Toyota Venza Hybrid. An old name in a new body

The 2023 Toyota Venza Hybrid AWD is an old name in a new body. Originally introduced in 2008, it was a Camry-based unibody SUV that was surprisingly good but never caught on with the buying public. Well, Toyota is nothing if not persistent. That’s why after version one was discontinued in 2015, they brought the name back about six years later as the Toyota Venza Hybrid AWD. We at Napleton News are suckers for well-sorted Crossovers. That’s why we jumped at the chance to test the new Venza. Here’s what we thought.

What’s the Toyota Venza Hybrid AWD all about, and what’s a Venza, anyway?

Second things first: Venza is a made-up word combining venture and Monza, the city where the Autodrome Nazionare Monza (National Autodrome Monza). Now that we’ve cleared that up, we don’t actually consider the Venza particularly sport or racer-like, but hey, they didn’t ask us.

A 2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder engine powers the new Toyota Venza Hybrid. With its hybrid powertrain, it produces 219 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque, through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive. The EPA says that this combo is good for 39 mpg average, with 40 city and 37 highway.

The Venza Hybrid is available in several trim levels, as seen below:

• Venza LE
• Venza XLE
• Venza Nightshade Edition
• Venza Limited

How does the Venza look?

Size-wise, the new Venza slots in between the Toyota RAV4 and the Highlander. That makes it a midsize two-row conveyance that is the perfect size for urban dwellers and empty nesters alike. If we squint, we see hints of the Honda HR-V and others of that ilk.

A black under-bumper grille complements the modern design tying the whole look together. Gently sculpted side panels sweep upward to the rear quarter fenders leaving a look that is not too radical or off-putting.

Select the new Nightshade Edition and your Venza will start with all the extras that are part of the Venza XLE trim level. Add to this, for a Venza with black accents and black 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

The inside line on the new Toyota Venza AWD

From the start, we thought we were in a Lexus. The interior of the Venza is simply that good! Simple to operate controls are well-placed, and easily recognized. The one thing we found a bit unnerving were the pushbutton audio system controls. What’s wrong with some damn knobs?

Seating is better than adequate, offering good support and excellent ventilation. It’s just the thing to keep you cool in the hot Florida sun. The Venza offers a series of “Faux” bleached pine panels throughout the cabin. It may not be the real thing but it does class up the joint just a bit!

We are told by others the cargo hold of the Venza is somewhat disappointing, size-wise although we didn’t actually try it out, . If it is the same or slightly better than what we found in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, we think it will be just fine.

Behind the wheel of the Toyota Venza Hybrid AWD

Just before we got into the Venza, we had just come out of the new Toyota RAV4 Woodland. Both powered by the same hybrid powertrain, with the same power and torque. That way, we could evaluate them car-to-car, er CUV-to-CUV.

Handling is not sports car-like but good enough to cut a few corners. The Venza’s 2.5-liter hybrid package offers a surprising amount of oomph. That makes for an all-wheel drive package that should be competent enough for sloppy weather and some mild off-roading.

We were pleasantly surprised by how quiet and refined the Venza was when comparing it with the buzzy RAV4. The buzziness did reappear though, when we needed to stand on it to get around the left-lane parkers who felt it was their right to regulate the speeds in the passing lane. Sheeez!

But that’s another argument for another day.

Toyota Venza Hybrid Specifications