The Toyota Venza Crossover

Whichever label you need to give it, the new Toyota Venza is like a winner.

Think of the Venza as a station truck and you'll potentially get the point. Naturally, it doesn't look precisely like any station van we have seen before. Unveiled at Detroit's northern US World automobile show in January, Venza drew heaps of attention. Among autos now available, it reminds us almost all of the Ford Edge crossover.

There's plenty of the Lexus RX350 in this Toyota, too, though the Venza is pressed down closer to the ground, and sleeker. Its front end is taller, but definitely molded in the theme of Toyota's current Camry sedan. The Venza's rear glass has a pleasant, long rake, and its taillights wrap around the rear fenders onto the hatch. Its standard wheels measure 19 inches in diameter, while 20-inch spoked alloys are optional. In sum, the Venza is an example of the more hunky, engaging cars Toyota has launched in some time.

A look at its dimensions brings the crossover label into perspective. At 109.3 inches and 189 inches, respectively, the Venza's wheelbase and overall length match both Bell Road Toyota's Camry sedan and Highlander sport-utility inside fragments of an in... To paraphrase, the Venza's footprint on the pavement matches both Camry and Highlander closely. Yet with an overall height of 63.4 inches, the Venza slots right in the middle of the Camry and Highlander. It's ride height falls somewhere in the middle, too.

The 2009 Venza seats 5, like the Camry, instead of 7 like the Highlander. Its rocker height, or the lip around the bottom of its passenger doorways, is low, making it straightforward to lift feet inside, yet the hip point for seated occupants is higher than the everyday sedan's. The mix should deliver a mixture many buyers seek : easy ingress and egress, with a higher seating position for an improved view around tall cars on the road.

The 2009 Venza should reach showrooms with the traditional model year changeover in early fall 2008. It is going to be built at Toyota's assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.

For more reviews about sports cars, visit thesupercars.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at old Toyota Tercel.

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