Looked at and drove a new Venza today.

[Hermann]

Went to A Toyota dealer today to drive a new Japanese made Venza. It was the base LE trim with optional paint and all weather floor mats. It was a very impressive vehicle. If you were not aware it was a Hybrid, you would never know. No rubber banding at any at a reasonable rate of acceleration. For a base trim it was very well equipped. Even had ACC, the rest of the safety suite, power seats with power lumbar. The interior is well sorted and was not Black. The sandstone color was a good match with the Ruby Pearl paint (optional), the paint quality was very nice. The vehicle had plenty of oomph even headed into a 30 mph headwind on the interstate. I drove it for a half hour. It was available for MSRP of $34560. The interior is a lot larger than a RAV4 Hybrid, especially the width of the cabin. When I took off the vehicle was showing 29.1 mpg with 15 miles on the clock, when the drive was over the mileage monitor said 35.6 mpg. I think it would easily top the 40 mpg mark. The EPA says 39 combined. Might just trade for this if they give me a decent price on my trade.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I bet you will love it. Good luck.

 

[CharBaby]

Keep us posted

 

[The Critic]

Might just trade for this if they give me a decent price on my trade.

I thought you ordered a Maverick.

 

[IveBeenRued]

Are you comparing to a current generation RAV4 Hybrid or the older ones? The new RAV4 interiors are bigger than the Venza’s. We went with the RAV4 because even though the Venza had a nicer interior and was a bit quieter, the RAV4 had a huge trunk (30% larger than the Venza’s).

As for the EPA estimate, if your experience turns out anything like mine, you’ll be very very happy . Current average over 38K miles is 44.2 MPG vs the EPA estimate of 40.

 

[Leo99]

My neighbor just got one. It's really nice looing. I assume he was running off the battery because it make a strange whooshing sound as he drove past us while we were in front of his house walking.

 

[skyactiv]

Go for it, you won't be disappointed.

Toyota Hybrids don't rubber band because they don't have a CVT with a belt and pulleys. A good number of people equate the ECVT as the same thing. Dealer specs on Toyota Hybrid tranmsssions are often wrong. Look on Toyotas website, not a dealers websites for vehicle specs.

If you want the Venza now, don't sleep on it.

My wife bought a Corolla Hybrid earlier this year when Toyota had a $2000 rebate on the Hybrid trim. It wasn't an easy car to find.

She is very happy with it as am I. Lots are things are done different vs a gas only car which makes driving a Toyota Hybrid better than people
think. The lowest hand calculated MPG has been 53. It goes a little over 500 miles between fill ups taking around 9.5 gallons.

She gets paid mileage from her job @ .56 a mile and the car is paying itself back.

The MPG gauge reads a little higher vs hand calculating it. Still really good. How many other 4 cylinder cars you know of that can cruise at 70 MPH at less than 1500 RPM?

 

[Spector]

I have driven this also, great riding vehicle, friend has one, gets around 40 mpg. If it were a plug in hybrid I would love it.

 

[cb450sc]

My son is looking for an suv so he asked me to go on some test drives with him.He drove the Venza and the Rav 4. The power train was as smooth as silk on the Venza. The Rav 4 seemed so clunky in comparison.

 

[BHopkins]

The Venza has never excited me. Styling is very much . . . Toyota. Nothing exciting enough to get me into the dealership to drive one. But it sounds like you liked it when you drove one. That's all that matters.

 

[Hermann]

Was very impressed with the vehicle, even as a base LE. This vehicle has so much stuff I will probably never use half of it. Very solid with very little road and no wind noise. Being made in Japan is a key attractor. Even the base level has lots of soft touch trim on the upper doors and the dash area. Just loved the color of the interior. The power lumbar hits just the right spot and overall seat comfort was VG. Typical Toyota firm but not hard. Several reviewers on YouTube consider this the most Lexus like of the current Toyota's.

The new car smell reminded me of the 1991 made in Japan Toyota X-tra Cab pickup I bought new.

 

[Hermann]

I thought you ordered a Maverick.

I did but after hearing Crickets for almost 4 months with still no scheduling of a build date, I'm tired of Ford's games. Plain and simple.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Congrats on a new car!

The interior is a lot larger than a RAV4 Hybrid, especially the width of the cabin.

Interesting that you got that impression.
In reality, RAV4 has more overall passenger and cargo volume.

https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=toyota-rav4_hybrid-2021-418188,toyota-venza-2021-414614

2024 Toyota Venza Review, Pricing, and Specs

The 2024 Venza brings impressive efficiency and singular styling, but lacks driving enjoyment due to an uninspired chassis and reluctant and buzzy powertrain.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[Hermann]

Congrats on a new car!


Interesting that you got that impression.
In reality, RAV4 has more overall passenger and cargo volume.

https://www.cars.com/research/compare/?vehicles=toyota-rav4_hybrid-2021-418188,toyota-venza-2021-414614

2024 Toyota Venza Review, Pricing, and Specs

The 2024 Venza brings impressive efficiency and singular styling, but lacks driving enjoyment due to an uninspired chassis and reluctant and buzzy powertrain.

www.caranddriver.com

Not mine yet. I guess I was comparing the interior width to my sisters prev gen 2018 Rav4. My memories of the front seat area in hers, is that we were close to rubbing shoulders. My Mind May Vary

 

[IveBeenRued]

Not mine yet. I guess I was comparing the interior width to my sisters prev gen 2018 Rav4. My memories of the front seat area in hers, is that we were close to rubbing shoulders. My Mind May Vary

That’s what I was guessing. The current generation RAV4 is just slightly larger in the passenger area than the Venza but 30% larger in the trunk.

 

[IndyIan]

Go for it, you won't be disappointed.

Toyota Hybrids don't rubber band because they don't have a CVT with a belt and pulleys. A good number of people equate the ECVT as the same thing. Dealer specs on Toyota Hybrid tranmsssions are often wrong. Look on Toyotas website, not a dealers websites for vehicle specs.

If you want the Venza now, don't sleep on it.

My wife bought a Corolla Hybrid earlier this year when Toyota had a $2000 rebate on the Hybrid trim. It wasn't an easy car to find.

She is very happy with it as am I. Lots are things are done different vs a gas only car which makes driving a Toyota Hybrid better than people
think. The lowest hand calculated MPG has been 53. It goes a little over 500 miles between fill ups taking around 9.5 gallons.

She gets paid mileage from her job @ .56 a mile and the car is paying itself back.

The MPG gauge reads a little higher vs hand calculating it. Still really good. How many other 4 cylinder cars you know of that can cruise at 70 MPH at less than 1500 RPM?

View attachment 74944

That's 1200rpm at 72? Is that with any electric motor assist? Impressive anyways!
Our Outback will only hold 1200-1300 rpm up to maybe 40mph and at 60mph its just under 1600 rpm. I think 70 would be around 1800rpm but I haven't gone that fast in quite a while. Pretty low for a 4 banger in a AWD lifted wagon, but I assume the RAV4 hybrid would run only 1 or 2 hundred rpm more than the Camry in most situations.
If we were buying today though, it would be stupid not to get a RAV4 hybrid or prime over the Subaru just for the fuel savings with our usage.

 

[Danno]

My son is looking for an suv so he asked me to go on some test drives with him.He drove the Venza and the Rav 4. The power train was as smooth as silk on the Venza. The Rav 4 seemed so clunky in comparison.

The powertrains are the same for the Venza and the hybrid RAV4. If you compared a gas RAV4 with the Venza, yes, agreed, the RAV4 is clunky.
We have a 2019 RAV4 hybrid, the powertrain is smooth and has great power delivery.
It just works well.

 

[skyactiv]

The RPM varies according to load needs. 1450 RPM seems to be where the car spends the most time at on the freeway at 60 or 70 MPH.

 

[dareo]

It’s a nice looking car and not everyone has one. At least not yet.

 

[ryster]

My parents love their 2021 Venza Limited. Around town they have seen as high as 50mpg. In more mixed driving they are are regularly seeing 42mpg. The thing is a rolling computer with all of the features on it.