Toyota has been taking it in the shorts lately. Chief Akio Toyoda has claimed the company is “grasping for salvation” and needs to get back to the job of building cars that people can be passionate about. Even though sales are down, they’re still surpassing rivals – but in reality, Toyota has long been a purveyor of really good appliances.
Enter the Toyota Venza . Although not stirring in the same way a Supra was able to rile up the fanboys, it still makes a statement when properly equipped. We saw the makings of some really intriguing concept cars as displayed last year at the 2008 SEMA show, and we know that attention to detail can make a difference in moving the metal.
What is it?
We are not quite sure what to call it. According to the Monroney window sticker that comes attached to the, uh, vehicle, Toyota officially calls it “Venza V6 5-DR SDN FWD.” Does that make it a crossover, sedan, station wagon or SUV? Yes. Read on.
What’s it up against?
As we stated at the Venza’s launch, its main competitors are the Lexus RX 350, Ford Flex, Saab 9-3 SportCombi, Subaru Outback and Volvo V70. And that’s just a portion of a field that grows more crowded each day.
Any breakthroughs?
Designed by the artists at Toyota’s Calty Design facility in Newport Beach, California, the Venza does not exactly break any new ground. But what it does manage to do is combine many existing technologies and features into a new overall package. The result is a car-like ride coupled with the utility of an SUV or wagon or sedan, depending on what you want to haul.
How does it look?
The Venza looks like the love child resulting from a one-night-stand between a Toyota Camry and a Lexus RX 350 , albeit a love child that spent some time in the alleys of Los Angeles’ customizing communities.
A squashed down roof combines with the tall sides currently en vogue (and mandated by increasingly stringent safety regulations) to give it a chopped RX sort of look.
Along the leading edge, a wing-like grille that looks inspired by the Camry points the way and flares out to the squared-off fenders and wheel wells. The Venza appears to ride higher, prompting a call for taller tires, but lends a bit of utility to this vehicle that is almost guaranteed never to choose to venture off road. The turf of a soccer field is about as wild as this ride will ever see.
There’s nothing quite like a hot hatch, as customizers know. They’re not the target market for the Venza by any means – Toyota would like to see empty nesters and young couples taking Venzas home – but it seems like the look was penned in their favor. We like the overall execution, even if it doesn’t quite know what it wants to be.
And on the inside?
A well-designed cockpit area features some clever and some not-so-obvious designs in the dash and center console area. The gauge cluster is smart ly thought out with a blue-ringed speedo dominating center, flanked by a tachometer on the left and fuel and temperature gauges at right. Redundant controls on the steering wheel include audio and Bluetooth telephone controls, as well as the ubiquitous cruise control stalk that pokes out at a four-o’clock angle. Kudos to the Toyota designers for engineering a telescoping steering wheel that guarantees a good driving position for virtually every sized driver.
Seats were comfortable for extended drives but, like most offerings in this class, offered little in the way of side-bolstering. And they still must have lots of puckered leather seat covers left over from an old Chrysler LeBaron leather supplier in the factory, otherwise we would have thought the interior would be more contemporary appearing than when we saw it during the Venza’s launch a year ago.
We found ourselves constantly putting our hand at rest on the shifter knob, for no other reason than it was placed in a logical position to do so. Rear seating offered more than adequate legroom, with the added bonus of reclining backrests. On the other hand, we liked the cargo-area levers in the rear, which activated the fold-flat function so we could double the cargo capacity from 34.4 cubic feet to 70.1 cubic feet of beer run capacity with the seats folded down. This was more than sufficient to transport the kids off to college.
The JBL voice activated touch-screen DVD navigation system with hands free phone capability and Bluetooth connectivity were up to their respective jobs, quickly linking with new phones and taking orders.
But does it go?
Our test Venza featured the 3.5-liter V6, which produces 268 horsepower and 246 lb-ft. of torque that was more than enough to cut into traffic that was already moving at quite a clip. Although offered with an optional all-wheel-drive package, our Venza was of the front-drive persuasion, which is more than adequate for warm climate homesteads. The six-speed automatic transmission offered flawless shifting with little in the way of tranny noise penetrating the cabin. It also offered the opportunity to row the gears yourself through its slap-shift function. Somehow, though a manumatic doesn’t seem appropriate in a non-sporty station wagon. Oops, there, we said it.
Road feel was excellent, although not Mini Cooper quick, but it just goes to show, that not every car need be a sports or enthusiast special to be good. The electronic powered rack and pinion steering was very direct, and managed to instill confidence through the curves. While decidedly not the latest in modern suspension technology, the MacPherson struts at both front and rear managed to keep the Venza firmly planted, and would be more than sufficient on any off-pavement assignment an all-wheel-drive variant might face. Just remember, though: This is no Land Rover . It offers marginally more off road capability than a Camry.
Our Venza FWD tipped the scale with a slightly-less-than-whale-like 3,870 lb. curb weight. Though our tester was not equipped as such, a V6 model with the optional towing package could tow up to 3,500 lbs. should that need be required. And by the numbers, the EPA pegs the Venza at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, about what we saw in our testing.
Why you would buy it:
You are ready to trade up from that lowly minivan to a happening shape that can do virtually everything the last ride could do, only this time with a bit more style thrown in for good measure.
Why you wouldn’t:
Because although you most likely would never go off road into the deep woods, you at least want to look like you could.
Leftlane’s bottom line:
The Toyota Venza is a new contemporary look at a design niche that many thought was dead. Well laid out, it can do everything that a minivan or SUV can and it can look better – to most non-enthusiast eyes – than either at the same time. It’s typically Toyota all the way through, which means it will resonate true with some but scare off others.
2009 Toyota Venza FWD base price, $27,800. As tested, $37,485.
Rear seat DVD, $1,680; Premium Package #2, $4,345; Navigation, $2,590; Floor mats, $269; Wheel locks, $81; Destination, $720.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
