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Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang2021 Toyota Venza: All New With a Hybrid Powertrain and Standard AWD
The 2021 Toyota Venza returns with a hybrid powertrain and standard AWD. With an upscale look, it rivals luxury brands’ aesthetics but falls short on space.
What’s New for the 2021 Toyota Venza?
The Toyota Venza returns in 2021 after a five-year hiatus. The Venza is smaller than before—both in passenger and cargo room—but the biggest change for 2021 is that it only comes with a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive is standard. This model also introduces a Star Gaze panoramic glass roof that can change from clear to opaque at the touch of a button.
2021 Toyota Venza – pressroom.toyota.com | Shop 2021 Toyota Venza on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Excellent fuel economy
Standard AWD
Stylish interior
Small compared to other mid-size SUVs
No much headroom in rear seat
Larger touchscreen can be hard to use
Would be great to comfortably sit more than 4
2021 Venza Specs
- 219 horsepower from base engine
- 163 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 28.8 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 55.1 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Rearview camera
- Lane-keeping assist
- 10-year/150,000-mile battery warranty
2021 Toyota Venza Powertrain
All trims of the 2021 Toyota Venza are hybrid. The Venza teams a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with three electric motors to create a standard all-wheel-drive system, each powered by a 252-volt lithium-ion hybrid battery pack. The total output is 219 hp. This system results in a decent fuel economy and plenty of power for highway passing. The Venza provides a smooth drive around town, seamlessly blending gas and electric power resulting in a virtually lag-free acceleration.
The Venza offers four driving modes: EV, Eco, Sport, and Normal. The power is managed by an electronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). It should be noted that the Toyota Venza is not rated for towing.
New to hybrid cars? Check out Hybrid vs Electric Cars: What You Need to Know. Or, if you are interested in an all-electric ride, Toyota recently rolled out a new BZ Electric brand.
2021 Toyota Venza Fuel Economy & MPG
The Venza is only offered as a hybrid, so naturally gets better gas mileage than its gas-only competitors. The EPA estimates the Venza to get 40 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, which puts it at the top over other hybrid crossover SUVs in its class.
See how the Venza compares with other hybrid SUVs – The Best Hybrid SUVs You Can Buy Right Now.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The cabin of the 2021 Toyota Venza has an upscale, luxurious feel that rivals Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand. The door panels, dash, and center console are wrapped in synthetic leather, while the steering wheel and shift knob have real leather. There is no leather option for the seats, however, and all trims come in either cloth or synthetic leather. The front seats are comfortable and well sculpted to fit all adult sizes but are standard with only an 8-way power adjustment. The driver’s seat comes with two-way lumbar support. Heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel are available in the Limited trim.
Entering and exiting the Venza comes with ease, but it lacks in interior passenger and cargo space. Smaller than most in its class, the Venza seats five, but seating three across would be tight. The sleek coupe-like roofline cuts into the interior headroom making it difficult for anyone 6 foot and over to ride in the rear seat.
The Venza has 28.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up. This is less than the RAV4 (Toyota’s compact SUV) which has 37.5 cubic feet. With the seats down, the Venza has 69.8 cubic feet compared to 55.1 cubic feet in the RAV 4. A hands-free tailgate is standard on all trims, which is rare with most competitors’ lower trims in this class.
Entertainment & Technology
The Venza LE and XLE trims come with a standard 8-inch touchscreen. Below the touchscreen are radio volume and tuning knobs as well as physical controls for the climate control system. Standard equipment also includes satellite and HD radio, a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hot spot, four USB ports, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen is optional with the XLE and standard for the Limited trim. The audio and climate control buttons are integrated into this larger screen, making them more difficult to use than the physical knobs on the base trim. These can even be a distraction as you must look away from the road to find and use them. Also available with the larger screen is a navigation system, a 1,200-watt, 9-speaker JBL premium sound system with Clari-Fi music restoration technology.
A unique feature the Venza offers is the optional tint-on-demand Star Gaze panoramic roof. You can switch from clear glass to opaque with the touch of a button. This blocks out most of the direct sun and heat but allows the cabin to have a bright, open feel. This glass roof does not open like a traditional sunroof, however, so those wanting a breeze while they drive may need to look elsewhere.
Safety Features
Standard safety features on the 2021 Toyota Venza include a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, active lane control, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, and road-sign recognition.
Other available advanced safety features include a surround-view camera system, a heads-up display, and front and rear parking sensors. The XLE and Limited models feature LED projector headlights, while the base lights on the LE trim struggle to illuminate the road ahead. These base lights caused the Venza to receive the second-lowest rating of “marginal” with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Models with the optional projector headlights received the second-highest rating of “acceptable” for forward visibility and were awarded a Top Safety pick designation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2021 Venza an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests and five stars in the side crash test.
2021 Toyota Venza Trims & Pricing
LE – $32,670
The Venza LE comes standard with a power-adjustable driver’s seat, cloth upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless device charging, push-button ignition and keyless entry, hands-free liftgate, Bluetooth, satellite and HD radio, an 8-inch touch screen, a six-speaker stereo, four USB ports, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. All Venzas come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 which includes lane centering assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, and lane departure alert. Other standard driver assistant features are a rearview camera, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, and traffic sign recognition.
Looking for a spacious budget buy? See our Top 10 Family Cars Under $10,000.
XLE – $32,600
The Venza XLE takes the base trim and adds the option of synthetic leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable passenger seat, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry for the rear doors. The infotainment system is also elevated with a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a nine-speaker JBL audio system. The exterior includes roof rails, 19-inch alloy wheels, and Projector-style LED headlights.
Limited – $40,000
The Limited trim wraps up the Venza lineup adding a digital rearview mirror, synthetic leather upholstery, a surround-view camera system, and the options of a Star Gaze panoramic roof and a 10-inch color head-up display.
Warranties
The Toyota Venza comes with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The battery comes with a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty, and Toyota covers most hybrid components with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.
What we think
2021 Toyota Venza – pressroom.toyota.com | Shop 2021 Toyota Venza on Carsforsale.com
The 2021 Toyota Venza is an obvious choice if comfort, style, and fuel economy are your priorities. The hybrid powertrain and standard all-wheel drive are a great addition to this second-generation crossover SUV, but it cannot compare to others in its class when it comes to hauling people and cargo. The Venza LE does a good job of combining comfort and value, so if you won’t need to haul more than four people at a time, this trim seems to make the most sense. Otherwise, the hybrid Toyota Highlander might be worth looking into.
