Toyota Venza

Hey, the Venza is back! Did you miss it? Considering the lack of shed tears or internet outcry back when Toyota binned the original Venza after the 2015 model year, the answer would probably be, "No, not really." But a 2021 Toyota Venza is here nonetheless, and it's got a few new party tricks to show off.

The new Venza competes with other midsize crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Subaru Outback and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. These models are known for their abundance of passenger and cargo room. Oddly, this is something the new Venza is a bit short on. However, it does have something they don't: a standard hybrid powertrain.

All Venzas use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors (one dedicated to charging) to send power through a continuously variable automatic transmission to its front wheels. A single rear motor also provides power to the rear wheels when you need extra traction. It's a similar setup to the RAV4 Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid SUVs. Total output is 219 horsepower. This might not seem like much given that the Passport's V6 cranks out 280 hp, for example, but we've found acceleration to be perfectly adequate. Plus, it's smooth, quiet and gets you a Toyota-estimated 39 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

Overall, we think highly of the Venza and recommend it if you're looking for an SUV that's stylish, upscale and fuel-efficient.

Which Venza does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Toyota Venza is a midsize SUV that comes with more standard features than most in its segment. It's offered exclusively as a hybrid with all-wheel drive and comes in three trim levels: LE, XLE and Limited. Highlight features include:

LE The base LE gets you started off nicely with:

• A hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (219 hp total output)
• All-wheel drive
• 18-inch wheels
• LED headlights
• 8-inch touchscreen display
• 4.2 multi-information display
• Push-button ignition and keyless entry (front doors only)
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Dual-zone automatic climate control

You also get:

• Wireless smartphone charging
• Four USB ports
• Hands-free liftgate
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa compatibility
• Six-speaker sound system

All Venzas come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 that includes:

• Adaptive cruise control (uses front-mounted radar and camera to maintain a preset speed and distance to the vehicle ahead. Operates down to a stop.)
• Lane centering assist (works with adaptive cruise control and keeps the vehicle centered in the lane with small steering inputs)
• Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection (warns you of an impending collision and can apply the brakes if you don't react in time)
• Lane departure alert (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)

XLE The XLE takes things up a notch with:

• Front and rear parking sensors
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Roof rails
• Auto-dimming mirror with HomeLink
• Projector-style LED headlights
• Heated front seats
• Simulated leather and cloth seats
• Keyless entry for rear doors
• A larger driver information display

Limited The Limited trim bumps the Venza up to the luxury class by adding:

• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Nine-speaker premium JBL audio system
• Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Full simulated leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Heated steering wheel
• 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Venza and its surroundings for tight parking situations)

Some of the features on the Limited are available on the XLE as options. For the Limited you can also get:

Advanced Technology package

• 10-inch color head-up display
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers

Star Gaze panoramic roof

• Glass switches between clear and frost tinted with the push of a button
• Electrochromic sunshade (think transition lenses)
• Removes the roof rails if equipped