2009 Toyota Venza Review

PROS Great interior room and comfort, Smart control layout, Maneuverable crossover size

CONS Confused ride, Underpowered standard engine,

As the era of the minivan continues to wane, sales of crossover sport-utility vehicles are growing at an exponential rate. The crossover blends the styling of an SUV with the practicality of a minivan and the frugality of a sedan to create a new type of vehicle that's neither fish nor fowl. Regardless, buyers seem to like the new crossover and automakers can't build them quickly enough.

Toyota's latest attempt is the Venza. It is a four-door wagon that seats five and is available with either front- or all-wheel drive. As a crossover, Venza leans decidedly toward the sedan side of the equation. It slots in to Toyota's lineup between Camry and Highlander and actually shares some basic chassis elements with those two. Direct competitors in the market include the Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Journey, Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, and Nissan Murano.

Venza is offered in a single trim level, with a choice of two engines. A 182-horsepower 2.7-liter four-cylinder is standard. Optional is a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6. The sole transmission offering is a six-speed automatic. When properly equipped, the four-cylinder can tow up to 2500 pounds, and the V6 up to 3500 pounds.

Standard safety features include antilock four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, stability control, tire-pressure monitor, and dual-front, front-side, driver-knee, and curtain-side airbags. A rear-view camera is a $570 stand-alone option. Park assist is not offered.

Standard equipment includes air conditioning with dual-zone automatic climate controls,
Tilt-telescope steering wheel with integrated radio controls, cruise control, front bucket seats, eight-way power driver seat, center console, split-folding rear seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM radio with in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 changer and digital-media player connection, trip computer, outside-temperature indicator, variable-intermittent wipers, automatic day/night rearview mirror, universal garage door opener, illuminated visor mirrors, cargo cover, rear defogger, rear wiper, automatic-off headlights, theft-deterrent system, rear-privacy glass, rear spoiler, fog lights, 245/55R19 tires (four-cylinder) or 245/50R20 tires (V6), and alloy wheels.

Options include, leather upholstery, navigation system, keyless starting, panoramic sunroof, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and Bluetooth cell-phone link. Four-cylinder models list for $25,975 and the V6 lists for $27,800. All-wheel drive adds $1450 to the price of either. All include a $750 destination charge and are assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Get Up and Go  Venza's base engine doesn't pack a very impressive punch and strains in highway passing situations. Zero to 60 mph is in the 10 second range and that's subpar for the class. Unless fuel economy is your ultimate concern the V6 is a much wiser choice.

With 268 horsepower the engine is silky smooth and plenty powerful. The 0 to 60 mph time drops to around seven seconds, which is great for the class. V6-powered Venzas really move out from a stop and there's more than enough power in merging and passing situations.

Both engines mate well to the standard six-speed automatic transmission. Up shifts are smooth and downshifts prompt. The transmission needs to shift quite a bit to help the four-cylinder engine keep pace and this grows annoying when navigating hilly terrain.

Venza's all-wheel drive system is not designed for severe off-road use. There's no low range and ground clearance isn't much better than your average sedan. That said, the system does a good job of limiting wheel spin on snow or rain covered roads and should be more than up to the challenge of a Chicago winter.

EPA ratings for Venza vary depending on engine choice. The front-drive four-cylinder is the mileage champ, clocking in at 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. Front-drive V6 models are rated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. All-wheel-drive versions lose one mile per gallon in both the city and highway tests.

Thankfully, both engines run fine on regular-grade gasoline and return impressive real-world fuel economy numbers. With the V6/AWD combo you should expect to average about 20 mpg, about as good as you are going to see in the class. If your commute includes lots of open-road highway driving you might be able to register 22 mpg.

On the Road  Venza can't quite decide if it's a luxury crossover or a sport wagon, meaning that the ride doesn't feel as composed as it should. The large 19- or 20-inch wheels and softly spring suspension don't work well together as the combo provides too much float and bounce on bumpy roads and not enough impact absorption when traversing expansion joints or minor pavement imperfections. The ride's not annoying, its just can't make up its mind if it wants to be Euro firm or American luxury.

Though the Venza isn't as car-like to drive as the Mazda CX-7 or Nissan Murano, most drivers will feel that it is agile enough for everyday cut-and-thrust driving. When pushed hard into a corner, Venza leans over and reminds enthusiastic drivers to slow down a trifle. That's a shame because the accurate steering is nicely weighted and the brakes have ample stopping power.

Interior noise levels aren't what I've come to expect from Toyota. There's a fair amount of engine noise in hard acceleration and even some tire roar on coarse surfaces. Those aren't necessarily bad things as neither intrudes much on passenger comfort and helps impart a more visceral experience that's been missing from some recent Toyota models.

Behind the Wheel  From its stubby, dash-mounted shifter to its linear dash top, the interior of the Venza holds many minivan trademarks. Thankfully, the design is made more sporty by the full-length center console. Materials are appropriate for the price, but no more.

The layout is impressively simple, featuring simple and easy-to-read gauges, handy and well-marked controls for the audio and climate control and thoughtfully placed ancillary controls for windows, mirrors, and locks. Though the optional navigation system absorbs some of the radio controls, it doesn't complicate those functions. About the only downfall is the lack of iPod support from the audio system.

Front seats are chair-like but offer good support and comfort. There's ample head and leg room. Standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel and power driver seat make it easy to find a good driving position. Visibility is good forward and to the sides. Like most crossovers, the rear pillars force a lot of neck straining when backing. Thankfully a rear-view camera is available.

Rear-seat passengers are treated to nicely finished and comfortable adult-size seats. There's plenty of head and leg room and the driveline hump isn't too intrusive, so three-across seating is real possibility. The rear seat backs recline and there's lots of toe room under the front seats.

Venza's step-in height is among the lowest in the class, making it easy for passengers to get in and out.

Because the Venza is a true midsize, ultimate cargo space falls short of direct competitors, but in terms of real-world usefulness it is more than enough. The rear seatbacks don't fold completely flat, but the tailgate it large and the load floor is low. Interior storage is great with lots of cubbies and bins. The front-door map pockets are quite useful as well.

Bottom Line  In many ways, Venza isn't your typical Toyota. The styling is daring, the ride isn't soft and queasy, and you can actually hear the engine working. At the same time, Venza is very Toyota. It's surprisingly roomy and much more practical than a run-of-the-mill SUV.

Unless fuel economy is your ultimate goal, avoid the underpowered four cylinder and opt for the smooth-running V6. Venza prices are quite reasonable to start, but adding just a few options ups the ante quite a bit, so choose wisely. Given the usefulness of the design and Toyota's reputation for quality and resale, Venza makes a lot sense for today's on-the-go families.