- Review
- Ratings
- Fast Facts
I don’t quite understand cars like this, the 2013 Toyota Venza. It’s a bigger, taller version of the Camry sedan, making it either a very car-like crossover vehicle or a beefed-up station wagon, depending on how you look at it.
Toyota’s marketing department says the Venza is “appealing to customers who prioritize bold, innovative design, a luxurious and refined interior and excellent handling, but they still require roominess and versatility.”
That sounds great, but it leaves me with two big questions: Why should I buy a Venza when I can get even more “roominess and versatility” from the Highlander parked next to it on the dealer’s lot? And is the Venza actually a better car than the popular and much-loved Camry it’s based on?
I suspect the answer to the first question is simple. You buy a Venza over a Highlander because you like the way it looks.
It is a handsome car, at least by crossover standards, after Toyota gave it refreshed styling for 2013. It’s sleek and almost coupe-like, not dripping with faux machismo like the crossovers that try to mimic boxy, old-school SUVs. I like that about it.
It’s also a much more appealing body than what Honda served up with the Accord Crosstour, a similar car-crossover-wagon thing. Rear visibility is drastically better in the Venza than the competition at Honda, too.
On the second question — whether the Venza is better than the Camry it’s based on — the answer isn’t quite as clear.
If I want a car that gets better gas mileage, accelerates faster and handles slightly better, a Camry will do the trick at a base price $5,000 less than its portly Venza sibling. And for ever so slightly more money, a Highlander’s big cargo space and folding third-row seat gets awfully tempting.
From the driver’s seat, the Venza feels like a Camry on stilts. It’s predictably soft, quiet and smooth riding, as can be expected in a Toyota product, but it rides up higher to give better visibility of the road. It’s certainly one of the most car-like crossovers for sale today, without a hint of off-road pretensions.
Power comes from your choice of a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine. The 2.7-liter four makes 181 horsepower and is rated for 27 mpg on the highway (21 city). A stronger choice is the 2.5-liter V6 that makes 268 horses and is still rated for 26 mpg on the highway (19 city).
Pricing starts at $27,700 for the four-cylinder LE version, or $31,360 for the nicer XLE. Toyota also offers a Limited model for $37,420 with leather seats and lots of upgrades.
What was tested?: 2013 Toyota Venza LE ($27,700)
Options: None
Price as tested: $27,700
Pros: It’s a bigger, taller Toyota Camry with a hatchback opening for carrying cargo. It has sleeker looks than most crossovers.
Cons: You can save money and drive an arguably better car by sticking withthe Camry sedan, or get even more versatility from the similarly priced Highlander.
RATINGS:
Style: 7
Performance: 6
Price: 8
Handling: 5
Ride: 9
Comfort: 7
Quality: 7
Overall: 7
2013 TOYOTA VENZA WAGON SPECIFICATIONS
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Description: Mid-size wagon
- DOHC 2.7-L I4
- DOHC 3.5-L V6
- LE: 21/27
- XLE: 21/27
- Limited: 19/26
- LE: $27,700
- XLE: $31,360
- Limited: $37,420
Trim options: LE, XLE, Limited
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
Overall length: 189.0 inches
Engine size:
Transmissions/speeds: Auto/6, electronically controlled, sequential shift mode
Rear/front drive: FWD, AWD
Steering: Electric Power Steering, rack and pinion
Braking: Power 4-disc
Air bags: 2 (front), driver knee (front), 2 (side), 2 (side curtain)
EPA mileage est. city/hwy.:
MSRP, est.:
