Southwestern Pennsylvania is a strange but beautiful place to launch a new vehicle, especially when the trees are in full roar at the end of autumn. Normally a car company would use such a location to mask the fact that their new vehicle is just “so-so.” So we now find ourselves at Nemacolin Resort for the introduction of the new 2009 Toyota Venza with one question in mind: Had Toyota picked this location for the same reasons?



The Venza is a five-passenger “vehicle” (Toyota’s word) that combines attributes of a sport utility vehicle with the convenience of a passenger car. Why not call it, uh, a station wagon? It’s the closest thing we’ve seen to one yet, and by the way, “station wagon” is not an objectionable phrase. There. I’ve said it again. It rides low and looks good when pimped. It’s the anti-SUV.



The 2009 Toyota Venza can be lumped in with all the other family/cargo haulers in the niche. Among them are the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 328i wagon, the Ford Flex and Taurus X, Saab 9-3 SportCombi, and Subaru Forester and Legacy are but just a few of the competitors.



Being based on the Camry platform opens up many possibilities for ways to build a crossover. Front-wheel or all-wheel-drive? Seating for five. High or low ride? These were many of the options presented to the designers.



There are not many “breakthroughs,” but lots of innovative use of existing technologies. Lowering the rocker panels has enabled easier ingress and egress. Ditto for the rear load-in height, which Toyota claims is lower than that of a Sienna. On another front, High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps don’t make their first appearance on a Toyota, but do show up with the “electric eye” (auto-dimming) feature you may remember from your grandfather’s Cadillac.



We had a chance to try both the all-wheel and front-wheel drive models, as well as the four and six-cylinder versions. It looks like Toyota is serious about having Venza reflect the direction the company’s design philosophy is heading. The object was to improve interior utility while at the same time enhance the driving experience. We think they might be on to something. Finally.



Some of the auto-scribes in attendance at Toyota’s launch were of the opinion that the Venza shares the same profile as its cousin, the Lexus RX SUV. To our eyes, it’s similar but different. It just rides lower.



Designed by Toyota’s Calty Design Studios for the North American market, they are responsible for making the Venza more car-like in its approach. Character lines echo the shape of the wheel wells, and at the same time point towards the trailing edge of the vehicle. Arched window openings with a high waistline break up the largish slab-sided doors which thankfully now have jam protection. The grille area is a Camry-derived style that carries the corporate face forward with a look that at first glance reminds us of Lincoln’s new winged identity. Wrap-around taillights finish the rear of the Venza, which is enhanced by a rear hatch spoiler and crisp folds in the rear fascia. Chrome accents help to add a little bling to sheetmetal.



Inside is mix of contrasts and colors. A two-toned color scheme sets things off with a blacked-out dashboard and carpet, contrasted in our test vehicle with light grey leather seating and matching interior plastic. The interior is laid out in what Toyota is calling a 60/60 design, which gives either the driver or front seat passenger the impression that they are able to access 60 percent of the dashboard controls from where they sit. On the driver’s side, a large blue-illuminated speedometer dominates the center of the gauge binnacle, while the other gauges flow outward. A large center stack houses the navigation screen, audio system and climate controls and was covered in a nicely done satin mahogany finished wood grain panel that helps to bisect the front seating area.



The seating is covered with a solid leather look and accented with a contrasting piping. It’s a good style, at least in our gray example, but we would like to see more in the way of side bolstering to hold occupants more firmly in place. While we are on the topic of seating areas, we think it’s time for Toyota to ditch the puckered leather upholstery look that was last seen in Chrysler LeBarons from the mid-seventies. A new smoother finished upholstery style is long overdue and will do much to bring this part of the interior up to contemporary standards and along with the rest of the inside accouterments.

A 60/40-split rear seat offers the ability to make the Venza into a serious cargo hauler. A nice added touch is the addition of two door latch-style handles to cause the rear seats to fold forward for added cargo space. That, and the addition of a cargo area-mounted power port finish out the “way back” with a capacity of 34.4 cubic feet with seats up, and 70.1 cubic feet when they are down.