head restraints for the driver and front passenger. The STAR safety system is also standard equipped with Hill-Start Assist Control.

My Venza included a $1,050 panoramic glass moonroof with tilt and slide and a $2,590 navigation, communications and premium audio system. The moonroof really added to the roomy feel of the interior and the audio upgrade seemed like a lavish extravagance - even though it sounded awesome.

Overall, the Venza I tested topped out at $38,224, a far cry from the base $23K, but it is certainly more Avalon-like than Yaris-like in every respect. I like the utility it offers and I was really impressed with the overall ride and drive experience.

John Stein

John Stein grew up in an extended family that valued the art of going fast. Spending plenty of weekends at U.S. 30 Drag Strip and Sante Fe Speedway, he fondly remembers the screaming machines and the flying mud that made those long-gone racing havens such special memories. With plenty of late nights spent ‘tinkering’ with cars throughout high school, he never anticipated his interest cars and his love for writing might find a common ground. After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1988, John started writing for the weekly Southtown Economist. So, when the Economist went to a daily in 1994, and needed an auto editor, John took the proverbial steering wheel. Featured weekly in the Sun-Times and its 17 suburban publications, as well as ELITE Magazine, John balances being the Automotive Editor for Sun-Time Media with being a husband and dad in Plainfield, Illinois.

2009 Toyota Venza Review

2009 Toyota Venza - Pleasant surprise.

John Stein

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