2021 Toyota Venza Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

After a short hiatus, the Venza is being brought back to be part of Toyota's 2021 lineup. As an SUV, it fits right between the RAV4 and the Highlander in terms of overall length. What's interesting about the 2021 Toyota Venza is that it's only offered as a hybrid. Toyota has done really well in the hybrid market, and people should expect to find a lot of great features in the Venza. It comes with three different trims, all of which will be detailed below.

Before getting into the ways in which the trims are distinct from each other, here's a quick rundown of the dimensions of the Venza. After all, size is important to SUV customers, as they need their vehicles to meet their needs. The second row of the Venza is pretty spacious, with 37.8 inches of leg room. Behind that row of seats, there's a 22.8-cubic-foot cargo area. Cargo capacity can increase to 55.1 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down.

All trims of the Venza have the same components under the hood. They use 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engines as well as electric motors. The combination of the two sources of power results in 219 horsepower.

Electronic on-demand all-wheel drive is a standard component, allowing the SUV to adjust its power delivery whenever necessary. This can happen when driving on both wet and dry roads. Slippery conditions can result in a loss of traction, and in this case, it's important to have power sent to the wheels that can use it the most. When driving in clear weather, all-wheel drive can still be in play because sometimes little adjustments need to be made in order to optimize performance, such as when taking turns at higher speeds.

Toyota has given people some control over how the Venza handles by offering different drive modes. Normal Mode would be the default option, Sport Mode makes things more responsive, and ECO optimizes efficiency. Further, there's an EV Mode that can be used for short distances while exclusively using battery power.

Obviously, exact fuel efficiency will vary depending on a particular driver's habits and the road conditions. The Venza is estimated to have a fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon in the city and 37 miles per gallon on the highway. These are numbers that will please anyone who wants to reduce fuel consumption.

Compare the 2021 Toyota Venza LE vs XLE Trim Levels. What is the Difference?

With the Venza, Toyota has made an SUV that looks and feels like a luxury vehicle in many ways. Both the LE and the XLE have elegant front grilles with chrome accents. More chrome is found on their dual exhausts, and the XLE has chrome accents on its bumpers as well as silver roof rails.

The two trims have very nice side mirrors with advanced components built into them. They're heated, which helps quite a bit in the colder months, and they have integrated turn signals. Their blind spot indicators light up whenever other vehicles are in those difficult-to-see positions on either side of the Venza, and their puddle lights are welcoming. On the driver's side, the mirror can automatically fold in to prevent the likelihood of getting scratched or hit.

Privacy glass is a nice touch, and it's found on all the rear windows. The liftgate is a power-operated version, and it can be opened in a hands-free manner by kicking one's foot underneath the sensor. The height that the liftgate opens can be adjusted; this is useful if someone frequently parks in a garage with a low ceiling.

Multi-reflector LED headlights that can turn on and off automatically are standard on the LE. On the XLE, there are LED projector headlights. The XLE also has a premium rear spoiler as opposed to the LE's plain black rear spoiler with a small LED center stop light. The XLE's spoiler is the same color as the exterior of the Venza, and it has gloss back accents. It has a full-width LED center stop light that's much easier to see and a little futuristic in style. In addition, the XLE has dual LEDs on its daytime running lights while the LE has standard LEDs.

18-inch wheels help the LE look athletic. They have a multi-spoke, two-tone design. On the XLE, they're upgraded to 19-inch versions.

Moving to the inside of the cabin, it's clear that the base model is well appointed. It has wireless charging, four USB ports, LEDs in its interior lights, and a steering wheel wrapped in leather. All of these features are commonly found on high-end models, so the Venza is in good company. What the XLE has that the LE doesn't are even higher quality elements. For example, the XLE has illuminated footwells, a rearview mirror with a HomeLink transceiver built into it, and a larger multi-information display than the LE has. The XLE does with the option to get a heated steering wheel for more comfort in the winter.

In terms of seating, the Venza starts out with fabric in the LE trim, and the driver's seat is power-adjustable and has lumbar support. In the XLE, the seats have both fabric and SofTex upholstery. The XLE's front seats are heated, and the driver's seat has a memory function.

There are few extra details on the XLE that make it feel more upscale. For instance, there are color-keyed accents on the dashboard and wood-grain-style trim on the armrests and center console. The XLE's Smart Key System comes with touch-sensitive locking/unlocking mechanisms on all four doors and the liftgate. The LE does have the Smart Key System also, but it only has those sensors on the front doors and liftgate.

The two trims have the same infotainment systems, but the XLE gives customers the opportunity to upgrade to the next level. Standard on the Venza is an eight-inch touchscreen, and it comes with HD Radio, SiriusXM Radio, and smartphone compatibility. The available system on the XLE has a number of significant upgrades. It includes navigation, JBL speakers, and a larger touchscreen that measures 12.3 inches.

In recent years, Toyota vehicles have received many accolades for having comprehensive safety systems. The Venza is yet another vehicle in a long list of Toyotas that comes with standard driver-assist technologies. Both the LE and XLE have Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, a suite of systems that allows the vehicle to warn drivers about many types of issues. Not only can the Venza send out an alert if the driver is about to hit another vehicle or veer out of a lane, but it can also hit the brakes and correct steering in certain situations.

The LE has blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert to help drivers become aware of other vehicles that they may not be able to see. What the XLE has in addition to these monitoring system is a parking assist feature. It warns drivers when they're getting too close to objects in front of or behind them, and the brakes can be applied automatically if the driver doesn't react appropriately.

Compare the 2021 Toyota Venza XLE vs Limited Trims. What is the Difference?

Toyota is consistent in how it names its trims. What's different about the Venza, though, is that it only has three trims as opposed to more than a handful, as seen with other vehicles designed by the company. Rather than having several intermediate trims and then a few premium offering, Toyota has jumped straight from the XLE to the Limited. This move is associated with a price increase of nearly $4,000, and it takes the Venza's price to just under $40,000. For this amount, one would expect the Limited to have many bells and whistles, and it certainly doesn't disappoint.

The Venza Limited is the only trim to have an available panoramic roof. This fixed roof, which has its own special name of "Star Gaze", can do things that will amaze a lot of people. Because it has been made with a special type of glass, it can actually switch between being clear and frosted. With the touch of a button, the glass can become frosted to keep things cooler in the cabin. There's also a power sunshade that can be used to block out light. On those beautiful days in which people want to feel the sun shining in, the glass can be made clear.

The side mirrors on the Venza have a cool additional feature. Not only do they have puddle lights like the XLE's mirrors do, but they can also project the Venza logo onto the ground. Little features like this don't have much of a function, but they can be impressive and add to the wow factor of a vehicle.

Inside the cabin of the Limited, technology is incorporated almost everywhere. The rearview mirror is a digital version that can show a live feed of what's behind the SUV. The Venza's backup camera has a washer so that it can stay clean, and there are other cameras that work together to provide a driver with a bird's eye view of the vehicle. Having a 360-degree perspective can be important when trying to maneuver in and out of small parking spaces.

In the center stack, there are various controls, some of which can be used to adjust the climate. The Limited has Intelligent Touch capacitive controls instead of the manual controls seen in the other trims.

The steering wheel of the Limited is heated, and the front seats are heated and ventilated. Those seats are trimmed in perforated SofTex, a material which feels luxurious and is soft and durable. The front passenger in the Limited gets to take advantage of power-adjustable positioning, just like the driver does.

In terms of the infotainment system, the best components are found in the Limited. A system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and navigation is standard in the Limited.(It's an option with the XLE.) Audio quality is impressive because there are nine JBL speakers, to include a subwoofer to round out the sounds. Using voice commands is a convenient way to make calls, get directions, and control music playback.

Which Trim to Choose?

The Venza is ready to be re-released, but this time around, it's a hybrid SUV that is sure to intrigue a lot of consumers. It's hard to find any fault with the Venza since it is packed with high-tech components, has great fuel efficiency, and has standard all-wheel drive. Since all of the trims of the 2021 Toyota Venza have the same type of powertrain, it really comes down to personal preferences regarding style.

For those people who don't want to spend too much money, the LE would be the obvious choice. Its price point is considerably lower than those of the other trims, and it still has a lot of benefits. It has an advanced safety suite, an excellent infotainment system, comfortable seating, modern lighting, and a Smart Key System. It's more refined than many other SUVs in the market.

If a customer doesn't mind paying a little extra, he/she will be rewarded with the XLE. It has more luxurious interior trim and seats, more exterior enhancements, larger wheels than the LE has, and parking sensors that may come in handy more than one might think.