3 Reasons the Venza Might Be a Better Toyota Midsize SUV Than the 2023 Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner is an iconic midsize SUV that has been showing its age for a while. This is the case for a few reasons, but the much more efficient Toyota Venza seems to pick up the slack for the 2023 Toyota 4Runner. The Venza might not be the most popular midsize SUV, but the hybrid is a great model for three main reasons.
The Venza clearly offers better fuel economy than the 2023 Toyota 4Runner
One of the strong suits the 2023 Toyota Venza has over the latest 4Runner is its fuel economy. The Venza gets an average of 40 miles per gallon in the city and 37 on the highway. This is a combined total of 39 mpg. Though this comes from a hybrid, it’s still one of the best displays of fuel economy for a midsize SUV. The Toyota Venza may not be perfect, but the miles per gallon that it delivers makes it easy to forget some of the potential drawbacks.
On the other hand, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner, unfortunately, delivers fuel economy closer to that of a full-size SUV. It averages 16 miles per gallon in the city and 19 on the highway. Figures like this make it hard to justify taking the vehicle on trips. The 2023 Toyota 4Runner gets such bad fuel economy because it comes with an engine that’s mostly behind the times.
The 2023 Toyota Venza is a faster midsize SUV
Both the 2023 Toyota Venza and the latest Toyota 4Runner are decently powerful midsize SUVs. However, the 4Runner comes out on top in this regard. According to Edmunds, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner has a standard inline-four 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain with a maximum output of 219 horsepower. It’s all-wheel drive and uses a CVT. However, the Venza’s latest model isn’t great for towing, which is a huge drawback for many drivers.
The 2023 Toyota 4Runner has a 270 hp 4.0-liter V6 under its hood. It has both four-wheel and rear-wheel drive configurations. The transmission in the new Toyota 4Runner is a five-speed automatic, and it has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. Regarding speed, the 4Runner accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour between 7.3 and 7.6 seconds. The Venza beats it by a hair with its 7.1-second time.
People should also know that Venza is not intended for off road purposes. However, some people use the 4Runner for this purpose as it does pretty well.
The Venza is Safer
The Venza is a better midsize Toyota SUV than the 4Runner because it’s the safer of the two. The 2023 Venva is a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. This means that it excels in all areas of the organization’s crash tests. Though safe, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner is not a Top Safety Pick. However, it has a high rating of four out of five stars.
Additionally, the 2023 Toyota Venza is a reliable midsize Toyota SUV. It has a predicted reliability rating of 83 from J.D. Power. However, the latest model 4Runner beats it by just a few points. Overall, both are great SUVs. But the 4Runner needs a huge change, which helps make the Venza a potentially better option.
