Used 2012 Toyota Venza Limited for sale 

The Toyota Venza is a five-passenger wagon available in three grades: LE, XLE, and Limited. The LE and XLE are available with all powertrain combinations four-cylinder or V6 engine, either of which may be paired with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Limited is powered by a V6 only, in either FWD or AWD. The base trim-the LE is priced at $27,425 and the top trim - the Limited is priced at $36,465.

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The 2012 Toyota Venza is a competitive and comfortable family vehicle. The wagon is recommended for those looking for smooth styling and calming, practical, comfortable interior providing car.

Toyota offers a choice of four- or six-cylinder engines in the Venza. The four-cylinder is a 2.7-liter four with 182 horsepower, found in many other vehicles in the Toyota lineup. It putters about almost anonymously and can feel a little coarse and strained once you fill the cabin or press it up steep hills, but in most situations, it's an eminently reasonable choice, and gets the best fuel economy of the lineup, too.

Toyota also offers a 3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower, and it feels smoother and stronger.

The Venza is configured for a smooth ride and reasonably responsive performance on the road, but sprightly it is not. We've found Venza's driving experience to be adequate, but numb and uninspiring. It drives much more like a minivan than a sports sedan. The four-cylinder models ride a bit better without handling any worse, although in either model wind and road noise aren't muted to luxury-car levels either.

The Venza's standard four-cylinder turns in good fuel-economy numbers. It's rated at 21/27 mpg in front-drive versions, 20/25 mpg in models with all-wheel drive. Switch to V-6 power, and the numbers fall accordingly. Front-drive, six-cylinder Venzas earn a 19/26-mpg rating, which drops to 18/25 mpg with all-wheel drive, the added traction adds weight you'll be lugging around all the time, so you'll be paying the fuel premium for the life of the vehicle.

With a 17.7-gallon fuel tank, the wagon cruises for 336 miles on city roads to 460 miles on highways. In real-world driving, the difference in fuel economy between the two engines is likely quite small, especially if you live in hilly terrain that might tax the four-cylinder engine, or if you do a lot of highway driving. Those are impressive mileage numbers for a vehicle of this size and power. Properly equipped, a V6 Venza can tow 3,500 pounds.

The 2012 Toyota Venza’s interior is big in all directions. Comfortable seating choices include cloth or leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power driver’s seat with power lumbar support.

With no third-row seat to take up space, the Venza offers an impressive 70.1 cubic feet of cargo space, while figures for the head, leg, and hip room are all near the top of the segment.

The large, clever sliding center console can accommodate all manner of items, from purses to tablets.

The interior design isn't daring, but with its swoopy center stack, it's certainly not boring considering it 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 with hard plastic. Take a look up close and some of the materials carry interesting textures, but most of these are pleasing in appearance only.

• Dual-zone automatic air conditioning
• Cruise control
• Heated front seats
• A power driver’s seat
• Tilt/telescoping multifunction steering wheel

2012 Toyota Venza Infotainment System

Inside the 2013 Toyota Venza, standard equipment worth mentioning includes a 3.5-inch multi-information display, AM/FM/CD with Bluetooth phone connectivity and streaming music, and a USB port. The LE's sound system includes six speakers, a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack, and a USB/iPod interface. The top-of-the-line Limited adds navigation and a JBL 13-speaker Synthesis audio system.

• AM/FM/CD
• Bluetooth phone connectivity
• USB/iPod interface
• 3.5-inch multi-information display
• JBL 13-speaker Synthesis audio system

The 2012 Toyota Venza, despite its practical hatchback body style, Venza manages to look rather stylish in person. Credit the car’s proportions and interesting rear styling, which features swoopy taillights.

The front of the Venza is defined by a large grille that could easily be at home on an SUV. The XLE has a xenon headlamp whereas an HID headlamp is available on the top-trim Limited.

Seven standard airbags, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes are all on the standard-features list, and visibility isn't the issue that it is in some other crossover vehicles, thanks to the rather high driving position. One thing you might want to get in the Venza is the backup camera; thick roof pillars make visibility a bit worse than in sedans and boxer SUVs, though next to many rival models it's not bad.

• Antilock brakes that incorporate electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Electronic stability system
• Active front head restraints
• Side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Side curtain airbags and a knee airbag for the driver

The 2012 Toyota Venza is designed for comfort, utility, and ease of driving. If it weren't for the vague feel of its electric-assist steering, the Venza might actually be interesting to drive instead of merely pleasant. Venza is essentially a tall car, with a roomy, cleverly designed interior, that can handle the hauling tasks that make SUVs a popular choice. It's a family car, a good daily runabout that's easy to drive and park. And it's highly useful, for moving people, pets, and grocery-getting.