2009 Toyota Venza Review
MORE: Toyota Specs, Comparisons and Prices - Toyota Buyers Guide
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
WITH CAREY RUSS
2009 Toyota Venza
Life used to be simple. "Car" meant either sedan, with an emphasis on practicality and room for four or more, or coupe, with a sportier mien and space for four or less. Then came the station wagon, originally a specially-bodied vehicle on a production chassis made for the purpose of transporting groups of people from the train station to a hotel, and later a standard production model based on a sedan. Larger utility vehicles existed to carry more people, or more cargo, than could fit in a sedan or wagon.
Then, in the early 1990s, the evolutionary pace quickened
with the "crossover" idea. At first, this meant a vehicle that was a cross
between a car and SUV, with the comfort and handling of a car and brawny
looks of the (then) truck-based SUV. Then, adaptive radiation at its
finest, crosses of myriad, sometimes strange, kinds were offered for sale.
Sport utility with sports car? It's been tried.. ("Sport" sells, right?)
And to further confuse automotive taxonomy, long-established SUVs lost
their body-on-frame construction and became crossover-like unibodies. Was
"crossover" becoming passe'?
Not if indicated by what I've been driving recently, as most
test "cars" fit in some manner into the crossover category. But there must
be a way to distinguish yet another crossover, lest it be lost in the
crowd...
Which brings me to this week's subject, the 2009 Toyota Venza. It is,
according to Toyota press materials, "a versatile five-passenger vehicle
that couples the styling and comfort of a passenger car with the
flexibility of a sport-utility vehicle to give customers a stylish
alternative to the traditional sedan." It's built on the same platform as
the Camry, Avalon, and Highlander, but is more car and less SUV than the
"traditional" crossover Highlander. 70% car and 30% SUV according to
Toyota. Its wheelbase is the same as a Camry's, and length is within a
fraction of an inch of a Camry or Highlander. The Venza is higher than a
Camry but lower than a Highlander, with the same 8.1-inch ground clearance
as a Highlander.
Engines are the same as found in the Highlander, a 2.7-liter
four-cylinder, here with 182 horsepower, and a 3.5-liter, 268-hp V6. Both
drive either the front wheels or, optionally, all four wheels through a
six-speed automatic transmission. For simplicity, one Venza grade is
offered, with a choice of four-cylinder or V6 engine. But there are, at
the time of writing, eight factory option packages and four standalone
options, so there is plenty of variety available for different customer
needs and desires.
I've been driving a Venza AWD V6 for the past week. What is
it? Well, the window sticker says "V6 5DR SDN AWD". As in sedan. The, um,
tailgate is called the "rear door". Words conspicuously missing from the
product description are "wagon", "hatchback", "liftback", and "crossover" -
but what it reminded me of the most was a larger, more upscale
reincarnation of the Camry Liftback of yore, with a fine combination of
interior space and versatility, easy access for both passengers and cargo,
first-rate comfort, and good ride comfort and handling. It's
interesting-looking, very functional, and capable - so does it really
matter what Toyota calls it?
APPEARANCE: Designed, engineered, and built in the U.S. for
the American market, the Venza definitely does not look like a sedan,
wagon, liftback, or crossover. If anything, it looks, from some angles,
like a custom-chopped version of its cousin, the Lexus RX. The ground
clearance, high body sides, and lack of a trunk don't say "sedan" -- or
"wagon", for that matter, but the low roofline, highly-sloped windshield
and moderately-sloped backlight, interestingly-sculpted body panels, and
high, short hood aren't typical crossover. A large version of the current
Toyota corporate grille, with complex headlights well-integrated into the
grille and body styling, graces the front. Huge wheels and tires -- 19-inch
for the four-cylinder, 20 for the V6 -- fill the prominent wheel arches.
From the rear, huge bulging wraparound taillights dominate.
COMFORT: From the outside, the Venza's long passenger cabin
promises great room inside, and that's no illusion. It's a cut above a
Camry in space, design and standard equipment, with dual-zone automatic
climate control, a multi-function gauge/trip computer, remote keyless
entry, power doors, windows, and mirrors, a tilt- and reach-adjustable
steering wheel, cruise control, and brightly-backlit "Optitron" main
instruments among the standard equipment. Small windows that are nearly
invisible from the outside add visibility in the critical lower
front-quarter direction. Despite the better-than-car ground clearance,
step-in height and seat hip point should pose no difficulties, even for
very short people. Worthy of special mention is the center console, with
two large compartments that take up its full length and provide hidden
storage and a power point and auxiliary audio jack. The glovebox is
similarly large, and all door pockets have built-in bottle holders.
"Spacious" barely begins to describe the rear seat, with excellent legroom
and good headroom. It's split 60/40, and each section can recline a bit or
fold flat for cargo duty. Lift height to the cargo area is comparable to
that of a minivan, not an SUV, and the space-saver spare tire is under the
large, covered cargo area. Power points are strategically located, and rear
seat reading lights add convenience.
My test example was fully-equipped, with the "Premium Package #2" that
includes most of the contents of the other option packages, with leather
seating, satin woodgrain trim, power adjustment for the front passenger
seat in addition to the driver's, heated front seats, push-button starting,
and a backup camera. It also had the navigation system, with a simple
touch-screen interface and JBL Synthesis Surround Sound audio system. Very
good seat comfort and an entry-luxury level of fitment there.
SAFETY: The Toyota STAR Safety System(tm) is standard in all
Venzas. It includes four-wheel antilock disc brakes, brake assist, traction
control, vehicle stability control, electronic brake-force distribution,
and Hill-Start Assist Control. Front, driver's knee, seat-mounted front
side, and full-length side curtain airbags and front active headrests are
among the further standard safety items.
RIDE AND HANDLING: A strong, rigid unibody structure that
makes much use of high-tensile steel and contributes to the Venza's low
center of gravity. Which, with a fully-independent strut-type suspension
that is tuned moderately but with good damping, means the comfortable ride
Toyota buyers expect, and handling that is better than expected. It's not
"sport", and I wouldn't expect any TRD packages, but the Venza AWD is more
competent and enjoyable on a good road than your average crossover.
Electronic power steering keeps effort light, and the AWD system varies the
front/rear power split from pure front-drive most of the time to 50/50.
PERFORMANCE: With 182 horsepower, the Venza's 2.7-liter
four-cylinder engine should provide reasonable performance and fuel
economy. My test car had the 3.5-liter V6. With 268 horsepower (at 6200
rpm) and 246 lb-ft of torque (at 4700 rpm) driving through a six-speed
automatic transmission, there is no power shortage. VVT-i variable cam
phasing on both intake and exhaust camshafts and other internal
improvements compared to earlier versions allow it to be powerful, low in
emissions, and reasonably fuel-efficient. In "D", there is plenty of
low-end power for effortless driving, and shifting is smooth and
uphill/downhill shift logic minimizes shifting on hills and keeps a lower
gear for climbing ability or engine braking. Manual-shift mode allows best
use of the engine's power if more spirited driving is desired, and the
chassis is up to the task.
CONCLUSIONS: Toyota took function and wrapped it in form to
create the Venza.
SPECIFICATIONS MORE: Toyota Specs, Comparisons and Prices - Toyota Buyers Guide
2009 Toyota Venza V6 AWD
Base Price $ 29,250
Price As Tested $ 37,394
Engine Type DOHC 24-valve aluminum alloy V6 with variable
cam phasing on all camshafts
Engine Size 3.5 liters / 211 cu. in.
Horsepower 268 @ 6200 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 246 @ 4700 rpm
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase / Length 109.3 in. / 189.0 in.
Curb Weight 4045 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 15
Fuel Capacity 17.7 gal.
Fuel Requirement 87-octane unleaded regular gasoline
Tires P245/50 R20 102H Michelin
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc, ABS standard
Suspension, front/rear independent MacPherson strut /
independent dual-link strut
Ground clearance 8.1 inches
Drivetrain transverse front engine,
front or all-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
city / highway / observed 18 / 25 / 19
0 to 60 mph est. 7 sec
Towing capacity 3500 lbs with towing package (V6)
OPTIONS AND CHARGES
Premium Package #2 - includes:
leather seating surfaces, 4-way power front passenger
seat with lumbar support, front seat heaters, satin
mahogany-style woodgrain trim, leather-wrapped
steering wheel and shift lever, HID headlamps with
automatic high-beam feature, Smart Key system
with push-button start, power rear door with jam
protection, chrome-accented door handles, back-up
camera, anti-theft system, color-keyed folding
heated outside mirrors, windshield wiper de-icer $ 4,345
Voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation
system with JBL Synthesis surround sound
audio $ 2,590
Tow Prep Package - includes:
engine oil cooler, larger radiator fan, heavy-duty
alternator $ 220
Floor mats and cargo mat $ 269
Deliver and processing fee $ 720
Click PLAY to watch The Auto Channel's Road Trip with the Toyota Venza