2021 Toyota Venza

The Toyota Venza is back for 2021, reimagined with everything crossover buyers might want in a versatile five-seater: all-wheel drive, superior fuel economy, top technology and a comfortable, design-centered interior with luxe features normally found only at the top end of mainstream vehicles.

The original, first-generation Venza was a crossover aimed at active empty nesters. It debuted in 2008 but was retired in 2015 after it had trouble connecting with its niche audience and was surpassed in sales by Toyota’s own RAV4 compact crossover and Highlander three-row SUV. The resurrected, second-generation 2021 Venza remains a five-passenger crossover, but its name is the closest resemblance it has to its former self. 

Toyota offers the Venza in three trims for the 2021 model year: LE, XLE and Limited. All models come with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and permanent magnet synchronous electric motors that combine to produce a total output of 219 horsepower. The hybrid system is paired with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, which sends power to all four wheels through a standard all-wheel drive system.

All three models come with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0 suite of safety tech, which includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warnings with pedestrian detection, lane centering assist, lane departure warnings with steering assist and road sign assist. Blind spot monitoring also is standard. Also standard is Qi wireless charging and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The base Venza LE starts at $33,745 and comes with 18-inch wheels, multi-reflector LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, four USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate controls, fabric upholstery and push-button start. The mid-grade XLE model adds larger 19-inch wheels, dual LED daytime running lights, a 7-inch color driver information display, fabric and SofTex upholstery, heated front seats, power driver’s seat adjustments, four-door smart key entry and a front and rear parking sonar system. The top-end Limited trim comes with Venza logo puddle lights, a bird’s-eye camera with 360-degree view, a heated steering wheel, perforated SofTex upholstery, ventilated front seats, wood grain accents, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, navigation and a nine-speaker JBL sound system.

On the road, the Venza’s hybrid powertrain delivers a sedate but relaxing driving dynamic that leans more toward comfort than engagement—a plus for passengers. The regenerative braking system also lacks the grabby sensation from which some hybrids suffer. Power is delivered to the front wheels by the gas engine and the electric motors drive the rear. The system is lighter than a traditional AWD unit and can quickly shift power to the back wheels when more traction is needed. The Venza’s AWD configurations helps the it from feeling underpowered like (RAV4 gas models) and provides enough pep to scoot around town. Acceleration is just adequate, but merging on the freeway is far from problematic. The compact Venza displays some body movement and lean in the corners, but the tradeoff is a smoother ride at highway speeds. 

Inside, the Venza prioritizes space for people space over cargo. There is a total of 98.3 cubic-feet of passenger volume (the RAV4 offers 98.9); first and second-row legroom are 41 and 37.8 inches, respectively (also virtually the same as the RAV4). The Venza’s sloping roof looks stylish from a design perspective but functionally could cramp adult passengers in the rear that are over six feet tall. It also eats into the cargo hold, which is much smaller than the RAV4 with only 28.8 cubic-feet of space. The RAV4 sits are the top of the class with rivals Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue and offers 37.6 cubic-feet of rear storage. Even with the seats folded, the Venza only manages 55.1 cubic-feet, compared to almost 70 in the RAV4. It does have 60/40-splitting rear seats for flexible loading.

It makes up for its smaller cargo hold with (mostly) upscale interior materials and finishings and claws back points for infotainment and technology. The base 8-inch touchscreen fills the center stack nicely, with easy visibility from nearly anywhere in the cabin. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto brings maps, voice controls and streaming audio. Upgrading to the 12.3-inch screen offers a stunning visual display at the top of the dash and runs two functions side-by-side. 

The front seats are well padded and roomy, but the lack of a real leather option is a miss. Toyota’s SofTex leather replacement (standard on XLE and Limited) is a durable and wipeable material that parents will appreciate as well as anyone who might expose the cabin to sweat, salt or mud. Ultimately, however, synthetic trimming doesn’t stack up from a comfort or feel perspective.

On the safety side, every Venza gets Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alerts with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, full-speed dynamic radar cruise control and road sign assistance. There’s also standard blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts. The top two trims add rear parking assist with automatic braking. Those features combined to help the Venza earn a 2021 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Though it shares the same classification with the RAV4 as a compact crossover, Toyota differentiate the new Venza with classier styling, a more refined on-road experience and more premium equipment within its short menu of trims. The Venza is self-assured as an urban crossover for drivers who need a little extra space and the confidence of all-wheel drive, not a rugged go-anywhere adventure vehicle.