Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if this was posted but just in case it wasn't...

Toyota to Discontinue Venza Crossover
http://www.autonews.com/article/2015...ction-of-venza


Quote:
Toyota Motor Corp. is pulling the plug on the Venza crossover, a vehicle the automaker once touted as engineered in America for American buyers.

The Venza shares its underpinnings with the Toyota Camry, the country’s best-selling car. Venza had a solid first year in 2009, but its sales have mainly trended downward since then and last year totaled just 29,991 units — about as many as Camrys as Toyota sells in a single month.

The crossover is made at Toyota’s massive plant in Georgetown, Ky., but production will cease for U.S.-market vehicles in June, the company said in a statement. Production of Venzas for export will end in September 2017.

The move comes as the Georgetown plant gears up to begin building the Lexus ES sedan later this year. The ES will be the first Lexus assembled in the U.S. and is sure to hit much higher production figures than the Venza. Georgetown also produces the Camry, the Avalon large sedan and their hybrid variants. The plant employs 7,300 people.

Engineered at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Venza was intended to give the automaker a midsize crossover that offered buyers the space and versatility of an SUV but with a more wagonlike profile. It was hailed as a product of a U.S. engineering operation steeped in American automotive taste.

“It’s a good car but was never a stellar feller,” said David Griffith, owner of a Toyota dealership in The Dalles, Ore.

Toyota sold 54,410 Venzas in 2009, a peak it never regained. In January, Toyota sold just 2,105 Venzas.

mmarshall

On some other forums, Venza owners have complained about poor fit/finish, a cheap, poorly-done interior and an stiff ride from the overly-large wheels/tires. I didn't think the interior materials and fit/finish were bad at all (better than some other Toyota products), but they have a point with the wheels/tires, which are also rather expensive to replace. I don't know what Toyota was thinking when they made the 19 and 20-inchers standard...buyers of this class of vehicle usually aren't looking for that. That problem could have been solved relatively simply and inexpensively....a simple tire/wheel change and reprogramming of the speedometer/odometer sensors. That would probably increase its sales-appeal. But they chose to ax the vehicle instead.....Go Figure.

And, with Honda doing the same thing to the Crosstour (whose main problem could also have been solved with a little body/glass retooling in the rear, lessening or eliminating the droop-roof). Now, the Subaru Outback will probably have the lower-priced market for this type of vehicle all to itself, with no competition, which is not good (the similiar Audi All-Road and Volvo XC-70 are in a higher price-class)...and I say that as an Outback fan myself.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I test drove a Venza with 20" tires.Very noisy on the highway too.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Yeah it's a repost somewhere. Toyota said they'll focus on the highlander and rav 4, but it's still being sold in other countries.

I like the venza and was hoping they were going to update it after they changed the grill

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I disliked the rear design more.

ABC

it's mpg killed it for me. Maybe if they offered it with a hybrid it would have done a bit better.

Toys4RJill

Yes the Venza will be sold in other countries. So it technically is not really be discontinued.

The interior of the Venza is bad. It looks good from afar but cheap hollow materials and poor fit and finish does not make the Venza stand out.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

not a great vehicle. not very roomy. heavy. not special really. not going to be missed.

Jeff Lange

iTrader: (1)

I don't think I've seen a single Toyota with worse fit and finish than the Venza. The odd gaps between panels (especially the vents and the dash) on the first few years were horrible. They got slightly better, but it's really not a very amazing car. Not really surprised by this.

Jeff

Toys4RJill

I agree Jeff, and the worst part was that the fully loaded models were very expensive for the interior quality. To me it looked good from afar but once you get into and start touching things you realize how bad the interior really is.

SW17LS

I too was incredibly underwhelmed by the Venza I drove.

tex2670

When I was looking at the previous gen Highlander, there was a loaded Venza in the showroom--it was more expensive than an equivalent Highlander, yet less practical. It wasn't a bad car, but overpriced in a wagon-averse market.