Wow! What a great looking car. I mean, this thing really has style, and it’s a five-door wagon-like crossover. It’s more wagon-like than most crossovers, because it’s so long and lean.

Perfectly proportioned and with a captivating taillight treatment, the Venza is one good-looking family hauler. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Yet somehow, despite its family hauling intentions, Toyota’s design team has made the Venza a real looker. It’s perfectly proportioned, hardly radical but then again a little avant-garde. I think it’s the wave patterns on the grille, the Camry-like dip in the hood-line to fit in the stylized “T” logo, the swoopy headlight clusters, or maybe the ridged front fenders. Then again, the taillight assembly design is totally original and quite captivating. Yes, I really like the way the new Venza looks, and I’m quite proud to be seen sitting in the driver’s seat.

True. And once again, this is a family hauler. Yes, I know. Regular readers will appreciate that I have a weakness for minivans too,

The Venza manages to look avant-garde without being radical. Toyota calls it "segment busting." (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

but c’mon, as much as I appreciate their usefulness, arriving to the club in a minivan is kind of like announcing to the breakfast networking meeting that you plan on making your millions part-time in Amway. I’d prefer to show up at the club in the Venza, and I’m willing to bet that there’d be some amorous side glances.

Toyota calls the Venza “the ‘must have’ car of 2009,” and while I wouldn’t make such a bold claim myself, their bold claim is certainly worthy of investigation. In contrast, I just climbed out of Nissan’s brightest star, the all-new 2009 Murano, and while a little taller and more SUV-like than the new Venza, the Murano is nevertheless car-based, seats five and offers a large accommodating cargo area via a similar liftback design. There are many car-based crossovers on the market that fall into this category. So when Toyota calls its Venza “segment busting,” which it did in the car’s initial press release, I find it difficult to understand how a five-door wagon cum crossover can differentiate itself enough from an extremely crowded pack to be given such an exclusive title. Certainly its low-slung design gives it a unique appearance amongst those crossovers attempting to appear SUV-like yet drive like cars, and the availability of a fuel-efficient four-cylinder model in a midsize package puts it in a smaller class, but one that nevertheless exists… i.e. not segment busting. Its price of $28,270 is also worth taking note of, but there’s a certain domestic brand that will sell you a stylish new four-cylinder equipped midsize crossover for almost $10,000 less, so while it’ll depreciate at a much faster rate than the Toyota, even this is not anything to completely separate it from its rivals. Really, the last vehicle I can remember using the exact phrase of “segment busting” to describe its arrival was Chrysler’s soon to be defunct Pacifica, a low-slung wagon-like crossover that, while obviously not received as well as it could have been, was a forerunner in this segment.

The stylish interior complements the exterior with lots of eye candy, comfortable seats and easy-to-reach switchgear. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Unlike the Pacifica, Toyota puts a check mark through all of the important midsize crossover boxes, such as fuel economy (10.0 L/100 km in the city and 6.8 on the highway in I-4 FWD guise; 10.2 and 7.1 respectively for I-4 AWD; 11.0 and 7.6 for V6 FWD; and 11.5 and 7.9 for V6 AWD), interior roominess, cargo capacity (at 869 litres or 30.7 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 1,985 litres or 70.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down), towing capability of 1,587 kilos (3,500 lbs) when mated to the V6, and the option of all-wheel drive, plus it adds a really stylish well-made interior to complement the exterior design I was gushing about earlier. The general layout is eye candy and all buttons, knobs and switches are large and easy to reach and adjust from the comfortable, supportive driver’s seat. My tester featured cloth in a similar squiggly pattern to the Venza’s unique front grille, albeit vertical rather than horizontal in design. Even more stimulating is the wood-coloured yet carbon-fibre-like finish of the centre stack and lower console surface. It’s much more attractive than the rather pathetic attempt at simulated wood that mars the new Highlander, giving the Venza a sharper more modern ambiance. I love the placement of the gear lever too, halfway up the centre stack like a ‘60s Alfa Romeo.

The shift lever is placed halfway up the centre stack, like a 1960s Alfa Romeo. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

It shifts a lot smoother than anything from the ‘60s mind you, as should be expected from a modern-day electronically actuated six-speed automatic with manual mode. The latter requires a nudge to the left, engaging Sport mode with the option of moving up and down through the gears with a tap forward and aft respectively. The 3.5-litre V6 it connects to is Toyota’s staple upgrade, the base Venza comes with an all-new 2.7-litre four-cylinder that makes182-horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 182 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm, also featuring a six-speed automatic with manual shift mode. The six is energetic with 268-horsepower produced at 6,200 rpm and 246 lb-ft of torque made at 4,700 rpm, allowing the Venza, so equipped, to sprint away from stoplights with the kind of verve expected from optional engines these days, and that despite a rather healthy curb weight of 1,835 kilos (4,045 lbs) in V6, all-wheel drive guise; a fair bit more than the 1,705 kilograms (3,760 lbs) it weighs in front-wheel drive, four-cylinder trim. In case you were wondering, power hits the road via front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, both being available with either engine choice, the latter being the way Toyota outfitted my tester.

Seating for five means lots of room for family. A fold-down armrest raises the luxury quotient when there are only four passengers. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

I had the unique opportunity to test the Venza through the curves, but not just in and around my hometown, where there are circuitous roadways aplenty, but rather on California’s Laguna Seca raceway, where Toyota kindly provided a fully equipped test model for our enjoyment… er, detailed analysis. Truthfully, with all of the cars on hand for testing purposes, such as Chevy’s new Camaro, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe GT, Mercedes-Benz’s C63 AMG, an Audi R8, a supercharged Lotus Elise… well, you get the picture, and then you throw them all on one of the best racetracks the world has to offer, and a midsize crossover is going to get looked over. But I knew I was going to cover the Venza when I returned home, so I just had to take it for a spin. Good? Well, it was hardly a revelation that the Venza wouldn’t perform to anywhere near the same level as the cars just mentioned, but factoring in its mission in life, it held its own and surpassed my expectations. After all, this is a car spawned from Toyota’s bread and butter Camry, an architecture also shared with the Highlander and soon the updated Sienna, yet the Venza took to the course with aplomb, managing the difficult sections, like the braking zone leading up to the Corkscrew and then the famed set of extremely vertical corners itself,

The optional V6 sprints away from stoplights while delivering 11.0 L/100km in the city and 7.6 on the highway. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

with a composure more softly sprung crossovers with centers of gravity wouldn’t have been able to achieve; and it still boasts ground clearance of 205 mm (8.1 inches) which is about average in the crossover class. Yes, this is a decent handling machine, something that will dole out a little fun during regular driving, but more importantly something that will be able to negotiate you and your family out of harms way if an avoidance maneuver is necessary.

Keeping the Versa right side up, ABS, traction control and stability control are standard, as expected in this class, as are front thorax side airbags and side-curtain airbags for all window passengers. Other than the two airbags up front, Toyota also includes a driver's knee airbag, while both front seats get active head restraints.

There's lots of cargo space and 60/40 split folding rear seat backs. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Other standard features include power locks with keyless entry, auto up/down on all windows (thanks very much), remote powered and heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, auto-off headlamps, fog lamps, a power-assisted hatch closer (not a power liftgate which costs more), an eight-way power driver's seat, a tilt and telescopic wheel with audio controls, a six-CD/MP3/WMA audio system with auxiliary input and XM satellite radio, plus 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in P245/55R19 all-season tires. The V6 model gets all of the above plus P245/50R20 all-season tires over 20-inch alloy wheels and dual exhaust. I particularly like its 60/40 split folding rear seats that effortlessly drop when loading the back via one-tug levers. All-round, a really nice interior that’s a step above some other Toyotas and miles more appealing than some competitors.

The rear seat backs are operated using clever, one-tug levers. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Some options that will keep your love alive long after the honeymoon is over include leather seats, available with four- or six-cylinder engines (so you can go the environmental route and still enjoy a little luxury), a four-way power passenger seat, a backup camera, a power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof. Spend a little more and Toyota’s proximity sensing Smart Key system with pushbutton start can be added, as well as auto-leveling xenon headlamps with Automatic High Beam System, plus chrome-accented door handles. Also, depending on the model, you can get a high-powered JBL audio system complete with navigation and Bluetooth hands-free connectivity.

All such features push the Venza’s bottom line up well beyond its sub-$30 starting point, but even the mighty Toyota is hurting financially these days, so your chance of working a deal is pretty good.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(0070.) Blizzard Pearl Paint

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(J004) Standard Black Paint