Test Drive: 2015 Toyota Venza AWD Limited

The light turns green and I fight the urge to stomp the pedal in favour of gently – and efficiently getting the Venza moving in the direction of more gas.

Another red light and some words unsuited for print are shouted at my bad luck. Thankfully no Torontonian passersby are offended by my vulgarities due to Toyota’s impressive efforts at keeping outside sounds subdued, and it would seem, inside sounds contained.

I have begun fashioning my own fuel saving automatic engine stop feature at each of the red lights I systematically encounter on the path to the gas stop. I wish Toyota had built this feature in too – it might’ve bought me an extra kilometer or two before showing a zero distance to empty reading.

The mirrors – which feature no blind-spot monitoring, but do have built in convex sections to achieve exactly the same benefit – are large and give me a clear view of the queue of motorists behind me soon to be honking and cursing my existence.

2015 Toyota Venza AWD Limited. Click image to enlarge

But wait, behold, there on the horizon (or actually, just the next intersection) is the bright, glowing sign of my savior: the filling station!

The Venza did it! It got us to the oasis in that motoring wasteland, no thanks to its oblivious driver. All told, we must’ve managed an extra six or seven kilometers in automotive purgatory; a first for me, though I later learned from a friend, is something people do all the time sometimes for much greater lengths. Huh, go figure. People sure love adventure.

Gasoline pumped and paid for, I flop down onto the driver’s seat once more. It’s leather covered on this Limited trim model and heated of course, and plenty comfortable for multi-hour stints behind the wheel.

I believe that when you go through a trying ordeal with someone (or something) and come out the other side unscathed, a bond is formed. While I’m not about to tell you that I had a newfound passion for the Venza, I also won’t neglect to recommend one to someone looking for good, simple and practical transportation.

Hey it’s not like it got me through a minefield or zombie attack or something – I just ran the fuel down perilously in rush hour traffic.

2015 Toyota Venza AWD Limited cargo area, rear seats, centre stack. Click image to enlarge

Thanks to Toyota’s reputation for quality, betting on reliability is a not likely to be a bad move with the Venza, and my test unit felt well screwed together. All seams lined up properly and there were no untoward noises made from ill fitting trim the way I’ve experienced in some other test cars.

The passenger space is capacious, with a more comfortable and roomy rear seat than most compact SUVs afford. And the cargo hold is generous too at 870 L behind the rear seats. This swells to just under 2,000 L with the rear seat folded.

The compact SUV / crossover / tall-wagon-things segment is overflowing with choices for consumers. Driving in and around the Greater Toronto Area, the frequency with which one spots other Venzas on the roads proves that people are seeing the Venza for the value that it brings.

Best of all, you don’t need to press the limits of its fuel consumption to appreciate what a solid machine it is.

Pricing: 2015 Toyota Venza AWD Limited
Base Price (4-cyl. AWD): $31,310
Options: Limited Package (key features include JBL Audio System, Navigation, Power, heated leather seats, Smart Key system, Power Rear Door, HID headlights with automatic high-beam control) $6,985
Destination: $1,690
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $40,085

Competitors:
Ford Edge
Honda Crosstour
Nissan Murano
Subaru Outback