Review: 2009 Toyota Venza
#16
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No. it appears to be in a different class from the Highlander/RX. The RX is a true, car-based SUV. The Venza is more like the Subaru Outback, Volvo XC70, or Audi All-Road.....a slightly raised passenger-car-based wagon, though its styling differs a little from what WOULD be just a Camry wagon..
#17
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Great write-up as always!
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Stellar... question Mike: IYO, is it worth trading out of a Sienna? Seems to be very similar... you lose 3rd row, what would you gain? Better mileage, better AWD, I believe towing is same (3500lbs) so curious as to your take... Also, practically hauled my finished basement from the Depot via the Sienna, they seem close in rear storage? And easy to reconfigure the seating???
Lastly, as this reminds me so closely of our Sienna (MUCH more aggressive and appealing in looks, however) you mention the same problem inherent in our Sienna: Road noise. Has been there since the day we got it, above 50mph. Just part of the ride to us now, I believe Toyota's explaination was the air flow over the roof rails created the issue in the Sienna. No roof rails on the Venza sooooooo
....
Lastly, as this reminds me so closely of our Sienna (MUCH more aggressive and appealing in looks, however) you mention the same problem inherent in our Sienna: Road noise. Has been there since the day we got it, above 50mph. Just part of the ride to us now, I believe Toyota's explaination was the air flow over the roof rails created the issue in the Sienna. No roof rails on the Venza sooooooo
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If you want cargo room, keep the Sienna. There is simply no comparison in cargo space. The Venza is smaller, lower, and has a slanted-forward rear roofline (as I mentioned in the review) that cuts into still more cargo space. The Venza's cargo area, despite some nice remote features, is poorly-finished. As far as reconfiguring the seating, it is easy in the Venza....no problem.
Just a guess, but I think that the road-noise problem with AWD models may be due to a combination of the tire tread used and the scoop-out-out spaces in the chassis needed to accomodate fold-down seats and the extra AWD hardware underneath. That leaves not only thinner places in the chassis underneath, but less room for sound-proofing insulation as well. This was a noted problem a few years ago with the clever "Stow-and-Go" seats in the Dodge/Chrysler minivans. The deep-folding mechanisms for both second and third-row seats that gave you that nice, perfectly flat floor, with little effort, also took up a lot of space in the chasis where insulation would normally go. That is also why AWD was not available with the Stow-and-Go package.....there wasn't room enough under the chassis for both.
Last, with AWD, you of course have more differentials, driveshafts, and universal joints.....all, of course, with the potential to make some noise.
#19
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Thanks.
I'm surprised they didn't have the V6 there. In my area here (Washington, DC ) we got the V6 before the 4.
Remember, though, it is not meant to be a sports car. It's not a bad handler for its type of vehicle, but it's clearly not the best in its class in the ride/handling department.
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I'm surprised they didn't have the V6 there. In my area here (Washington, DC ) we got the V6 before the 4.
Remember, though, it is not meant to be a sports car. It's not a bad handler for its type of vehicle, but it's clearly not the best in its class in the ride/handling department.
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Well, sports car or not, it really did handle around the track pretty well. I kept taking turns at like 30-40 and absolutely nothing. No chirping from the tires or anything. I was expecting to run into cones and stuff too.
I would buy this car IF I did not have the RX. They are quite similar according to my method of driving
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I would buy this car IF I did not have the RX. They are quite similar according to my method of driving
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#21
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Thanks. ![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
PLASTIC brake pistons? With the kind of temperatures that front brakes generate under load?
That had better be some GOOD plastic.
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The brake feel on the Venza can be attributed to the use of plastic pistons in the disc brake calipers. No joke, that is what you will find if you ever have to do a brake job on the twin-pistion Venza front calipers..
That had better be some GOOD plastic.
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Saw one on the road and will see it a lot, as it's at a relatives neighbor's home.
Looks decent, specs are decent, this is in Toyota's sweet spot.
Not exciting, but fairly good looking, quite functional, and quite refined.
Looks decent, specs are decent, this is in Toyota's sweet spot.
Not exciting, but fairly good looking, quite functional, and quite refined.
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Looks decent, specs are decent, this is in Toyota's sweet spot.
Not exciting, but fairly good looking, quite functional, and quite refined.
Not exciting, but fairly good looking, quite functional, and quite refined.
#26
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Was your test car a 4-cylinder AWD? If so, that may have been a function of the relatively lightweight engine and the rather sophisticated design of the Venza's AWD system, which feeds torque to each individual wheel somewhat like the more complex Acura SH-AWD system. With a simple FWD model, you probably would have knocked some of the cones down. If you did that with a FWD model, and still didn't knock any cones down, then you're a pretty good driver. ![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
I agree. I think Lexus should do a version of it....I made that clear in the review.
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I agree. I think Lexus should do a version of it....I made that clear in the review.
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Yep. This is something that Toyota should have done a long time ago (I'm not just being a Monday morning quarterback.....I've said that for a long time).....and we're STILL waiting for Honda to come up with a similiar vehicle, based on the Accord.
I would rather see Toyota pour a ton of cash into developing a awesome next gen Avalon that the Venza
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Now, of course, it may turn out that the Venza indeed doesn't sell.....nothing is cast in stone. But if so, it will not be from lack of demand. Many people today, because of the banking crisis, simply cannot get the credit and loans they need, even for cars they want. But that is not the car's fault. And history has shown that there is a large demand for carlike, crossover, AWD vehicles that don't drive and steer like SUVs, even car-based SUVs. Hence the success of the Outback and Volvo's XC70.....slightly raised, AWD wagons.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-19-08 at 10:12 PM.
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Sorry, but I (respectfully) have to disagree with your disagreement. The jury IS out on competitive vehicles like the Outback.....has been for years. Toyota and Honda have not sold vehicles like this before simply because they have not PRODUCED them, despite a clear demand for them.....Subaru, in contrast has. You can't sell what you don't make.
Now, of course, it may turn out that the Venza indeed doesn't sell.....nothing is cast in stone. But if so, it will not be from lack of demand. Many people today, because of the banking crisis, simply cannot get the credit and loans they need, even for cars they want. But that is not the car's fault. And history has shown that there is a large demand for carlike, crossover, AWD vehicles that don't drive and steer like SUVs, even car-based SUVs. Hence the success of the Outback and Volvo's XC70.....slightly raised, AWD wagons.
Now, of course, it may turn out that the Venza indeed doesn't sell.....nothing is cast in stone. But if so, it will not be from lack of demand. Many people today, because of the banking crisis, simply cannot get the credit and loans they need, even for cars they want. But that is not the car's fault. And history has shown that there is a large demand for carlike, crossover, AWD vehicles that don't drive and steer like SUVs, even car-based SUVs. Hence the success of the Outback and Volvo's XC70.....slightly raised, AWD wagons.
I came finally came across a Venza today. It was a bare bones model. I am suprised it is already out in Canada. I always thought Toyota released new models in February.
Anyways....The Venza is a crossover. Period. It is not exactly a wagon and it is not exactly a SUV.
Now, of course, it may turn out that the Venza indeed doesn't sell
despite a clear demand for them
This is the type of vehicle that simple fills voids when the demand for Toyota's is out of control. I haven't seen this type of crazy demand for years. Something tells me that Toyota knows that the Venza is not tracking very well. Also, the ground clearance is an issue and Toyota is trying to make sure it comes off as a car.
With that being said. The exterior quality is excellent. Very large rims and premium Michelin Tires. The front looks pretty decent. Reminds of the build quality of Toyota's from early to mid 2005.
The brown exterior colour was horrendous. I believe it was sunset bronze. It has to be the worst colour I have ever seen for a production car.
I didn't get into the interior. But it does look very well built and fit and finish look superb. Looks like Toyota is starting to take their interiors serious again.
Last edited by pagemaster; 01-11-09 at 11:27 PM.
#30
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Thanks for another great write up. I remeber seing the Venza at the LA auto show. I was impressed and pleased with it in every aspect of the interior, passenger space, and safety