by Gabrielle DeSantis

I just spent a week getting to know the new Toyota Venza. It was a little puzzling at first, but after using the 2021 Toyota Venza to get gardening supplies, go to the dog park, and more, it has proven to be one excellent crossover option. 

Is the 2021 Toyota Venza worth buying? 

Yes, the 2021 Toyota Venza is an excellent hybrid option to consider if you’re looking to save on fuel and have some fun. The Venza begins at about $32,570. I had the Venza Limited trim, which is the highest option, and it starts at about $39,800. 

This crossover looks like a spaceship, which is fitting. It seemed to be out of this world. People kept asking me what the Venza is. So, I’ll clear things up a bit. The old Toyota Venza was an SUV that was produced from 2010 to 2015. It was discontinued after declining sales. Plus, the RAV4 and Highlander proved to be more popular options. Then the Venza returned as a brand-new hybrid option in 2021. 

Potential 2021 Venza drawbacks 

RELATED: The 2021 Toyota Venza Drives Like a Prius in High Heels

1. I’ll start with the 2021 Toyota Venza’s cons. It has a fantastic star-gaze panoramic roof. It provides plenty of light. It’s electrochromic with tint on-demand, meaning with the press of a button, you can filter the light with an opaque shade of white. It blocks the direct sunlight, but the cabin still fills with warm light. 

However, this roof doesn’t open! This could only be a problem for me, but I wanted to open it and let some fresh air in. To be fair, I suppose it may not leak like sunroofs can do as vehicles start to age. This was a personal problem I had with a 2021 Tahoe.

2. The Venza has heated and ventilated seats, which is a great convenience perk. However, the ventilation felt a little weak on hot and humid afternoons in the Carolinas. In the Mazda CX-9, the ventilated seats can literally freeze your buns. 

3. Also, the key fob doesn’t have a remote start button. You have to sit inside the vehicle to start it up. This means I couldn’t get it cooling before I was actually ready to leave. But this issue is so minor. It probably isn’t a deal-breaker at all. 

What’s great about the 2021 Venza?

1. The 2021 Toyota Venza is fun to drive. I mainly stayed in Eco Mode to be environmentally friendly, and it was fast and fun. In some hybrid vehicles, you notice a decrease in performance when Eco Mode is enabled. 

If you want to spice things up a little, engaging Sport Mode ups the fun. It provides a satisfying engine roar once you hit the accelerator. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine is paired with three electric motors to offer 219 hp. 

According to Car and Driver, the Venza can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6-seconds. It’s able to accelerate quickly enough to merge into traffic and to enter the highway just fine. It doesn’t feel sluggish at all. 

2. The ride is very comfortable. The 2021 Toyota Venza has one heck of a smooth suspension. Bumps in country roads went unnoticed. Also, the cabin provides a sense of luxury quiet for relaxing rides. 

3. The 2021 Venza is easy to maneuver. It’s very agile and easy to park in tight city areas. It has responsive steering and confident handling. It also feels well planted with limited body roll. But the brakes can be grabby and require some getting used to. 

4. The Toyota Venza is very comfortable, in general. The interior is wrapped in leather and other premium soft-touch materials. The front seats are well padded with multiple options for lumbar support. 

The rear seats seemed to be comfortable as well, with a relaxing incline. Four adults could sit in this vehicle without any problems. I had about four to five inches of knee space in the backseats, and I’m 5’1″, so adults over 5’4″ might feel like the backseat is tight.

Also, taller drivers may wish there was more headroom in the front seats. But for me, it was the perfect size. I fit in it like Cinderella’s slipper. There is plenty of space in the Venza. There was more than enough room for multiple bags of soil and other gardening equipment. It has 28.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats with up to 55.1 cubic feet total. The Venza has a little more space to offer than the RAV4. 

5. The tech is awesome! The 2021 Toyota Venza has a head-up display with traffic sign recognition. You can see the speed limit, your speed, the direction you’re traveling in, and how well you’re regenerating power for the battery. 

The nine-speaker JBL premium stereo system sounds terrific. This crossover is an excellent option for jamming to your favorite songs. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. But there isn’t a volume dial. You have to press touch-sensitive buttons to adjust the volume level. 

However, I enjoyed Toyota’s software too. The built-in navigation system is fast and responsive Plus, it notifies you once you cross state lines. Hearing ‘Welcome to North Carolina’ on the way to Asheville was fun.

This is part one of my 2021 Toyota Venza review. There is more to come as I acess the week spent with this vehicle. I mainly used it to run errands, and it provided a relaxing and peaceful experience while remaining engaging. 

The post The 2021 Toyota Venza Has 5 Pros and 3 Cons appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Buying a used RV can save you tons of money in the long run. Also, with the biggest RV craze we’ve seen in years, it’s getting harder to find new models since everybody is out trying to get one. Without proper education on what to expect in a camper, you could end up buying a lemon. You’ll want something that will last a long time without shelling out your life savings to get it. 

It’s happened before, and one author on insider.com experienced a particularly bad one. If you want to save money on hotel bills, a used camper is the way to go, but what can you do to avoid getting stuck with a lemon. 

The adventures of buying an RV that turns out to be a lemon

As with anything, you can buy an RV and find out that what you bought was really a dud, if you don’t take the time to do your research before purchasing. One woman and her boyfriend learned the lesson the hard way. They bought a camper with the intent of using it on an upcoming trip but quickly began regretting their decision. 

It all started when they decided to buy a used RV, despite having no previous knowledge of these kinds of campers. They bought one on a whim and set out on their planned trip all excited about the memories they were hoping to make with their new purchase. 

It turned out to be a nightmare, however, when the RV’s tires started blowing out, the shower didn’t really work, and the air conditioning didn’t blow any cold air, and this was only the beginning of their troubles. 

The list continued with the shower being too small, the gray pipes leaked, the fridge didn’t work, the onboard generator was broken, and their Homeowner’s Association wouldn’t allow them to park it at their house. All in all, they spent over $4,500 on it and there were still more repairs that were needed. 

How to avoid getting a bad deal on an RV camper

So you don’t end up with the same horrific tale that the woman and her boyfriend did, there are a few things you should do and not do when you’re looking to buy a used RV. The most important one is to do your research. Know what you want and need before you hand over the check to buy. Like the boyfriend in the previous story, he was 6-feet 2-inches in height, but the shower wasn’t tall enough to accommodate him comfortably. 

Avoid buying specifically for a trip, unless you’re planning a long way out. Give yourself enough time to thoroughly check over your options, and have it professionally inspected before leaving on your journey. Know what repairs or replacements will be needed and get them done before you head out. 

Don’t take a seller’s word that everything works before handing over your check. Have them go through each item and show you that it works fine unless they’ve reported that something is broken. For the items that you know don’t work, you can decide whether you want to take on the responsibility to fix them or replace them. Also, check for signs of roof leaks while you’re at it. Know what you’re getting into before buying. 

Things to know if you’re new to camping in an RV

Buying an RV is more than just putting gas into the tank and driving it to a campground. You’ll need to know some basics of driving one, like how to back up with it, how to check to make sure it’s ready to go, and where you can go and not go with it. 

RVs are built differently from trucks, so you’re going to notice that it’s harder to back up due to its size. According to Camper Report, you should learn how to use a partner to communicate whether you’re going to hit a tree or other item, so you can avoid damaging the camper. 

Before you leave to set out on your trip, or before you leave your campground, make sure everything’s ready to go. This means doing a proper walk-around to be sure any slide-outs are pushed in and secure, and any awnings aren’t still hanging out. If you leave with one of these still open, you may end up hitting something, like another vehicle with it. Make sure you’re ready to go, no matter how long it takes to perform your checks.

Also, know the places you have to avoid due to the size of your camper. Some bridges may hang too low, and the top of your RV can break off or get damaged when going under it. Measure the height of your camper to the tallest portion, usually the AC unit, and be aware of bridge signs that let you know how tall they are. This way you can avoid the bridges your RV won’t be able to go under. 

Camping in an RV can be time-consuming and exhausting, but it’s still a lot of fun. Repairs are a huge part of owning a used camper, so know what to check for when buying a used camper and know how to run it before you take off on your next trip. 

RELATED: Own an RV? Lemon Laws Probably Don’t Protect You

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