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This week, I purchased a new vehicle, a 2024 Toyota Venza Limited hybrid-electric vehicle. It is my first Toyota, though our extended family has had Toyotas for many decades. This is also my first electrified vehicle. I chose to buy a Toyota hybrid-electric vehicle for three main reasons: Range, reliability, and refinement.
Related Story: Doctors Choose To Drive Toyotas More Than Any Other Brand - Here's Why and Which Brand Is Their Second Choice
Reliability Comes First For Me
Back in 2018, I switched from a BMW X3 that had terrible reliability and less than stellar dealer service to a Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring. At that time, I was looking for more luxury, more refinement, and, most importantly, reliability. The CX-5, in its soul red crystal metallic paint, stole my heart and earned my business. For more than six years, the CX-5 has been utterly reliable and enjoyable to drive. It never gave me any trouble whatsoever. When COVID hit, and I was working endless hours in the hospital, Mazda even offered to service the vehicle for free (for all medical workers). I will forever be a Mazda fan, and I will likely return to the brand in the future.
Why Range Matters To Me
My new job requires that I visit multiple hospitals in Eastern Massachusetts, and my primary clinic is about 40 miles from my home. For family reasons, moving closer to work is not possible, so I have a long commute on many days. Because of this, I was stopping for fuel multiple times per week, and during the cold, dark winter, I became exhausted from having to do so. That prompted me to look for a vehicle with a meaningfully longer range between stops.
My husband is a vehicle tester, so I am familiar with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. We charge EVs at home regularly. However, the higher cost of EVs, coupled with the fact that almost no EVs have spare tires, pushed me away from that type of vehicle. While owning my CX-5, I had two flats, and the spare was a handy backup plan. I did seriously consider a RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle, but the styling just wasn’t my thing. Still, had I not found the Venza, the RAV4 Prime may have been my pick.
We found the Venza almost accidentally. My husband had never tested one but had tested the RAV4 Hybrid numerous times. The RAV4 Hybrid had almost everything I wanted, except I didn’t like its rugged, outdoorsy, and boxy styling. We own a Bronco Sport Badlands, so we already have a car of that type. I wanted something a bit more stylish, like my CX-5. My husband suggested we look at the Venza, which is very much like a RAV4 Hybrid but with different interior and exterior designs. Once I saw it, I was sold.
Toyota Venza Offers The Best Cost Per Mile of Energy In My Area
The Venza is rated 39 MPG combined, and my CX-5 was averaging around 27.5 MPG. I was filling up every 275 to 300 miles or so with the CX-5. Our projection is that I will be able to go at least 450 miles between fillups in the Venza. This means I can get gas just once per week, or possibly less often. It will also save me money on fuel. In our area, we pay a bit over $3.00 per gallon for gas right now. Our electricity cost is one of America’s highest at $0.32/kWh, so a plug-in would not have saved us much money on energy compared to a hybrid.
Toyota Venza Refinement
One of the big plusses of the Mazda CX-5 was its refinement. The Venza is also strong in this area. If you watch YouTube reviews for the Venza, you will hear the reviewers say it was “supposed to be a Leuxs.” It is satisfying to drive, everything feels high-quality, and the vehicle goes about its business smoothly and quietly. I love how it can operate on electricity alone when in parking lots or stop and go traffic. In fact, when I pull out of my garage and head up my steep driveway, the Venza doesn’t use its gas motor until I accelerate up the street.
Toyota Venza Reliability
My husband tracks the quality, durability, and reliability scores of vehicles and brands for work, and he showed me some facts related to Toyota’s reliability. This, plus the brand’s reputation, has made me confident that the vehicle is likely to be very reliable. Time will tell.
Switching From Mazda To Toyota
The two Metro Boston Mazda dealers I did business with were 495 Mazda and Liberty Mazda. Both were great. They offered loaner cars when I needed one, easy appointments, and none of the crazy inflated service charges at my 15K, 30K, 45K, and 60K appointments. However, with my new job, these dealers are now far from home. Toyota’s dealerships are much closer to both my home and my work, so from a practical standpoint, service will be easier. I am also happy that I get two years of included maintenance with my Toyota Venza. Despite Toyota's advantages from a practical standpoint, I loved my CX-5. If Mazda had offered a hybrid with the same range and fuel efficiency, I would have bought another CX-5 hybrid.
I plan to follow up on this story with a list of what I like and dislike about my Venza after I’ve had it for a while. Watch Torque News for more updates on the Toyota Venza ownership experience.
Author Note: Inclusive of dealer Doc Fee and Toyota's Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee, Dr. Tuncer paid $390 over MSRP for this vehicle. It is not a media vehicle.
Hande Tuncer, MD, is a contributing writer to Torque News and publications related to medical topics. When she is not submitting a guest story or working as a clinician and researcher she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. You can follow more of Hande's stories at Torque News or our X channel at @TorqueNewsAuto.
Image of Emporia home charger by Hande Tuncer. Reliability chart courtesy of J.D. Power.
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