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Saturday, March 19, 2011
Bold Toyota Venza isn't easy to define
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
It defies definition: Is the Toyota Venza a big station wagon? A crossover? Is it both at the same time? Probably.
Slap whatever label you want on it, but most importantly it's one swell family vehicle.
Venza sports a handsome, edgy exterior — possibly Toyota's most extroverted design — but it's not particularly sporty to drive. Designed more for ease of operation and comfort, the big wagon still handles curves with aplomb or glides passively down the interstate.
The big, 20-inch tires (standard with the V-6 engine) easily absorb small bumps and imperfections while providing confident grip, especially when equipped with the all-wheel-drive option.
That sweet V-6 is an absolute gem. Delivering 268 horsepower, syrupy-smooth from idle to redline, the Venza accelerates with an unexpected eagerness. Fuel mileage is a perfectly acceptable 18 mpg in town and 25 on the highway.
Inside, the roomy cabin coddles up to five in near-luxury comfort, with plenty of stretch-out room even for backseat denizens. There are lots of clever storage nooks and crannies, as well as generous cargo space in the rear, making the Venza a vacationers' delight.
The well-designed dashboard features logically grouped, easy-to-use controls, let down only by some oddly textured and mismatched materials.
Among the more thoughtful touches: A sliding center armrest; a clever slot to securely hold an MP3 player while hiding the cable; and reclining rear seatbacks.
Safety is a major concern to most car buyers these days. Hence, all Venzas come with a full panoply of protective equipment to keep the family unit intact and out of harm's way. Standard are four-wheel antilock disc brakes; stability and traction control; front-seat side airbags; side curtain airbags; a driver-side knee airbag; and front-seat active head restraints.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the Venza is its robust, rock-solid feel, from the way the doors solidly shut to the drum-tight build quality. Whatever you choose to call it, it's simply a superb product.
2011 Toyota Venza AWD
VEHICLE TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger crossover wagon
BASE PRICE: $29,750
PRICE AS TESTED: $40,174 (incl. delivery fees)
POWERTRAIN: 3.5-liter, DOHC V-6; 268 horsepower; 246 lb.-ft. torque; six-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
WHEELBASE/LENGTH: 109.3"/189.0"
CURB WEIGHT: 4,045 pounds
EPA FUEL RATING: 18 mpg city/25 highway (regular grade)
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