Makes›Toyota›Venza›2012

2012 Toyota Venza

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2012 models.

Toyota Venza
Pictured: 2021 Toyota Venza LE, Front Left, 06-20-2021. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Body styles
4dr SUV AWD 2.7/3.5, 4dr SUV FWD 2.7/3.5
Engines
2.7L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
MPG (best)
23 combined · 21 city / 27 hwy
Length
189 in
Curb weight
3,759–3,946 lb
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
4 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Few owner complaints20 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 116 for similar models.

Watch out for

No weak spots against similar models in the data.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 25 similar 2012 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2012 Toyota Venza is a SUV - offered with 2 engines (2.7L 4-cyl and 3.5L 6-cyl) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It measures about 189 inches long and 75 inches wide on a 109-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,946 lb (4dr SUV AWD 2.7/3.5).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 23 MPG combined (21 city / 27 highway), 10% better than the 2012 SUV - average of 20.9 MPG, for an estimated $2,900 a year in fuel.

NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.

It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the air bags.

What changed for 2012

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2011 Venza — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2011; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2011 Venza →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
4dr SUV AWD 2.7/3.5189 in75.2 in63.4 in109.4 in64.2 / 64.2 in3,946 lb57/43
4dr SUV FWD 2.7/3.5189 in75.2 in63.4 in109.4 in64.2 / 64.2 in3,759 lb57/43

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Venza2.7L 4-cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive21 / 27 / 23+10%$2,900386
Venza AWD2.7L 4-cylAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive20 / 25 / 22+16%$3,050404
Venza3.5L 6-cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive19 / 26 / 210%$3,200423
Venza AWD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive18 / 25 / 21+11%$3,200423
Spend $2,500Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
20.9 MPG2012 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2012 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2012 Toyota Venza.

Similar 2012 SUV -s

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2012 Toyota Venza (this car)23 MPGNot rated4
2012 Toyota RAV424 MPGNot rated6
2012 Toyota 4Runner19 MPGNot rated8
2012 Ford Explorer23 MPGNot rated5
2012 Subaru Forester23 MPGNot rated15
2012 Toyota Highlander28 MPGNot rated2
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee19 MPGNot rated10

Recalls (4)

Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain · Apr 13, 2021

NHTSA campaign 21V257000 · 279,040 vehicles

Problem
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2009-2015 Venza vehicles. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) wiring may become damaged with regular use of the driver-side door.
Risk
Damaged wires may cause the air bag sensor to become inoperable, preventing the deployment of the side and curtain air bags on the driver side and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver-side front door wire harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TB01/21TA01.
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner · Oct 17, 2013

NHTSA campaign 13V442000 · 802,769 vehicles

Problem
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Risk
A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment › Other › Labels · Apr 9, 2013

NHTSA campaign 13V123000 · 7,525 vehicles

Problem
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk
An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Fix
Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Seats · Jan 16, 2013

NHTSA campaign 13V014000 · 3,235 vehicles

Problem
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Risk
If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix
Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2012 Toyota Venza is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

20Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
5Involved a crash
0Involved a fire
4Injuries reported
90,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Air Bags7
Visibility/Wiper6
Unknown Or Other4
Power Train1
Service Brakes1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate1
Structure1
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
15/06: 116/07: 117/01: 117/04: 117/09: 118/02: 118/06: 218/12: 119/10: 120/01: 120/04: 120/07: 121/01: 121/04: 121/06: 221/11: 122/01: 125/08: 115/0617/0418/0620/0121/0121/11max 2

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2012 Toyota Venza buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Air Bags — 7 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
  3. Visibility/Wiper — 6 owner reports. Check all exterior lights, wipers and the windshield for cracks.
  4. Power Train — 1 owner reports. Test-drive through all gears, including reverse; note slipping, harsh or delayed shifts.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 90,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2012 Toyota Venza. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Venza years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2024 Venza39186.6 inNot rated325
2023 Venza39186.6 inNot rated321
2022 Venza39186.6 inNot rated142
2021 Venza39186.6 inNot rated2188
2015 Venza23189 in★★★★★128
2014 Venza23189 in★★★★★125
2013 Venza23189 inNot rated442
2011 Venza23189 inNot rated643
2010 Venza24189 inNot rated943
2009 Venza24189 inNot rated876

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Toyota. How we calculate this →