I just spent a week getting to know the new Toyota Venza. It was a little puzzling at first, but after using the 2021 Toyota Venza to get gardening supplies, go to the dog park, and more, it has proven to be one excellent crossover option. 

Is the 2021 Toyota Venza worth buying? 

Yes, the 2021 Toyota Venza is an excellent hybrid option to consider if you’re looking to save on fuel and have some fun. The Venza begins at about $32,570. I had the Venza Limited trim, which is the highest option, and it starts at about $39,800. 

This crossover looks like a spaceship, which is fitting. It seemed to be out of this world. People kept asking me what the Venza is. So, I’ll clear things up a bit. The old Toyota Venza was an SUV that was produced from 2010 to 2015. It was discontinued after declining sales. Plus, the RAV4 and Highlander proved to be more popular options. Then the Venza returned as a brand-new hybrid option in 2021. 

Potential 2021 Venza drawbacks 

1. I’ll start with the 2021 Toyota Venza’s cons. It has a fantastic star-gaze panoramic roof. It provides plenty of light. It’s electrochromic with tint on-demand, meaning with the press of a button, you can filter the light with an opaque shade of white. It blocks the direct sunlight, but the cabin still fills with warm light. 

However, this roof doesn’t open! This could only be a problem for me, but I wanted to open it and let some fresh air in. To be fair, I suppose it may not leak like sunroofs can do as vehicles start to age. This was a personal problem I had with a 2021 Tahoe.

2. The Venza has heated and ventilated seats, which is a great convenience perk. However, the ventilation felt a little weak on hot and humid afternoons in the Carolinas. In the Mazda CX-9, the ventilated seats can literally freeze your buns. 

3. Also, the key fob doesn’t have a remote start button. I’ve grown to love that button though. But there is a solution to this issue. You can use the Remote Connect app to start the Venza with your phone. People tend to leave places with their phones and keys, so this shouldn’t be that much of an issue.

What’s great about the 2021 Venza?

1. The 2021 Toyota Venza is fun to drive. I mainly stayed in Eco Mode to be environmentally friendly, and it was fast and fun. In some hybrid vehicles, you notice a decrease in performance when Eco Mode is enabled. 

If you want to spice things up a little, engaging Sport Mode ups the fun. It provides a satisfying engine roar once you hit the accelerator. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine is paired with three electric motors to offer 219 hp. 

According to Car and Driver, the Venza can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6-seconds. It’s able to accelerate quickly enough to merge into traffic and to enter the highway just fine. It doesn’t feel sluggish at all. 

2. The ride is very comfortable. The 2021 Toyota Venza has one heck of a smooth suspension. Bumps in country roads went unnoticed. Also, the cabin provides a sense of luxury quiet for relaxing rides. 

3. The 2021 Venza is easy to maneuver. It’s very agile and easy to park in tight city areas. It has responsive steering and confident handling. It also feels well planted with limited body roll. But the brakes can be grabby and require some getting used to. 

4. The Toyota Venza is very comfortable, in general. The interior is wrapped in leather and other premium soft-touch materials. The front seats are well padded with multiple options for lumbar support. 

The rear seats seemed to be comfortable as well, with a relaxing incline. Four adults could sit in this vehicle without any problems. I had about four to five inches of knee space in the backseats, and I’m 5’1″, so adults over 5’4″ might feel like the backseat is tight.

Also, taller drivers may wish there was more headroom in the front seats. But for me, it was the perfect size. I fit in it like Cinderella’s slipper. There is plenty of space in the Venza. There was more than enough room for multiple bags of soil and other gardening equipment. It has 28.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats with up to 55.1 cubic feet total.

5. The tech is awesome! The 2021 Toyota Venza has a head-up display with traffic sign recognition. You can see the speed limit, your speed, the direction you’re traveling in, and how well you’re regenerating power for the battery. 

The nine-speaker JBL premium stereo system sounds terrific. This crossover is an excellent option for jamming to your favorite songs. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. But there isn’t a volume dial. You have to press touch-sensitive buttons to adjust the volume level. 

However, I enjoyed Toyota’s software too. The built-in navigation system is fast and responsive Plus, it notifies you once you cross state lines. Hearing ‘Welcome to North Carolina’ on the way to Asheville was fun.

This is part one of my 2021 Toyota Venza review. There is more to come as I acess the week spent with this vehicle. I mainly used it to run errands, and it provided a relaxing and peaceful experience while remaining engaging.