2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring: Driven
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It harkens back to when station wagons had character. For some reason the iconic Chevy Nomad from the 1950s popped into my head during my stint in Venza.
has the handsome design and upscale materials that are missing from the oft-criticized Camry interior
Like the platypus, the 2010 Toyota Venza is a bit hard to categorize among its peers.
It's not ugly, but it's not especially attractive, either
interior creates an upscale aura with its finely grained dash, neatly finished trim, and soft-touch plastic surfaces
STYLING | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
It harkens back to when station wagons had character. For some reason the iconic Chevy Nomad from the 1950s popped into my head during my stint in Venza.
AutoWeek
has the handsome design and upscale materials that are missing from the oft-criticized Camry interior
Cars.com
Like the platypus, the 2010 Toyota Venza is a bit hard to categorize among its peers.
Edmunds
It's not ugly, but it's not especially attractive, either
Automobile Magazine
interior creates an upscale aura with its finely grained dash, neatly finished trim, and soft-touch plastic surfaces
Consumer Reports
Some crossovers want to recreate the heyday of the SUV market--Explorer and Pilot, we're looking at you. The Toyota Venza either has its sights set on something even more in the distant past (AMC Eagle?) or on something completely modern and handsome, something that splits the difference between tall wagons and hatchbacks.
We've even grown more fond of the Venza's styling since we first saw it back in 2009, and that's a rare feat for Toyota. It's essentially a parts-bin creation, with body sections from the Camry and Highlander, but the Venza's knitted together particularly well, and its roofline and profile sit lower to the eye than some taller utes. The least appealing aspect is the Venza from head-on, where the gawky grille flashes lots of toothy bars and veers a little too close to the latest Ford front ends. Otherwise, especially from the back, its roofline gives it just enough shapeliness.
Inside, the Venza is also a bit curvy but not over the top, with big, clear gauges and an unusual center stack dividing driver and front passenger. With the mahogany-grain trim, the Venza is arguably quite well dressed. The interior design isn't daring, but with its swoopy center stack, it's certainly not boring—consider is a curvier, more luxurious, and slightly laid-back version of the interface you get in minivans. The only thing we don't like about the design is that the center stack takes up a lot of space in front, and the driver's knee has to rest along hard plastic. Take a look up close and some of the materials carry interesting textures; but most of these are pleasing in appearance only.
Conclusion
The handsome Venza doesn't break strongly from Toyota's past, but we find ourselves liking its styling more and more.
