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The Toyota Venza used to be a crossover wagon thingy, custom-crafted for empty nesters. Well, it’s back as a midsize hybrid SUV…that’ll probably still appeal to empty nesters.

Built atop Toyota’s TNGA-K platform, the reborn Venza does a fine job carrying completely average people like me. Here’s my 5’ 10” body in each seat. I’m not sure how well brown and gray go together in our car but it’s nice to see an interior with some color. And in the key touchpoints, material quality feels good. Broadly speaking, I appreciate that Toyota gave the Venza a handsome cabin that avoids fetishizing its hybridness.

But, more than anything, I love the seats. Toyota has a knack for shaping supportive, pressure point free seats. These are those.

Oh, but there’s some weirdness too. The visors don’t block low sun angles. Visibility over the driver’s right shoulder is hindered by a rising beltline, though thankfully blind-spot warning comes standard. And while the base 8-inch touchscreen includes traditional buttons and knobs…the 12.3-inch screen in our limited trim ditches those for capacitive controls.

As for cargo space, there’s 28.8 cu-ft behind the rear seats, which, by the way, do recline. Among the new Venza’s defining traits, is the fact that it only comes as an all-wheel-drive hybrid. Let’s learn more about that powertrain.

Merging a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, a lithium-ion battery pack, and 3 electric motors, including one tasked solely with driving the rear wheels, the Venza generates 219 total system horsepower. Just like the Rav4 hybrid with which the Venza shares a powertrain. The Venza also returns a predicted 39 combined MPG, just a hair less efficient than the RAV4 hybrid.

On paper, the Venza’s powertrain is efficient and respectably powerful but how does it feel to drive. Like this. There’s a smooth blend of electric and gasoline propulsion and when you need it there’s abundant oomph to get moving. One important note, if you want an SUV that tows you’ll need to look elsewhere. Toyota does not recommend towing with the 2021 Venza.

With any hybrid, one area I scrutinize is the brakes. Blending regenerative and friction braking in a way that feels natural can be tricky but the Venza feels good…except for the last foot. The Venza demands more practice.

As you might expect there are various driving modes to fine-tune your Venza’s behavior plus varying intensities for the regenerative braking system accessible by quote/unquote “downshifting” using the drive selector. And if you press the EV button, assuming the battery is adequately charged and you don’t press the accelerator too hard, you can drive your Venza under pure electric power for short distances…if that’s a thing you’d like to do.

The Venza also offers a system called Predictive Efficient Drive, that uses the navigation system to anticipate road and traffic conditions ahead and optimize vehicle behavior for maximum efficiency.

In motion, the Toyota Venza delivers a pleasing ride with minimal noise intruding into the cabin…except for a little light wind noise I noticed on the freeway.

Meanwhile, the steering feels artificial but man, if you’re buying a Venza nuanced road feel through the steering wheel is a low priority.

There are three trims, but this is the most elite Limited trim. That explains the air of sophistication your experiencing. It also explains the sweet electrochromic glass roof, which is only available on the Limited.

Other trick options include this digital mirror, heated and ventilated front seats, and a 360-degree camera that can survey your surroundings before launch. On the generous standard feature list are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto…as they should, a hands-free liftgate, wireless phone charging, and smart key access.

There’s also an extended roster of standard safety features like a pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot warning, and full-speed dynamic cruise control.

Spring for the Venza Limited trim like we’re driving here and you’re looking at not quite $40,000 before options.

The base model on the all-new 2021 Toyota Venza LE starts at $32,500 and comes with a hybrid powertrain that gets an estimated 39 mpg.

That’s slightly higher than non-hybrid 2-row mid-sizers like the Honda Passport or Ford Edge but still in the pricing ballpark.

So, what we have is an efficient, comfortable, distinct-looking, SUV wearing a Toyota badge and filled with value. To my mind, that’s an enticing formula, whether you’re an empty nester or not.

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