We know 4x4s had come a long way since the World War 2 Jeep Wrangler to today's Lexus RX, one that looks the part, offers 4WD yet doesn't have much off road practicality. However, what they makes up for in lacking of offroad worthiness was more than paid up for with excellent frugality, a heightened up ride with commanding view and presence, and of course the luxury amenities, comfort ride and best of all, merely claiming a bumper from the insurance during a head on collision with some tiny Ford Fiestas that would've sent the driver into months of coma.While most automotive journalists might condemn such marketing-department-devised-vehicles as nothing more than vehicles that're created to rip on profits, we can't deny that such vehicles does offer all the good bits of driving a sedan or a wagon, and the once in a while added advantage of being able to park up the curb with that added ground clearance. Well consumers had made their point by showing the likes of Jeremy Clarkson that these vehicles had better 'real world performance' than the likes of a Ferrari Enzo when it involves daily needs.
Toyota had now came up with a derivative of these vehicles that could better the Lexus RX or Toyota Harrier in added offroad unworthiness; the Venza, a new not-a-car-not-a-wagon-not-an-SUV-not-an-off-roader that is their new crossover that would give a good punch to the likes of Ford Flex. Thou it couldn't seat seven, it does so with everyday predictability of a Camry, and all that added advantage we've spoken earlier on.
As expected, of course it'll come with some frugal engine variants ranging from 2.4ltr to 3.5ltr, comfortable, a 5-Star crash test (not tested yet, but Toyota rarely fails here), affordable pricing, starts every time you turn the keys (There ya go Europeans), and just enough airbags and reverse cameras to make that brochure sales pitch all the more attractive.
We really have to salute Toyota at times, when it comes to business, able to create new variants, new segments without splurging billions of development costs for stuffs like torque vectoring limited slip differentials or intelligent suspensions or any of that crap that doesn't even matter to the 99.99% of the world's population when all they want are cars that starts everyday so they won't be late for work.
Oh, and it looks very good, give me one in black or white please. The color of boredom which is another word for 99.99% of the world's people.
