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2024 Toyota Venza Assessment: Need a ritzier RAV4 Hybrid? A less expensive NX? Do this

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Execs: Extra luxurious than mechanically equivalent RAV4 Hybrid; glorious gasoline financial system for an SUV; Lexus-like seems to be and high quality

Cons: Much less spacious and versatile than mechanically equivalent RAV4 Hybrid; wonky contact controls; a bit sluggish

The 2024 Toyota Venza is both the reply for many who desire a ritzier RAV4 Hybrid or a inexpensive Lexus NX 350h. They’re all based mostly on the identical platform and have principally the identical hybrid engine (the one method to get a Venza), so it in the end comes right down to design, inside high quality, function content material, utility and worth. Mainly, the Venza sits within the center, although does skew a bit extra within the fancier, Lexus course.

Why would Toyota go to the trouble to slice its small SUV pie even thinner? The reply is that not a whole lot of effort was required: the Venza is a rebadged model of the Japanese-market Toyota Harrier. As soon as upon a time, that title was successfully hooked up to the Lexus RX in Japan, which helps clarify why the Venza is so luxurious inside. Certainly, it’s extra fashionable and of a better high quality than the moderately utilitarian RAV4. It’s for that reason that Toyota feels comfy positioning the Venza in opposition to pricier midsize SUVs just like the Honda Passport and Chevrolet Blazer even when its dimensions are a bit smaller than the compact RAV4 (most notably within the cargo space). A relative lack of energy regardless of comparatively distinctive fuel economy is one more reason why that “midsize” placement makes the Venza a Granny Smith in a basket of Florida oranges.

However, there’s benefit to contemplating the Venza. For some, its added luxurious and elegance might be sufficient to outweigh its decreased utility and elevated worth in comparison with the RAV4. For many, although, we would most likely simply go along with the RAV4.

Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy

What it’s like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features

What’s new for 2024?

The Venza carries over unchanged for 2024.

What are the Venza inside and in-car know-how like?

Much like its exterior styling, the Venza’s inside design is a key space the place it differentiates itself from the RAV4. As a substitute of a blocky, off-road look, the Venza incorporates a sharp, fashionable and extremely styled inside. It’s coming into Lexus territory in its highest trim. Distinctive coloration schemes, distinction sprint/seat stitching, and distinguished know-how assist carry the design collectively. Functionally, the XLE and Restricted are hamstrung versus the LE, although. Each the mid-grade and prime trim have touch-capacitive controls for the audio and local weather programs, that are troublesome to establish and function whereas driving. The bottom LE makes use of bodily buttons, that are a lot simpler to make use of even when they do not look as fancy. 

The massive dash-top display screen is the inside’s centerpiece. It measures 8 inches on the LE, however the XLE and Restricted get a 12.3-inch unit. The working system is the most recent Toyota has to supply, that includes brilliant, minimalist graphics and pure speech recognition. It is responsive and runs rapidly. The shortcut icons on the aspect closest to the motive force are straightforward to succeed in, however they sadly disappear once you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which means you need to click-click-click to flee the Apple/Android interfaces moderately than utilizing a easy Residence button like Toyota used to function. There are different annoyances we found, notably with the radio operation, that may make the brand new system much less user-friendly than what you’d discover in most rival programs.

How massive is the Venza?

Toyota considers the Venza to be a midsize crossover competitor. Possibly by way of worth, inside ambiance and Toyota’s lineup hierarchy, however not by way of precise dimension. As our spec comparison reveals, it’s on the smaller aspect of this class versus vehicles just like the Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe and Chevrolet Blazer. Consider it extra as a glorified, style-first RAV4 than a really utilitarian household crossover.

On account of this style-over-utility alternative, the Venza has considerably much less cargo area (28.8 cubic toes behind the second row) than the RAV4 (37.5 cubic toes) regardless of being 5.7 inches longer general — see our Toyota cargo test comparison for extra on what matches within the cargo space. Rear legroom is equivalent between the 2 (37.8 inches), however that claims extra concerning the RAV4 given their equally beneficiant quantity. Fortunately, the Venza’s roofline doesn’t reduce into rear-seat headroom sufficient to be bothersome until you’re particularly tall. The larger concern is the optionally available Star Gaze fastened glass roof, which drops rear headroom by a big 2.1 inches.

The Venza additionally doesn’t have roof rails. There are mounting factors for aftermarket attachments, however these aren’t as handy as what you’d discover on varied RAV4 trim ranges.

What are the Venza gasoline financial system and efficiency specs?

The 2024 Venza is simply accessible as a hybrid. It’s nearly a direct carry from the RAV4 Hybrid, with the primary variations being its battery pack chemistry (pricier lithium-ion as an alternative of nickel-metal hydride) and closing tuning. In any other case, you get the identical 2.5-liter four-cylinder aided by a trio of electrical motors, certainly one of which powers the rear axle to successfully present commonplace all-wheel drive. Whole system output is 219 mixed horsepower, which is fairly weak for one thing advertised as a midsize crossover. It’s precisely what you’d anticipate from a hybrid compact crossover, go determine.

On the upside, fuel economy is sort of equivalent to the RAV4, which means the Venza returns distinctive gasoline financial system for a automobile of its dimension that completely demolishes its midsize, non-hybrid competitors (the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe provide hybrid trims). EPA estimates are the identical as these from 2023: 40 mpg metropolis, 37 mpg freeway and 39 mpg mixed.

Venza LE

What is the Venza wish to drive?

The Venza might appear to be a sporty crossover, nevertheless it actually isn’t. Toyota doesn’t present a 0-60 mph estimate, however the RAV4 Hybrid will get there in 7.8 seconds and the Venza is roughly 130 kilos heavier. It ought to subsequently be even slower, placing it nicely within the rearviews of most compact and midsize SUVs. At the very least it feels faster off the road than the numbers recommend because of the electrical motors, however like all Toyota hybrids, there’s loads of droning underneath full acceleration that does little to convey a sporty intent.

The Venza rides on the identical TNGA-Okay variant of Toyota’s company platform and even shares the RAV4’s 105.9-inch wheelbase (the Lexus NX is mechanically associated as nicely). Street imperfections and potholes are soaked up admirably, and freeway cruising is each quiet and comfy. Nevertheless, the wind and highway noise is just not decreased to Lexus-quiet ranges of serenity.

At no level does the Venza ever encourage the motive force to push it by means of a winding highway. The rear electrical motor does a bang-up job of protecting the entrance wheels from being overwhelmed, however that is no performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system. The eco tires hand over rapidly, and you’ll actually really feel the heft of the tall physique round corners. If you happen to’re searching for a extra partaking driving expertise in Toyota’s lineup, the RAV4 Hybrid XSE and new RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid do a significantly better job. 

What different Toyota Venza evaluations can I learn?

2021 Toyota Venza First Drive | It’s back!

Our first spin within the revamped Venza. Right here we go over the design, engineering and supply additional driving impressions.

 

2021 Toyota Venza vs Toyota RAV4 Luggage Test | Which one fits more?

Our West Coast Editor compares the bags area of the brand new Toyota Venza with that in a RAV4 to point out the real-world variations between the 2.

 

Toyota hybrid crossover comparison | How the Venza, RAV4 Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid compare on paper

We pit all three of Toyota’s in style hybrid crossovers in opposition to one another to see how the brand new Venza compares. Observe that the RAV4 seems to be a little bit completely different now, however its specs are principally the identical.

 

2021 Toyota Venza vs midsize crossovers: How they compare on paper

Here is how the brand new Venza stacks up versus the opponents in its phase just like the Ford EdgeNissan Murano and Honda Passport.

What’s the 2024 Venza worth and the place is it made?

Pricing for the Venza begins at $36,315, together with the necessary $1,395 vacation spot cost. That’s $3,490 greater than the bottom RAV4 Hybrid LE. Alternatively, it’s additionally $7,890 lower than the mechanically associated Lexus NX 350h.

Which model would we select? The bottom model’s ample gear and bodily controls would make us strongly take into account going with it, nevertheless it’s additionally exhausting to argue with the XLE’s simulated leather-based upholstery (versus fabric), heated seats, upgraded inside supplies and new, jumbo touchscreen. We’d most likely skip the Nightshade as a result of $1,100 appears steep for some blacked-out trim (although folks do appear to like it) in addition to the Restricted. It’s principally the identical worth because the NX 350h, and even when a bit higher outfitted, wouldn’t you moderately personal a Lexus?

All costs beneath embody the $1,395 vacation spot cost.

LE: $36,315
XLE: $40,525
Nightshade Version: $41,650
Restricted: $44,460

Because the Venza is principally a rebadged model of the Japanese market Toyota Harrier, it’s inbuilt Toyota Metropolis, Japan. All RAV4s but the Prime are inbuilt North America.

What are the Venza security rankings and driver help options?

Toyota makes its full suite of driver help programs commonplace within the 2024 Venza. These embody computerized emergency braking (with pedestrian and bicycle owner detection), emergency steering help, lane departure warning and lane-keeping help, adaptive cruise management with lane-centering steering help, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, auto excessive beams and highway signal recognition. Parking sensors and reverse computerized braking are additionally now commonplace on each Venza.

The NHTSA gave the Venza 5 out of 5 stars for general crash safety, together with 4 stars for frontal safety and 5 stars for aspect safety. The Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security named it a High Security Choose for its sufficiently excessive scores in crashworthiness, crash avoidance and headlight efficiency. The latter didn’t internet a best-possible “Good” score, which means the Venza missed out on the best-possible High Security Choose+ score.

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