The Toyota Venza is a compact SUV built from 2009 to 2026 over 2 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 60.9% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Venza is
The Toyota Venza is a compact SUV that Toyota built from 2009 to 2026 — 18 model years. Our measurements put it at 2 generations, the current one starting in 2021. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Toyota range: RAV4, Corolla Cross, bZ4X.
Where the Venza is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 667 Venzas on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 4T3 | 2009-2015 | |
| Japan | JTE | 2021-2024 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Toyota VIN decide which of these 2 lines your Venza belongs to. What every character in a Venza VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Toyota Venza adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Venza generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Venza's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Venza that gives 2 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-2017 | 480 cm | 278 cm | 1748 kg | - | - |
| 2021-2024 | 474 cm | 269 cm | 1745 kg | -6 cm | -3 kg |
Toyota Venza tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Venza owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Toyota Venza have? Power & range
The Toyota Venza is offered with 3 powertrains — 3.5L 6-cyl, 2.7L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 3 for the Toyota Venza, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.5L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.7L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| Hybrid | 2.5L · 4-cyl | CVT | AWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Can a Toyota Venza tow? Towing & payload
As an SUV, the Toyota Venza is built to tow and haul. The exact maximum towing capacity and payload depend on the engine, drivetrain and whether it has the factory tow package.
What sets your Venza's tow & payload rating:
- Engine — a larger or turbocharged engine tows more than the base unit.
- Drivetrain & axle — 4WD/AWD and the axle ratio shift the rating.
- Tow package — the factory towing package (hitch, wiring, transmission cooler) raises the max.
- Payload & GVWR — GVWR caps the combined load; more passengers and cargo lower how much you can tow.
Exact towing capacity, payload and GVWR are added per engine, drivetrain and trim — decode your VIN above, or check the driver's door-jamb and hitch labels. Curb weight from vehicle specifications.
The Venza by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Toyota Venza. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Venza | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 41 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 717 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,457/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 399 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Toyota Venza?
The Venza is a compact SUV, built from 2009 to 2026 across 2 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6.
Where is the Toyota Venza made?
Across 667 cars in our records the split is: the United States (60.9%), Japan (39.1%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Venza have?
2 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2021. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Toyota Venza warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Venza reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Venza?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Toyota
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 1983–2026 | 162 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1996–2026 | 168 | 78 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Corolla | 1981–2026 | 222 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1995–2026 | 197 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2001–2026 | 110 | 36 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota 4-Runner | 1984–2026 | 172 | 23 mpg | 4.0/5 |