Is The 2022 Toyota Venza Worth the Price?
The 2022 Toyota Venza is here. But is this midsize SUV too overpriced? Check out why Toyota’s new crossover hybrid may not be the best bang for your buck.
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
We’re all looking at hybrid options these days. While fuel efficiency is the top priority for many drivers, it's easy to forget to consider other amenities that you will or will not be getting with your new vehicle.
Awesome fuel economy, not-so-awesome driving experience
Though this two-row midsize crossover
SUV
offers great fuel economy, it’s small and more expensive than you’d expect. “Unlike other midsized, five-passenger SUVs, the Venza is only available as an all-wheel-drive hybrid, and shares its drivetrain with the smaller, less-expensive RAV4 Hybrid,” Consumer Reports
notes. When it comes to everyday driving, the vehicle is responsive, but the feedback-free steering makes driving the Venza quite a bore.
According to
Car and Driver
, “A 2.5-liter four-cylinder and three electric motors comprise the Venza's all-wheel-drive, hybrid powertrain, which sips fuel better than V-6–powered rivals such as the Honda Passport and the Nissan Murano.”Though road noise is noticeable, especially on rough terrain, overall the ride is firm and comfortable.
There haven’t been any significant changes from the 2021 Toyota Venza, and the best of the bunch is the XLE model. “It comes standard with front and rear parking sensors, passive keyless entry, and 19-inch aluminum wheels,” reports Car and Driver.
The models also come with standard all-wheel drive. However, testers at Car and Driver were disappointed with the Venza’s driving dynamics and noted that the ride was anything but smooth. The SUV takes a whole 7.6 seconds to jump from 0 to 60 mph.
Consumer Reports was impressed with the SUV’s fuel economy. The 2022 Toyota Venza’s estimated EPA is 40 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, beating out other vehicles in its two-row midsize SUV class.
MORE: Toyota Has the Best Electric SUV for Families
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A cramped interior and innovative sunroof
Passenger and cargo space is tight. In fact, Consumer Reports gave the Venza’s trunk/cargo area a 2 out of 5 rating.
Though the inside should be bigger than the Toyota RAV4, it actually feels more cramped. Competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Hyundai Santa Fe offer much more space in the back seats.
While the driver's seat is comfy and slightly elevated, Consumer Reports found that the plastic center console intruded on the driver’s right knee. And “unintuitive controls and limited rear visibility proved to be definite downsides,” the organization notes.
However, Consumer Reports was a big fan of the midsize SUV’s dimmable roof. According to Car and Driver, “The Venza is the first Toyota to offer the optional electrochromic panoramic sunroof that the company calls Star Gaze.” With a simple switch, the glass panels on the sunroof go from transparent to fully opaque. Luxury car vibes for sure.
The SUV’s dash sports an 8.0-inch touchscreen, with an optional 12.3-inch display standard on the Limited Trim. XLE owners can opt for the larger infotainment system for a fee.
However, the larger touchscreen “proved cluttered, and the flush ‘buttons’ that handle the climate-control system and other key functions are nearly impossible to discern by feel,” Consumer Reports tells us. And apparently, once you push the buttons, you can’t always count on an immediate response.
On all models, drivers can expect a SiriusXM satellite radio. Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
Poorly integrated safety features on the 2022 Toyota Venza
While driver-assist features like lane departure warning (LDW) come standard on the 2022 Toyota Venza, the system gives warnings prematurely before the vehicle even touches the lane line.
According to Consumer Reports, “This is likely to cause some drivers to simply turn the system off so they won’t be bothered by it, which means it won’t be on to help them when they make a mistake or fall asleep and start to cross over the lane line.”
The Venza’s lane-keeping assistance (LKA) also isn’t the best at centering the car in the middle of the lane lines.No one wants their car to awkwardly ping pong across the lane.
Consumer Reports also found that the adaptive cruise control (ACC) maintains a good gap distance between the car ahead, whether the car is at low or high speeds. But, it could do a better job at accelerating back up after the vehicle comes to a complete stop.
And if you’re looking for direct driver monitoring to make sure the driver’s eyes are on the road, the 2022 Toyota Venza is not for you. With quite a bit of compromise, your hard-earned money may be best spent elsewhere.
4.7
