  2009 Toyota Venza four-cylinder. Click image to enlarge |
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2009 Toyota Venza
North Vancouver, British Columbia – Those of you who can remember when the first Toyota Camrys were sold in Canada may recall that the first-generation model (1982-1987) was available as a four-door hatchback as well as a four-door sedan. The second-generation Camry (1988 -1991) dropped the hatchback bodystyle in favour of a station wagon, which continued briefly with the restyled third generation Camry wagon (1992-1996).
But after that, Toyota discontinued Camry wagons in North America, likely due to the rising popularity of their modern-day replacements: minivans and SUVs.
Today, wagons are making a comeback – but they’ve been re-packaged as “crossover vehicles” with taller bodystyles, bigger wheels, fancier interiors, available all-wheel drive, and a sportier image. While station wagons are seen as boring “soccer Mom” vehicles, crossover vehicles add perceived style and luxury to the basic utility of a four-door wagon.
All-new for 2009, the Toyota Venza is the modern-day evolution of the Camry wagon. It uses the current Camry’s unit body platform and available 4-cylinder and V6 powertrains but adds a distinctive new bodystyle that’s about 155 mm (6.1 in.) taller and 85 mm (3.3 in.) wider, with extra-large wheels and tires, and a completely new interior design.
  2009 Toyota Venza four-cylinder. Click image to enlarge |
The base powertrain is a 182-hp 2.7-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode; optional is Toyota’s powerful 268-hp 3.5-litre V6 engine with the same transmission. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available with either engine – an advantage over the Camry sedan which is not available with all-wheel drive.
The four-cylinder Venza ($28,900 FWD, $30,350 AWD) comes with a lot of standard equipment, including large 19-inch all-season tires and alloy wheels, rear spoiler, front fog lamps, premium cloth seats, eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, six-CD/MP3/WMA stereo with auxiliary and USB input and XM satellite radio, power windows and door locks with keyless entry, tilt and telescopic wheel with audio controls, information display, cruise control, heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, variable intermittent wipers with windshield de-icer, rear wiper, 60/40 split-folding reclining rear seatbacks, sliding cargo cover, seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, and active front head restraints.
  2009 Toyota Venza four-cylinder. Click image to enlarge |
The Venza V6 model ($30,600 FWD, $32,050 AWD) adds the 268-hp 3.5-litre V6, standard 20-inch tires and wheels, and dual exhausts, but is otherwise the same as the four-cylinder model. Certain option packages can be added with such niceties as leather upholstery, premium JBL audio system, navigation system and panoramic sunroof, but my four-cylinder tester had no options, and its as-tested price came to $30,490 including freight and excise tax.
I normally leave styling judgements to the reader, but the Venza’s unique design deserves a few comments. Its tires and wheels are enormous – it wasn’t that long ago that 19 and 20-inch wheels and tires were only found on concept cars and blinged-out Hummers. Though large, they do look proportional to the Venza’s tall bodystyle. However, replacement tires and wheels of this size are expensive, and snow tires and winter rims wouldn’t be cheap either – if you can find them. I’d inquire with the dealer before buying the car.
The other distinctive feature of the Venza is its cheese-grater stainless-steel grille and large Toyota logo on the front of the hood – I have to wonder what the designers were thinking. The Venza also has very high window ledges, large doors, a rear roof spoiler, and a sloping rear window more like a hatchback.
Though it’s a mid-sized vehicle, the Venza looks and feels bigger.
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at 7:07 am
As a current Venza owner (V6 AWD Touring) I bought base steel RAV4 17″ wheels and mounted Bridgestone DMV-1 winter tires size 245/65-17. No reason to not buy a Venza because of winter tire availability concerns. This setup would work with the 19″ 4-cyl Venza as well.
As for front styling – Venzas have been sold out in Canada all summer – nuf said.
However, since I ordered mine in June (rec’d in Aug), Toyota has raised the price twice – total of $1,150. Given the strength of our dollar, I see it as nothing but a cash grab. Nice work Toyota.
at 8:08 am
“Venza’s poor rear visibility and lack of sonic parking sensors makes it difficult to parallel park. ”
A rear view camera is available as part of an optional package.
I also own a Venza. It has large side mirrors and, once adjusted properly, there is no issue with lane changes due to the thick rear (C) pillars.
at 8:11 am
Not sure if this applies to canada, but based on Dailytech, not only are they raising the price for their Prius and dropped the plan for the base Prius (cheaper version). Its common (business) sense to raise price if demand is greater than supply.
at 9:16 am
from the 3 posters above me, can you read “Toyota Price Scam”…another year will pass and they will be giving away these cars
at 9:47 am
I think this ugly slug looks like a Toyota Matrix with a serious glandular problem. Bloated, overwrought, toyota trying too hard to look unique. That said there are people buying these things in my neck of the woods.
at 10:04 am
I was looking at this veh. until I checked on the price of a good set of winter tires. The 19 inch size was over $ 400 each and the 20 inch size ( V6 ’s ) were in the $ 450 range.I walked across the street and bought a Subaru instead.
at 10:44 am
I’m willing to bet that you can put smaller wheels on this thing like the first poster noted. I had a SpecV with 17″ tires and I sure as hell didn’t go and buy 215/45/17 snow tires. I bought 15″ ones instead and saved a bundle. I would be surprised if you couldn’t go down to at least a 17 maybe even a 16″ rim on this thing.
While I’m not crazy about the front end on this thing I love the rest of it. Its about the nicest packaged crossover out there IMO. Its cheap, has AWD, big power with not much worse fuel economy than the 4 and you know it’ll be dead reliable given most of it comes from the Camry.
I just wish the financing from Toyota was better. Hopefully Hyundai will copy this one.
at 10:47 am
Sorry for the double post – but forgot to ask above – is that statement accurate when you call that a stainless steel grille?! If so – its about freakin’ time! Anyone who had a car back in the 70s or 80s knows all about trying to keep chrome clean in these northern salty climates. I’m not a big fan of seeing all this blingy chrome plasticky crap showing up on vehicles these days. I blame the Hummer H2 for this as most people seemed quite happy with the body coloured grilles and bumpers. The H2 comes along and people decide they aren’t noticed enough for their ridiculous purchase so they have to stick on chrome crap everywhere they can on the thing. A small accent piece here and there is ok – but the extreme that I see up here is ridiculous.
at 11:29 am
We loved the Venza in principle–great value, solid (expected) reliability, well-featured. But the driving experience was lackluster–and this was coming from a Honda Odyssey.
You turn the wheel, then something happens somewhere, and the car changes direction. It made me a little nauseous. It’s capable, sure, but there’s no feedback. I suppose some people don’t mind–I can see it being very, very comfortable loafing along the highway.
at 12:03 pm
Spec 5 – The dealer gave me 16″ RAV4 wheels first by mistake – they do not clear the calipers. 17″ fit fine.
JoshuaR – I have never seen a main stream vehicle get as many looks as my Venza. I can tell you most if not all were not “turned off” by the looks but “turned on” by the looks.
at 12:21 pm
IMO, this car is HOT – especially when viewed from behind! Looks like Honda has jumped on the bandwagon for 2010 with the “Accord Crosstour” –> check out how hideous is really is and do a quick google search. Toyota beats Honda in the styling department over this new “crosstour”. Regarding the grille– I still say it beats this new honda’s one and is sure as hell is better than the acura tl grille.
at 12:38 pm
Seattle.
It seems to me that a FWD or F/awd such as the Venza, Highlander, Sienna, and Lexus RX series would be highly inappropriate for most Canadian drivers.
The poor safety record of FWD in adverse wintertime roadbed conditions is bad enough but then throw in the unwarranted additional confidence, over-confidence, level of F/awd drivers and you’re asking for real trouble.
Kuddoes to Toyota for adopting a more appropriate F/awd system, virtually an exacting copy of the Ford and Mazda F/awd system, and now the Porsche 911 R/awd system.
But.
The only time the rear driveline is to be engaged usefully is under initial acceleration from a dead stop. This is to alleviate, pre-emptively alleviate, the potential for engine torque at low speeds resulting in front wheelspin/slip. Loss of directional control leading to an accident.
Otherwise the engine torque will be primarily routed, 95%, to only the front wheels and TC, Traction Control will rule.
If front wheelslip/spin should then inadvertently result then TC braking will be INSTANTLY used to regain traction at the front as quickly as is possible while at the same time the engine gets dethrottled and the rear drive clutch fully engaged.
Get that..??
Dead in the water, right..??
Unless you can disable TC…
But then with TC disabled will the system still automatically couple in the rear drive or will the owner need to provide a manual switch with which to engage the rear drive clutch…?
The Mazda CX-7 uses water cooling of the PTO such that the rear drive can be engaged, sometimes fully engaged, somewhat continuously. Ford, on the other hand, chose to revise the firmware to reduce the functionality of rear drive coupling in order to alleviate driveline component overheating (once it was discovered to be happening), primarily the rear drive clutch and the PTO.
Given the history of Toyota and Lexus F/awd systems, all mostly non-functional, designed only for marketing purposes, I would put my money on the Venza not having enough F/aw functionality to suffice unless you live well SOUTH of the snow zone.
at 1:49 pm
I’m still waiting for a proper wagon to show up. In the U.K. and Europe they have the Toyota Avensis, in 3 body styles including a beautiful wagon. They also have a head-turning Honda Accord wagon (tourer), which looks nothing like the ridiculous ‘crosstour’ that North America is about to get – why don’t Toyota and Honda keep things simple and just give us what they already build elsewhere? The Venza was supposedly ‘purpose-built and designed’ in the U.S. and for the U.S. Therefore, read “big and bulky and as close to an SUV as we can make it”. So, I will keep driving my ‘89 Camry wagon, with rear seats that still fold completely flat, uses only 7 litres per 100Km, hums along at a serene 1800rpm at 110km/hr. If they could do it 20 years ago, why can’t they match it today?
at 2:03 pm
Guys, NA consumers don’t buy wagons. May as well try to sell them minivans. Thats why CUVs sell – no soccer mom image.
at 5:44 pm
Hey, give me a minivan equipped with Acura’s SH-AWD and I’m instantly a soccer mom.
at 9:53 pm
Have you Venza owners realize that your grille whistles like a 1965 Dodge as you drive down the road? You may not hear it but it is quite audible to other people.
at 10:02 pm
The Avensis looks nice standing still but there is nothing under the hood. A base Venza with the 2.7 litre 4 cylinder would smoke the most powerful Avensis.
at 8:26 am
I really don’t like toyota’s. I mean they’re all so boring looking and have nothing special going for them, except their supposed better reliability which has been dropping in recent years. But the venza is a very good looking vehicle (it’s about time toyota!). I would never buy it, but I see why others would.
at 10:51 am
Look’s like a copy of the Ford Edge.
Grill, head lights.
at 3:28 pm
Nice design but face with the protuding Toyota logo make me sick. Spoil a good looking station oups van oups CUV, ah now that’s acceptable, with a face like that it’s incredible.
Hope they won’t screw up like they did on many models lately.
Hey Willard your SHi..AWD handling from acura is a piece of crap very expensive to repair and I mean expensive.
at 10:16 pm
boring, overpriced, flimsy feeling. i’ll take an 05-09 outback anyday over this. sub’s got the real AWD system too, and it’s proven world wild.
toyota has been shitting the bed lately.
at 11:14 pm
This Toyota has all the ingredients to be winner, the Camry/Avalon structure and Toyota’s world recognized realiability. But, it’s the timing release of this new model that may be a problem.
at 11:27 pm
The Toyota with it’s Camry/Avalon roots should be a winner. The only problem, is the release timing of this new vehicle.
at 3:09 pm
When is Toyota going to clue in to interior colors. Light colored plastics and fabrics look nice but are brutal to clean. Stick with the dark colors.
I love Toyota, but they need to stop dictating what colors they think we should have…… also their pricing borders on gouging.
at 6:37 am
Front end is a love it or hate it design. Looks like a cartoon dog’s nose to me. Hard to believe some might pay $450 for 20″ winter tires. With tax, that would make a set of four over $2000. I paid $300 for my first car. But then I’m ancient.
at 7:34 am
OJ – I personally agree with you on the light coloured interior. I had to buy a special edition of Tucson so that I could get dark enough coloured seats! Light gray just doesn’t cut it when you have children. But you know why they’re doing it?! Because all of these lovely automotive writers are always b!tching about the “doom and gloom” interiors of modern cars. I think the interior on the uplevel Chev Malibu is probably the nicest I’ve seen in a newer car. I love the black with the caramel coloured two-tone leather. Too bad I hate leather.
at 10:39 am
anybody who buys a Toyota is an idiot. I hope your floormats get caught underneath the gas pedal.
at 11:46 am
I tested the 4v model and was powerful enough. I couldn’t see much, if any, difference between 4v and 6v in driving it in town. Eventually I opted for 6v and am finding it very powerful on provincial highway when you have to pass another vehicle. It is very smooth and quite. If you Google, some revivers call it a monster engine since it’s got (RX 350/ Highlander) 268 hp and is lighter then them and accelerates in 6.5s from 0-100.
Talking about tires, the V6 got 20’’ and some of my real car expert friends (Autodata Solutions pros) suggested to go with 18” winter rim/tire. If you Google you can see suggested 18’’ rims and tires, where tires go for average 250$CAD. You can order them cheaper from US if you want. Yes, it will be a fairly thick winter tire which is really what you want for the winter, especially in Canada. I asked London tire dealers and they had and will have such tires. The consumption of my 6V/AWD is: 10/15 highway/city or MPG 23.52/18.83. Combined one is ~13liters/18MPG.
BTW, if you care about safety, check http://www.safercar.gov. Venza got the best safety ratings in SUV section next to Audi Q7, where Venza bits it in lowest chance of rollover. Hope this makes you test this excellent vehicle.
at 11:03 am
sinkingsun – very informed, well backed comments – keep them coming….
Jesse – nice to see some real world consumption data. I’m surprised to see that its considerably worse on fuel than my Tucson v6 is. Even though it has almost 100 more hp I would have thought the extra cogs in the tranny would have made it more efficient. Not to mention most Toyota’s being usually pretty good in the fuel economy department.
As for the whining about the whistling grille – who cares?! You can’t hear it in the vehicle so what does it matter?! Afraid of waking the sleeping moose on the side of the highway?! Actually there you go – side benefit – now you don’t have to buy one of those ridiculous deer/moose horns to stick to your front bumper.
at 5:51 pm
Instead of this get a Nissan Rouge it looks a lot better, not sure about the ride though.
at 9:51 pm
If I was in the market for a mid-size wagon, you could not go wrong with choosing a Camry/Avalon based wagon. BUT…..it appears that during the transformation from sedan to wagon, somehow Toyota tried to make it “look” too sporty like the Dodge Magnum with too large tires and wheels, and a lexus like interior.
I wouldn’t even want to guess which focus groups Toyota listened to? Look, make the wagon a wagon, with interiors that resist wear and tear, and reasonable tires and wheels. Wagons are meant to transport messy kids and a hair shedding dog in the cargo area. Until, then….the Subaru Forester is the wagon of choice.
at 7:46 pm
SpicyLemon – Wrong class, the Rogue is a lot smaller than this thing.
at 1:48 pm
Man that is one UGLY front end. It’s the Squidward nose that kills it for my. Why not have a Camry wagon that is about 400lbs lighter, faster, handles better with better economy instead of this bloated soft-roader. Who do buyers think they are fooling, it screams soccer mom.
at 7:50 pm
Aspen – I’d still rather be a soccer man than a “loser cruiser” (minivan) – and so would a lot of other consumers apparently as this segment is really hot right now.