2009 Toyota Venza

Canine-friendly accessories make Venza a viable DogCar

Tue, May 5th 2009

For dog lovers, the announcement that Toyota was coming out with a car dedicated solely to the safety needs of our four-legged friends was like a breath of fresh air. The fact that a manufacturer is finally recognizing the value of the pet-loving market is something to behold.

And so, the 2009 Toyota Venza has come to life. Now a sales floor reality, the Venza is a purebred DogCar from the wheels up.

Resembling a pregnant dachshund (minus the tail), the Venza is a wagon-like SUV that is little bigger than a Camry, yet smaller than a Highlander. It satisfies the DogCar requirement for ease of accessibility with a low ground clearance, yet doesn’t give up much in its off-road ability because it features all-wheel-drive in both four- and six-cylinder models.

Our test vehicle’s sparkling color – we called it “root beer” but Toyota prefers “Sunset Bronze Mica” -- certainly was an eye-catcher as well.

But it’s the interior cargo design that truly makes the Venza a viable DogCar. The seats fold flat and firm enough to provide plenty of room for canine cargo, with more than 71 inches of length from the back of the front seats to the tail and four cargo hooks for securing crates.

However, the real thing that makes the Venza a DogCar is the accessories it offers. Toyota has partnered with several dog-focused companies such as Kurgo and Solvit to provide a hold line of safety products to go into the Venza.

Available directly through the dealership, some of the many dog-friendly accessories include:

- Rear hatch pet ramp

- Booster seat with harness

- Second-row zip line harness

- Pet barriers for the cargo area

- Waterproof and removable hammock-style seat covers for the Venza’s bench and bucket seats.

While our test Venza did not come with these DogCar accessories, it did include at least four cargo hooks in the rear for securing crates, and an auto tailgate that opens and closes with the push of a button. Also impressive was the rear backup camera, with small monitor tucked into the center of the dashboard. Toyota also made canine entry into and out of the Venza easier by lowering the side panels that your pup normally has to jump over to get out of the vehicle.

The only drawback with our test Venza was also a plus: The V6 engine provides plenty of power, but makes fuel mileage in the low 20s, which is not something we’d typically expect from a Toyota product. Choosing the four-cylinder model promises to push the average mileage to the upper 20s.

No question about it, the Venza is fun to drive and has plenty of room for pups of all shapes, sizes and abilities.

Viva la Venza!

-- Keith Turner

A sweet addition to Toyota’s lineup of dog-friendly cars

I like a car in which I immediately feel comfortable, and the Venza certainly qualifies. It was easy for this height-challenged driver to climb in, and the roomy seat gave me easy access to all the controls. So far, so good. But would it be a great DogCar? I was about to find out, as my first expedition in it would be a four-hour drive to pick up my dogs from the pet sitter and take them back home. I just had to start it up.

Have you ever cared for a dog that was trained to respond only to certain commands? Remember how difficult it was to get him to eat or go potty until you remembered the correct commands for those actions? That’s sort of how I felt the first time I tried to start the Venza. It has a push-button starter. How hard could that be? Well, some of us are technologically challenged. I pressed the button. The dashboard lit up, but the car didn’t start. Luckily, my friend Tamela was there to help. With a little trial and error, we discovered that if the foot is on the brake when the start button is pressed, the engine comes to life. I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the freeway.

The Venza provides a relatively smooth ride, although it’s slightly rougher than expected over speed bumps and dirt roads. The turning radius is acceptable. Where it shines is in its conveniences and carrying capacity.

The rear lift gate is operated electronically through a button to the left of the steering wheel or a button on the key fob. This is especially useful when you’re handling three dogs and their gear bag. Another button on the lift gate itself will close it if you don’t want or aren’t able to pull it down manually or don’t have the key fob in your hand. Our two crates — a small Pet Porter 100 and a medium-size Vari-Kennel that measures 27 x 21.5 x 20 inches — fit snugly in the cargo bay. Two medium-size crates would easily sit side by side. For additional room, simply pull the handles located on each side of the cargo area and the rear passenger seats automatically fold down. Nice! Everyone who saw it loved this feature.

But even with the extra space, large or giant crates won’t fit. We tried loading in 400- and 500-series plastic crates. The 500 was too tall. The 400 barely slid in but didn’t leave enough space for the door to close. Bring your crate(s) to a test drive to make sure they will fit. As long as he’s not in a crate, a large dog would fit inside the Venza with the rear seats folded down, or he could ride in a rear passenger seat, safely restrained with a dog seatbelt.

A bonus is the aftermarket pet products available for the Venza: a rear hatch ramp for easy loading and unloading, a leash tether for securing pets in the vehicle, a booster seat with harness, a first/second row or cargo area barrier, pet seatbelt buckles, and rear seat zipline-style harnesses. Waterproof and removable hammock-style seat covers are also available to fit Venza’s bench and bucket seats.

During the week I had it, I took the Venza on typical pet owner errands: to the pet sitter, the pet supply store, the veterinary clinic, an evening run to the emergency room and to training class. It hauled everything I needed, including three dogs and three passengers, with ease. The deep center console has plenty of space for leashes, electronic gear, a wallet and anything else you might want to stow. Rear-seat passengers appreciated the legroom and the cupholders.

People with small and medium-size dogs were enthusiastic, and even owners of large dogs admired the thought that went into its design. The V-6 engine offers the instant acceleration of a Cavalier after a bird. The brakes brought us to a safe stop when we encountered a slow up from late-night roadwork coming back from the ER. The seats wipe clean easily.

This crossover is best suited for everyday use by owners of small or medium-size dogs. Exhibitors with only one or two small dogs might also like it, depending on the amount and size of the gear they haul. A small grooming table, plus all the other show paraphernalia would probably fit, although it might be a tight squeeze depending on how much equipment you need to prepare your dog for the show ring.

- - Kim Campbell Thornton

Carguy Comments: The Toyota Venza comes in four configurations, a four-cylinder (182 horsepower) or V6 (268 hp) with either front or all-wheel-drive transmissions. Cargo capacity is 70.1 cubic feet behind the first row of seats and ground clearance is just 8.1 inches.

-- Keith Turner, The Family Car

Barking Lot Banter: Toyota introduced its new SUV crossover Venza by loading it with dog-friendly accessories, giving it a leg up on the competition for canine consideration.