Suburban Dad in Detroit: 2009 Toyota Venza
This Toyota is a bit of a mystery to me. It seems to fill a need few people have, but the automaker says it’s heard from consumers that they’d like SUV functionality in a sedan. Hence, the Venza.
From a family point of view, some of the features I like after seeing the car at a distance and reading PR notes include the stadium seating in the second row, giving kids a better view of the road. Hopefully that would translate into less car-sickness moments in the backseat.
As for appearance, the Venza looks very much like a member of the Camry family; I call it the Camry Hatch. The interior looks very good (read $$$) and the wheels are enormous, giving perhaps a steadier drive. It’s available with a four-cylinder or a V-6, but there’s no word on mileage estimates.
One person at the show here referred to the Venza as Toyota’s “Lowlander,” and maybe that idea will get families into Toyota’s newest model.
