Review: 2009 Toyota Venza

Toyota wants the Venza to be something smaller than a RAV4 but not quite a station wagon, as station wagons are disliked in the United States. Regardless of what its genre is called the Venza is a very functional something, available with two different engines and two driveline configurations, all wrapped in a pretty package. Despite all the bad press Toyota has received lately, the Venza just maybe the shining star amongst otherwise gray appliances we have come to expect from Toyota.

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The Car

• 2009 Toyota Venza
• 2.7-liter DOHC 4-cylinder; 182 hp @ 5800 rpm, 182 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm.
• 6-Speed automatic transmission.
• Front-wheel drive.
• Security Package (back up camera and anti-theft system)
• Convenience Package (smart key, power rear hatch, chrome accents)
• Lighting Package (HID xenon headlights, automatic high-beams)
• Approximately 19,000 miles on odometer.
• I spent five days with this car and covered approximately 500 miles.

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Interior Room and Features:

• Plenty of headroom for all occupants.
• Front seats are comfortable and it is easy to find a comfortable driving position. The headrests do not push against the back of your head like they do on many new cars.
• The seat height was perfect for lazy people; not too SUV-like high and not car-like low. Overall comfort for normal daily driving was good.
• Center console design was excellent; two big cup-holders, sliding armrest, and a big divided storage bin beneath.
• Inside the storage bin are cigarette lighter and an auxiliary audio input (iPod’s proprietary connector comes with an upgraded audio system). From the storage bin you could easily run cables to one of the two little dash cubicles specifically designed for cell-phones or MP3 players.
• Leg room in the front and rear was very generous. A rear-facing infant seat could easily fit without moving the front seat from its typical position.
• There were cup-holders in rear center arm rest (which I find quite handy on my own car) as well as each door. Rear passengers get their own set of air vents but no separate temperature control.
• Trunk space was adequate. A folded stroller and a day-bag would fit without any issues. I was able to fit four 235/45-17 tires mounted on wheels without having to fold the rear seat.
• Like most vehicles of this kind, the Venza is available with several levels of audio systems as well as a rear entertainment system. The latter comes with a handy household-like 120v receptacle.

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How It Drives:

• Well balanced, solid chassis. I was actually surprised by this as the Camry I drove a few years back was probably the single most boring car in terms fun. The Venza, considering its size, handled highway on-ramps and lane changes surprisingly well. In fact if you’re shopping for other cars with similar interior size, the Venza is worth a test drive based just on chassis dynamics. A good handling Toyota!? Yes, as long as you compare apples to apples.
• The 4-cylinder engine seem well matched to the car. I would opt for the 6-cylinder only if you plan on hauling heavy loads. However, my test vehicle was a front-wheel-drive version which works well with the 4-cylinder engine, but if you opt for all-wheel-drive (and you should) the 4-cylinder may need to work a bit too hard. Make sure to drive both the 4-cylinder and the V6 before singing the check.
• Well geared; the 6-speed transmission allows for quick starts off the line while maintaining under 2000rpm at 75mph for comfortable highway cruising.

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Concerns:

• Visibility. It almost appears as though the Venza was first drawn on paper and approved on its looks, and only then passenger seats were drawn in to fit. The top of windshield is relatively low for such a tall vehicle. I found myself tilting my head down in order to see certain high mounted traffic lights. You can live with it but it may get annoying. Same for rear visibility, it could better if the windows were a little bigger.
• Front Wheel Drive. It’s a big and heavy car and such cars should really not be front-wheel drive. The wheels spin senselessly looking for traction even in slightly slippery conditions. Getting your new SUV-ish Venza stuck in snow with just one front wheel spinning would be an embarrassment. Get the AWD version.
• Wind noise. That was quite unexpected. The Venza was sipping in a surprising amount of wind noise at highway speeds. I remember Toyotas of yesteryears having almost silent interiors.
• Wheels. The Venza come with either 19” or 20” wheels on the higher-end models. I would personally choose the 19” wheels as 20” wheels would be prone to bending. The cost of 20” tires is significantly higher. Additionally, less rubber around the rim means harsher ride and the Venza is meant to a smooth riding family vehicle and not a canyon carving machine.

The Recall:

I decided to visit my mom before heading to Manhattan for the Toy Fair. I wanted to show her my first official press car and give her more reasons to talk about me to her group of Bridge playing friends. To my surprise, upon first seeing the Venza, she goes off about the recall and what death traps these things are. Wow. Surprising as it may be, the fact is that if my mother knows so much about this recall shows just how bad Toyota’s brand reputation has got.

I won’t go into details on the recall here, but I happen to think that it is grossly over-blown by the drama-loving media. The tragic part is that the recall came upon the deaths of many people. I can only hope that the conclusions drawn from the accelerator pedal recall will make for safer vehicles in the future. If you ever find yourself in car that accelerating on its own, perform one or more of these: slam on the brakes, pull the emergency brake, turn off the engine, or shift the transmission into neutral.

The Venza is not affected by the accelerator pedal recall, but it is affected by the floor mat recall. Visit www.toyota.com for the latest on the recall for the Venza and other models. The truth is that what happened to Toyota can happen to any other manufacturer. All it takes is a poorly validated sub-component made by an outside supplier, a little bit of wear, and just the right amount of bad luck.

Verdict:

Despite all these recalls I would still recommend the Venza to my friends and family. The problem with new vehicle evaluations is that they do not show how the vehicle will perform five years down the road. Talk to any honest mechanic (there still are a few of them) and they will tell you that Toyotas still have some of the lowest maintenance and ownership costs. The reliability of Toyota vehicles is still high and chances are that your Venza will be as good in five years as it was when you first bought it.

Disclaimer: This vehicle was loaned to me by Toyota for the purposes of writing this review. I returned the vehicle clean and with a full tank of gas. I paid all tolls, parking and other associated costs.