Mother Proof's view

The Toyota Venza looked sleek and drove beautifully. It was quiet, powerful, well-planned and didn’t scream mommy-mobile; it just might be my next new car – if I ever buy another car, that is. Yes, my friends, I fell in love with the Venza. I’d be lying if I said that, when the time came to let it go, I did so with a dry eye.

The Venza is a crossover, which means it takes all the cool parts of an SUV, wagon and sedan and combines them into a completely usable, more efficient and ideally attractive package. With room for five and a huge cargo area, it’s flexible enough to handle your life. You get to decide how to spend your gas funds by choosing between front- or all-wheel drive and a four-cylinder or V-6 engine. The exterior was sleek-looking, and it helped this mom feel sexy and sophisticated, even if the carpet will eventually smell of old milk.

What did I love so much about the Venza? Well, it helped me be Super Mom with its tons of storage and room for friends, but the Venza also let me be another, freer woman without all the trappings of my life with kids. Lots of things happen when you start driving a mommy-mobile: You get used to drippy sippy cups floating around the floor, the smell of stale Goldfish crackers becomes a part of your car’s ambience, and random cheap toys from fast-food restaurants litter the interior. Even when the kids are out of the car, their aroma remains. My absolute favorite thing about the Venza was that when I managed to get the kids out of the car, I didn’t feel like my name was still “Mommy.”

Exterior

One of the fabulous things about the Venza was it didn’t scream “Mommy” from the outside, either. In fact, it looked really elegant. In some ways, the Venza looks like a longer Lexus RX 350, and it has the same upscale feel as the RX. In the front, the headlights and grille swoop together to give the Venza a smooth, modern look. A set of fog lights and an air scoop bring some sportiness to its face.

It was from the side that the Venza really dazzled me. A slim strip of chrome lines the windows, outlining the passenger cabin. Chrome door handles bring some sparkle to the body, and a small, integrated spoiler adds a touch of attitude. The whole package is elegant and in no way gives away the number of crayons rolling around on the inside. The Venza’s rear looked like a small SUV, and it seemed to sit higher and wider than the front. A wide rear window gave the Venza great visibility, and the hatch opened at the touch of the key fob’s button.

The large windows let in plenty of light, especially with the panoramic glass roof over both rows. Only the glass roof over the front seats opens, but it provided a great view for both the first and second rows. Both sections of the glass roof have sliding sunshades to keep out the sun. My only complaint about the Venza’s exterior was its color choices. There wasn’t one that made me go, “Oooh, pretty,” and the Aloe Green Metallic kind of made me nauseous.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On

Interior

Inside the Venza, the leather seats are comfy and easy to clean. There are lots of faux-wood inlays that add warmth and luxury to this crossover. Some genius at Toyota paired the ivory-colored leather seats with dark carpeting to hide all that unmentionable stuff on the floor. Loved it! The instruments are clear and easy to read, and they pair well with a small information screen in the center of the dash and a large, color touch-screen below. The gearshift is in the center stack; I liked this location because it was within easy reach and didn’t take up a lot of space. I figured out how to use everything from the audio controls to the Bluetooth hookup without consulting the manual, which always makes me happy. The stereo system and Bluetooth system can be controlled through the touch-screen or steering-wheel-mounted controls.

In the backseat, life was easy for the kids. The Venza has a flat step-in area, and the doors open wide enough for you to help your kids with their seat belts without contorting yourself. Not that they’d need help with the seat belts, unless they’re really little. My kids had no difficulty at all, thanks to nice, stiff receptacles that didn’t run and hide from little hands. There’s plenty of room for a rear-facing child-safety seat or long legs in the Venza. In fact, three car seats fit side-by-side, although there are only two sets of Latch connectors.

The interior of the Venza doesn’t just look great (lots of cars look nice on the inside), it’s really fabulous for its use of space. Much like Toyota’s Prius, every inch of space is maximized. There are cubbies and bins everywhere. In fact, there’s so much storage in the Venza I found myself looking for more stuff to put in the car.

A huge, double center console bin was roomy enough for a small purse, a package of baby wipes, sunscreen, electronics and everything and anything else you cared to bring along. What I really loved about this console was the way it contained all the cords for my iPod and cell phone. There was an AUX port and charging plug in the first bin with a cord pass-thru that let you use all your stuff without the cords getting all tangled up. The console’s lid slid forward to make an adjustable armrest. There were two covered cupholders, and another covered compartment held a narrow item like an iPod. There was literally a place for everything. If only that were so in my house, as well.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

Safety

Because the Venza is a brand-new vehicle, Toyota loaded it with its latest safety features. The best part is that almost all these features are standard, even in the base model. The only safety features that are optional are the backup camera, high-intensity-discharge headlights and a security system.

Among the Venza’s more notable safety features is Toyota’s Star Safety System, which includes stability control with a cut-off switch; traction control, which helps make sure the wheels all maintain contact with the road; and antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist to help during panic braking. The Venza is also equipped with front- and side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags for both rows and a driver’s side knee airbag. That’s seven airbags, folks!

The driver and front passenger’s seat belts are height adjustable to give you the perfect fit. While the two sets of Latch connectors are slightly buried, they aren’t hard to reach.

FAMILY LIFESTAGE

In Diapers: Wide seats and plenty of legroom allow for even the bulkiest of car seats.

In School: A flat step-in surface makes climbing in and out easy for little legs, and the back row is wide enough for three booster seats.

Teens: Multiple entertainment options and lots of rear legroom give everyone their own space.