Toyota Venza

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Toyota Venza

Manufacturer	Toyota
Production	2008-present
Model year(s)	2009-present
Assembly	Georgetown, Kentucky, United States
Class	Mid-size crossover wagon
Body style(s)	5-door wagon
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / all-wheel drive
Engine(s)	2.7 L 1AR-FE I4 3.5 L 2GR-FE V6
Transmission(s)	6-speed automatic
Wheelbase	109.3 in (2776 mm)
Length	189.0 in (4801 mm)
Width	75.0 in (1905 mm)
Height	63.4 in (1610 mm)
Curb weight	4,045 lb (1,835 kg)
Related	Toyota Camry Toyota Highlander Lexus RX Lexus ES Toyota Mark X ZiO

The Toyota Venza is a mid-size crossover wagon developed by Japanese automaker Toyota and unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.^[1] Based on the Toyota FT-SX concept car unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the Venza was primarily engineered at Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and designed at the Calty Design studios in Newport Beach, California. It is built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) in Georgetown, Kentucky.^[1]

[edit] 1st Generation

The Venza shares the Camry chassis and is powered by Toyota's 3.5-litre 2GR-FE V6 or 2.7-litre 1AR-FE I4 engine, both mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.^[2] Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is available as an option. It has a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg_-US (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg_-imp)/26 mpg_-US (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg_-imp)^[3] with its four-cylinder engine.

The Venza will start at $25,975 for a front-wheel-drive (FWD) 4-cylinder model, and range up to $29,250 for the all-wheel-drive (AWD) V6 edition without options. The Venza has only one model trim, with your choice of packages and options. Standard equipment for both 2WD+AWD and I4+V6 are very good for a vehicle in this class and its price. Some of the standard features are fog lamps, 19" alloy wheels (I4) or 34 pound^[4] 20" alloy wheels (V6), HomeLink, XM satellite radio, 6-disc CD changer, dual-zone climate control, electrochromic auto-dimming rear-view mirror, Hill-Start assist control, 8-way power drivers seat, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, and the Toyota Star Safety System which includes Vehicle Stability Control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.^[5] Other standard safety features include dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side torso airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, a driver's knee airbag, a tire pressure monitoring system, and active front headrests.

Major options include automatic high beams with HID lighting, heated side view mirrors, leather seating, 4-way power passenger seat, panoramic glass moonroof, Smart Key System, 13-speaker JBL sound system with Bluetooth, voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation system, backup camera, and a rear DVD entertainment system with a 9-inch display and two wireless headphones.

[edit] Classification

Determining whether the Venza is an SUV or wagon isn't clear. Toyota states the Venza blends the "styling and comfort of a passenger car with the flexibility of a sport utility vehicle." ^[6] However, Toyota informed automotive magazine Motor Trend that it would pass on entering the Venza in the publication's SUV of the Year competition. ^[7] Instead, Toyota requested that the Venza compete in the Car of the Year competition. Motor Trend decided that the Venza should not compete in any competition at all since its ride height is too high to be qualified as a car. The Venza is currently Toyota's only crossover SUV without third-row seat availability, as both the RAV4 and the Highlander do.

[edit] Production

The Venza began production at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) on November 11, 2008, with over 70% of the Venza's components coming from U.S. suppliers. ^[8] Toyota projects sales of between 75,000-100,000 Venzas per year. ^[9] Even though most Toyota vehicles built in the United States and Canada are sold in Mexico, it is one of the North American built Toyotas (alongside the Avalon) to not be sold in Mexico.

In addition to Venza, ^[10] TMMK also produces the Camry, Camry Hybrid, Solara, and Avalon. Toyota launched the four-cylinder Venza in February, 2009.

[edit] Marketing

During the 2008 vehicle launch, Toyota marketed Venza under the campaign “You’re More than One Thing. So is Venza.” The name Venza is derived from two sources: ‘Ven’ is taken from the word adventure and ‘za’ from the word Monza – the site of a historic, world-famous racing circuit located in northern Italy, according to Autoblog ^[11]. According to Toyota, Venza fits into the vehicle lineup not as a station wagon, or SUV. Rather, Venza is targeted at customers who are looking for the utility of a SUV, but with a car-like ride. According to Edmunds, Venza is more Lexus than Toyota, with interior dimensions similar to the Highlander. Venza contains 34.4 cu. Ft. of interior volume, more than its three main competitors – Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, and Honda Pilot.

In Canada, the Venza was featured as a prize in the 2009 Tim Hortons "Rrroll up the rim to win" promotion.

[edit] Safety

Toyota’s standard Star Safety System includes:

• Vehicle Stability Control • Traction control • Electronic brakeforce distribution • Brake Assist • Anti-lock braking

The Venza also offers several other standard safety features: • Active headrests for front-seat occupants, which prevent or limit the extent of whiplash in certain types of rear-end collisions. • 3-point seatbelts and headrests for all seats • Emergency locking retractors (ELR) for all seats • Automatic locking retractors (ATR) for all seats (except driver’s) • Front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters • LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) for rear outboard seats

The Venza comes with seven standard airbags: ^[12]

• Dual-Stage Front Airbags • Driver’s knee airbag • Front seat-mounted side airbags • 2-row side curtain airbags • Fuel pump cut-off switch with airbag deployment

Venza’s body design features additional reinforcements that help absorb and manage the energy produced during an impact:

• Side-impact design helps absorb and disperse energy • Reinforced side members help reduce the risk of vehicle intrusion in a side collision • Use of high-strength steel provides additional reinforcement without adding additional weight

[edit] Crash testing

NHTSA crash test ratings (2009)^[13]:

Frontal Driver:
Frontal Passenger:
Side Driver:
Side Rear Passenger:
Rollover:

The IIHS awarded the Venza its Top Safety Pick accolade in 2009.^[14][15]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyota Venza

• Toyota Venza official U.S. site