2024 Toyota Venza

With three trims and one cosmetic special edition, the price of the 2024 Toyota Venza ranges from the mid-$30k to mid-$40k mark. The entry point is the LE at and MSRP of $34,920, but the XLE is packed with more value for $39,130. For a modest in price, you can enjoy the good looks of the Nightshade Edition at $40,255. Lastly, there is the Limited, which will cost you $43,065. Buyers still have to add the $1,395 destination charge.

Seeing as the Venza tries to be a more premium product, aiming for the Limited with its luxury fittings and a long list of features seems to make the most sense. These include the larger infotainment suite and some more advanced driver assists. The XLE is also a solid choice if you want to balance your budget with your needs a little better and simply need more space than a RAV4 can offer.

You would be forgiven for mistaking the interior of the Venza for that of an entry-level Lexus, as the materials and styling are surprisingly premium. There aren't that many hard plastics on display, and the center console stands quite tall, partitioning the driver and passenger with more than enough space to feel comfortable. The touchscreen display rests high up on the dashboard, so the driver can access the features without needing to look away from the road. A few controls for features like climate control are found lower down but still well within reach of either front-row occupant. These premium features really stand out in the Limited, which gets a larger screen and a more pristine sound system.

Unlike many of its rivals, the Toyota Venza doesn't try to push the limits of its interior space by giving the option of a third row of seats. Instead, it focuses on delivering a comfortable cabin with adequate head- and legroom for adults in, no matter where they are seated. It doesn't do an amazing job of this sadly, as legroom in the back is only mediocre, and if you select the Star Gaze roof, then rear headroom is also restricted. These are closer to the dimensions of a compact crossover, and a hybrid one at that.

Sadly, cargo space is also on the low side for a vehicle of this size. Even the smaller RAV4 has more space in the trunk than the 28.8 cubic feet you'll find behind the rear seats. The sloping roofline plays a big part in this, proving that form over function isn't always the best approach to design. Nevertheless, you have more room to work with than you would in a sedan, and you shouldn't struggle to fit all your weekly groceries inside. Folding down the rear seats increases the area to 55.1 cu-ft.

Luckily, in-cabin storage space is more on par for the segment. The door pockets are large enough for water bottle, and there are a total of four cupholders, spread between the front center console and the rear fold-down armrest. The front armest has a small cubby underneath, but the glove compartment can handle slightly larger items.

Despite its more premium aspirations, the Venza starts off with regular cloth-trimmed seats in very basic Boulder or Black colors. However, SofTex is presented quite early in the lineup and the XLE adds a Java/Black combination to the choice of interior colors. As you'd expect from the Nightshade Edition, Black is the only option. Leather upholstery is never offered, but the steering wheel can be wrapped in it, and the dashboard is coated in soft-touch materials at the upper end of the range. However, there is some wood-like trim, too, found along the center stack, but only in the Limited trim.

Starting with the LE, the Venza comes equipped with all the tech you'd expect in a modern family SUV. This includes an eight-way power driver's seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 4.2-inch gauge cluster, and an eight-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. The suite of features incorporated therein comprises Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, in-car Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, with a six-speaker sound system handling all the audio. This only gets upgraded to a nine-speaker JBL setup in the Limited, but the larger 12.3-inch screen is standard from the XLE up. Other new standard features include a seven-inch multi-information display, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a smart key, and driver-seat memory. Once you hit the Limited, you get the full gamut of tech, such as ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a digital rearview camera. You can also opt for the ten-inch color head-up display and Star Gaze panoramic roof.

There is only one engine available to the Toyota Venza. Luckily, it is a hybrid one that combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder block with three electric motors, developing a combined 219 horsepower and no less than 163 lb-ft of torque. These outputs are managed by an electronic continuously variable transmission, which routes the power to the all-wheel drivetrain. The performance figures are good for a car this size, seeing the Venza accelerate from 0-60 mph in around seven seconds, while top speed is rated at 118 mph.

While it may be bigger and bulkier than the RAV4, the Venza still uses much of the same architecture and, therefore, benefits from the smaller car's adroit handling characteristics. Its size still works against it, but it feels nimble enough around town, and the grippy all-wheel drive helps keep it grounded around the bends. Pushing it too hard isn't advised, though. Regardless, ride comfort is great, if not luxuriously plush.

What it may lack in character, the Toyota Venza makes up for with great mpg figures. But good gas mileage is to be expected from a hybrid. Across the city/highway/combined cycles, the Venza manages 40/37/39 mpg, and it can even travel using the motors alone at very low speeds for short distances. These numbers combined with a fuel capacity of 14.5 gallons allow the Venza to cover an impressive 565 miles on a full tank.

The NHTSA's safety review of the Toyota Venza is promising, with full marks given overall, and only frontal crash and rollover tests scoring less than perfect. The IIHS has not rated the 2024 model, but for 2023, awarded it scores of Good in almost every category, barring the updated side crash test was rated at Acceptable, as were the headlights. Despite these shortcomings, the car was still named a Top Safety Pick for 2023.

Plenty of safety tech comes standard, even on the base LE. Starting with ABS, EBD, stability control, and eight airbags, this is quickly expanded with pre-collision avoidance systems, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert, steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The XLE and Limited enjoy front and rear parking assist with automated braking, while the top trim gets a surround-view camera.

The reliability of the Toyota Venza has taken a hit over the last few years, dropping from 83 out of 100 to just 76 in 2023, according to JD Power. This drop in consumer confidence hasn't coincided with any recalls, though, as the hybrid SUV's record has remained clean over the last few years.

Every 2024 Toyota Venza gets a good warranty plan that includes bumper-to-bumper repairs for three years/36,000 miles or powertrain maintenance for five years/60,000 miles. This is complemented by a ten-year/150,000-miles hybrid component warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance for two years/25,000 miles.

The Toyota Venza is an SUV with an almost coupe-like roof that slopes towards a tailgate spoiler. The lower rear end also juts out slightly, with the LED taillights mounted thereupon. Focusing on the front fascia, the broad grille dominates the lower bumper, with fog lights located alongside on every model above the LE. The headlights are LED as standard, slanting every so slightly downward with LED daytime running lights bisecting the blocks. Wheels measure 18 inches on the base model, but all the rest get larger 19-inch alloys in varying styles.

Crossover SUVs are all the rage in the USA, and the midsize variants are among the most versatile, allowing for up to eight seats in some, and the ability to go off-road when needed in others. Some are also built a bit more modestly and with city driving in mind. This is where the Toyota Venza comes in, with its modern styling, well-appointed cabin, and efficient hybrid powertrain. Though not a luxury car, the Venza is more premium than its smaller and cheaper siblings, which somewhat makes up for the fact that it isn't as practical. Still, buyers who place value over flashy good looks and comfortable rear end may find the RAV4 Hybrid more compelling. That being said, the Venza is a safe and cozy family hauler, but this just isn't enough to make it a top pick in the segment.