Introduction

The all-new 2009 Toyota Venza is spacious, like a minivan. It rides and handles like a sporty sedan. And it has premium equipment and attributes normally associated with SUVs. Yet it's smaller and lower than an SUV. And far more utilitarian than an ordinary passenger car. So what is it? The Toyota Venza is built on the Camry platform, and made in the same plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. But it would be unfair to say the Venza is just an upscale, contemporary rendition of a Camry station wagon. The Venza is more original than that, and more functional, loaded with a mix of highly evolved features and fresh design ideas. We might be tempted to call it a smaller, nimbler minivan, but it's a five-passenger vehicle, and emotionally, much hipper than any minivan we know. If it's a minivan, it's one Dad won't be afraid to be seen in. And if it's a compact SUV, the Venza would be by far the quickest, slickest, hauler out there. Truth is, it's really none of the above, but with attributes of all three. In simplest terms, the Venza is an upscale car, with a roomy, cleverly designed interior, that can handle lots of the tasks SUV owners might have become accustomed to. It's a family car, a good daily runabout that's easy to drive and park. And it's highly useful, for moving people, pets and grocery-getting. We found it spacious and comfortable. That's why Toyota expects many Venza buyers will turn out to be people moving down from SUVs. Other than the ability to tow loads heavier than 3500 pounds, SUV owners won't give up much by getting into a Venza. Venza is available with either a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.5-liter V6, both backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. It's available in all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive configurations. The standard engine is the 2.7-liter four-cylinder that makes 182 hp at 5800 rpm, and 182 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. It is matched with a six-speed electronic transmission and, according to preliminary estimates, can deliver mileage as high as 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The optional engine for the 2009 Venza is the 3.5-liter V-6, which makes 268 hp at 6200 rpm, and 246 pound-feet of torque at 4700 rpm. On the road, the Venza feels like a car. It rides smoothly and quietly and steers easily. We were impressed with its stability on slippery roads, whether equipped with all-wheel drive or not. Although there are some SUV attributes, such as the higher seat height and a high degree of cargo versatility, from the driver's seat you'd swear you were in a four-door sedan.

Walkaround

Smooth, fluid lines and aerodynamic sculpting characterize the Toyota Venza, which is slightly shorter and lower overall than most crossovers we've been in. Viewed from the front, a high, wide grille that flows into flame-shaped headlamps functions to accentuate the overall wide stance of the car. The combination of lamp types combined in the headlamps, and the use of fog lamps, create a crisp, technical feeling. In profile, the Venza appears sleek and contemporary, thanks to low rocker panels and narrow doorsills, much more like a car than a SUV. In keeping with the FT-SX concept vehicle that inspired the design, the wheels are placed out at the corners of the body, snugly positioned in the wheelwells, and there is minimal overhang on either end. The 20-inch wheels become especially prominent in the V6 versions, suggesting something surefooted in everyday driving, even sporty on a winding road. At the rear, S-shaped tail lamps contribute to the sporty feeling. The end result is to convey the impression of a smart, modern, and practical car. Most of all, the car conveys Toyota's long-view DNA, a way of saying that none of the Venza's design elements are cliches likely to quickly become dated or out of style during the life of the car.

Interior Features

The Toyota Venza is intended to be a refined, potentially luxurious alternative to a five-passenger sedan. And to offer more cargo and passenger space in the process. So the interior has been endowed with an unusual mix of qualities, selected to combine easy-to-drive attributes of a premium car with high-utility flexibility of an SUV. Keyless entry allowed us to just walk up to the Venza and hop in; all five doors unlock at one touch. The Venza is easy to get into, because the step-in height is quite low, same as a Camry, but the higher roofline makes entry easier for taller people. Once in the seat, we pressed the Start button and the instrument panel comes to life. While the gauges are brightly lit and highly visible, the car is very quiet at idle. Seat quality is appropriate for a car that might convey a family and their pets on long-distance drives. The cushion length and seat back width are designed for comfort, and there is just enough side bolstering to allow for side-to-side support when the driving is more spirited. The seating position is a tad higher than the average car, more like a minivan, which affords easier visibility of the road ahead. The power seats have a nice range of adjustment, easily accommodating our average frame, and the steering wheel telescopes and adjusts about an inch and a half, each way. It takes only a moment to adjust for legroom and seat angle, set the mirrors, and select Drive. From the inside, the feeling is of spaciousness, especially in the front row. The front dash layout uses a cleverly arched console and centrally mounted information pod to make it appear as though 60 percent of the front space is devoted to each side. There is not much difference in quality between the leather interior and the cloth. Both include a nicely textured dash; the cloth interior makes use of carbon-fiber accents for a high-tech appearance, while the leather interior has wood-grain accents to achieve a clean, modern take on classical materials. Both convey the look and feel of quality. The shift lever is canted slightly to the driver's side. There are two interior colors: ivory or light gray. The instrument cluster prioritizes an oversized speedometer, which is at the center of the cluster, with a slightly smaller tachometer to the left. Semi-circular fuel and temperature gauges are smaller and located to the right. The shift position indicator is a modest LED display at center. The instruments look good, are bright enough even when the sun hits them directly, and pleasing at night. Twisting stalks for lights, wipers and washers, and cruise control are mounted on the steering wheel. The center console is designed to be simple, clean, and uncluttered. It contains low-relief, soft-touch controls for the information center, the audio system and the HVAC (heating/air conditioning) system. The console has a soft armrest cover over an unusually deep storage area, which is highly organized. There is a built-in MP3 player cubby designed to hold players such as iPods securely. The Auxiliary plug is located out of the way, under a retracting lid that houses cup holders, and the wire can be run so that it is hidden while in use, providing near-perfect integration of the iPod into the Venza's interior. There is also a covered slot that made a perfect place to put our Razor cell phone. The doors have bottle holders and a map slot. The back row seats are surprisingly accommodating. With the driver's seat adjusted for a 6-foot person, we easily had enough legroom to be comfortable for long trips. While the Venza is wider and taller overall than the Camry, it shares the same wheelbase, and the same overall length. These dimensions make the Venza appear wider and lower, more powerful, and permit increased hip room, head room and a higher seating height. Interestingly enough, legroom is actually slightly reduced compared to the Camry, even though interior volume is greater. The Venza is thoughtfully designed for people with pets. Among the available accessories are a selection of pet products, including a travel harness, rear pet barrier, a pet tent for smaller dogs, and seat cover for the rear bench seat. The harness, dog fence and tent add greatly to safety because the forces involved in a flying dog can be deadly to both dog and humans.