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| The Toyota Camry |
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Even as troubles mount, and as much as it may be tempted, Toyota still won't resort to touting the Venza as one vehicle not majorly involved in the safety brouhaha.
 That would be unfair to Venza, Toyota's Camry-based crossover that serves most adequately as an everyday, borderline ordinary, practical-type ride. If that sounds like a vehicle segment, it could be, because face it, if this car's unexceptional, so are most of our days. Right?
That's not to say the 2010 Venza is bland, vanilla or worse. It's got a lot going for it, chiefly spaciousness and SUV-like functionality, although it's more like a nouveau station wagon, at least in appearance. The Venza easily seats five adults although there's no third-row seating, not a demerit because of the cargo space: 30.7 cubic feet with seats up and 70.1 with rear seats folded down. That's more than rivals can claim. Further, the expansive rear seat splits 60-40 and reclines 14 degrees, with more than enough room for my coltish gams. The front bucket seats, which can come leather covered, are roomy and comfortable, and headroom's no prob. Venza's easy to get in and out of, so says mom, who wouldn't say it otherwise.
The cabin is pretty well appointed although some of the surfaces seem kind of cheesy, particularly all the plastic around the dashboard. But there are enough countervailing wood and metal touches, on the center stack and elsewhere, to make things nice overall. The illuminated dual cup holders are pretty cool, as are the cell phone and iPod holders. A USB port and Bluetooth capability are standard in this iteration. Instrumentation is intuitive and legible.
 The vehicle looks fine; beyond that, it sort of defies description. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that the Venza's styling is neither bold nor soporific, but somewhere in between, with its long, spare lines, rear spoiler and bold grille. It sort of puts you in mind of a Ford Edge. Twenty-inch alloys provide a nice perch. The headlamps are halogen and the fog lamps integrated.
Competing with the likes of the Dodge Journey, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Nissan Murano, the Venza's performance did not woo my muse. But as I say, it's good enough for a daily gadabout, and at times can be a kick. Also available in front-wheel drive and four cylinders, my loaner was the all-wheel, V-6 version. The 3.5-liter DOHC engine with six-speed sequential shift provided ample power; Venza never felt sluggish or heavy, particularly when dicey-freeway entering, always a key test. AWD served well during some nasty precipitation.
The car-like chassis made for a smooth, level ride, and for a sport-ute, handling was adequate; not as surgical as a 'Vette's, but not bad for a good-sized, five-door vehicle. I trusted the Venza during sudden stops and semi swerves, even while cornering, never feeling out of control. Steering felt fine, not squishy, especially when traversing some pock-marked dirt roads 'round the county's rural environs. Venza doesn't go off road, but it handled those bumps and holes with surprising aplomb. Braking felt crisp and sure. Independent suspension on all four wheels.
 The Venza nabbed outstanding scores in fed crash tests, including highest-level five-star scores for driver and passenger safety in frontal crash tests. It also got top ratings on tests for front- and rear-seat safety in side-crashes, and garnered an impressive-for-the-segment four-star rollover score. Tons of standard safety equipment include an Anti-lock Brake System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist; traction control; enhanced vehicle stability control; driver and front passenger mounted side airbags; front and rear side curtain airbags; and driver's knee airbag. My $570 optional security package came with a back-up camera and anti-theft system. An optional lighting package is also available. That includes High Intensity Discharge headlamps and automatic high beams.
The Venza's available in one trim level with eight option packages. Optional equipment on my Barcelona Red number included the rear-seat DVD entertainment system with nine-inch display plus two wireless headphones, and JBL sound system.
The V-6 AWD gets 18 in the city, 25 highway, and comes in at $29,550 base. It's competent, roomy, and above average. An every day ride for every day people. And a good value to boot.
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