2021 Toyota Venza Safety Systems: What You Need to Know

Toyota Venza has made its return to the buying public after half a decade layoff. This new entry, though, is really nothing like its predecessor.

Sleek and sophisticated exterior styling, a luxury-inspired interior cabin, the most comfortable seats you may ever find in a vehicle, and plenty of technology.

I liked it so much while doing research that I recently bought one. A Limited in Coastal Gray. And I love it so far.

Oh, and Venza 2021 is also loaded with modern and advanced safety systems and features.

Time to explore the relationship between Venza and safety a little further.

2021 Toyota Venza Review

A 2021 Venza is offered in LE, XLE and Limited. Pretty easy to remember.

Every trim level is hybrid and all-wheel drive. Look for 219 horsepower from its combination of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and electric motors.

Gasoline ratings are 40 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway (39 mpg combined).

READ MORE: See what mpg Venza owners are getting.

Factory MSRP for Venza LE is $32,470. Venza XLE starts at $36,000 and Venza Limited is $39,800.

What is remarkable to me is all the safety features that come standard on even the base Venza LE.

2021 Venza Toyota Safety Sense

All Toyota Venza 2021 models feature standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0).

Look for pre-collision system that spots people and bicycles during the day and people in low lighting. TSS 2.0 also includes full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control and automatic high beams.

Lane tracing assist works with your lane departure alert to keep your Venza centered in its lane when road lines on both sides of your lane are visible. This comes in handy when (yes, it happens, but kids do not do this at home) you may get distracted and look away for a few seconds. Your Toyota Venza should stay right in the middle of its lane.

But please everyone, do not let yourself get distracted just to try this out.

I like that my 2021 Toyota Venza tells me the posted speed limit as it passes marked mph signs along the road. It can also detect stop signs, do not enter signs and yield signs as I approach them.

Venza has eight airbags including driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, driver knee, front passenger seat cushion, and front and rear side curtain airbags.

Look mom no hands

This next feature can be nicely fit into both convenience and safety categories. All trim levels for 2021 Toyota Venza come with standard hands-free, height-adjustable power liftgate with jam protection.

Just a small kick or wave of your foot and you can open your back hatch even if your hands are completely full. Plus, the system is designed to stop closing if it detects something in the way, like a child, for example.

Safety my friends. Safety.

On a similar note, my hands were full of six heavy grocery bags walking out of the supermarket yesterday. I waved my foot as I walked up to my Venza Limited and it magically opened.

Convenience my friends. Convenience.

Other exterior highlights include across-the-board standard blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, auto unlock front doors (rear doors also in Venza XLE and Limited), and remote engine start.

VIDEO YOU MAY ENJOY: I test remote engine start to see what Venza trims have it.

All trims have integrated backup camera with projected path and dynamic gridlines which make backing up in parking lots much easier.

Venza Limited and Venza XLE come with front and rear parking assist with automated braking as well.

Limited Venza features a cool backup camera washer, too. It cleans dust and dirt and mud off your backup camera lens. It is more useful than you might imagine.

All grades of 2021 Venza have factory electronic parking brake with brake hold feature. Brake hold is handy because if turned on, it allows you to take your foot off the brake pedal at a red light and stretch out your leg/foot for about three minutes. This is nice, especially if you are well into a long road trip and want to stretch. Take advantage of this one if you can.

2021 Venza Lighting

Visibility is super important. Especially while driving at night. This is where Toyota Venza standard LED lighting will help you tremendously.

Look for 2021 Venza LE multi-reflector LED headlights, while XLE and Limited have LED projector headlights.

LE has LED daytime running lights, where XLE and Limited utilize dual LED daytime running lights.

All Toyota Venza 2021 crossovers give you LED taillights and stoplights.

I Will Take “Toyota Safety Connect” for $200 Please

I was going to go with “Potent Potables” here, but I chose “Safety Connect” instead.

All trims come with a one-year trial of Safety Connect with the purchase of a new Venza. This is a nice-to-have and hopefully not a need-to-use feature.

What I mean is that if your Venza is involved in an accident, Safety Connect provides automatic collision notification and emergency assistance if you need it. Operators are standing by to help.

Also, if your vehicle is stolen, a stolen vehicle locator helps track down your car.

Roadside assistance is also included in Toyota Safety Connect.

2021 Toyota Venza Limited Extra Cameras

I just have to mention one of my favorite standard 2021 Venza Limited features. Bird’s eye view camera.

This lets me see a 360-degree view and an overhead view of my Venza while I am parked or backing up. You can literally see how close you are getting to another car’s bumper or a light post or really anything potentially in your path. Gives me peace of mind and alerts me when I am getting way too close.

COMPARE VENZA TRIMS: My video looks at 2021 Venza LE, 2021 Venza XLE and 2021 Venza Limited together.

You can also see in front of your car while moving up to about 6 miles per hour, and check the curb view, too.

I never really thought this would be a feature I would want or use. Now, I do not imagine I would get another car without it.

Do you like yours?

Time for your thoughts on 2021 Toyota Venza

Thanks so much for reading my story.

I wanted to mention one option you may want to consider. You can upgrade your Toyota Venza Limited optionally to get a 10-inch color head-up display. I had it on a Toyota press vehicle I evaluated and loved it. I do not have it on my personal Venza Limited. It is so helpful, though, to show your current speed without having to look away from the road. I recommend it and wish I had it on my car.

Live and learn Jeff.

Feel free to bookmark my Torque News / Toyota News column. I try to bring you useful information that helps you not only research vehicles to purchase, but also learn more about the ones you have already bought.

I do similar reviews and how-to videos (over 800 of them now) on my “Toyotajeff” YouTube channel. I would love if you subscribe and join my Toyota-loving community.

Do you have your eye on a new 2021 Venza hybrid? What trim do you think is best for you and your family?

Maybe you already own a Venza. If so, tell me what you think of it so far. What type of gas mileage are you getting?

Favorite features?

See you next story when I discuss redesign ideas for next-gen 2023 Toyota Tacoma.

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