Compare the2023 Toyota VenzaVS 2022 Lexus RX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Venza are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Venza has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The RX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Venza. But it costs extra on the RX.

Both the Venza and the RX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Venza is safer than the Lexus RX:

	Venza	RX
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	152	194
Neck Injury Risk	29.3%	33.2%
Neck Stress	306 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	56 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	400/388 lbs.	433/719 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	284	305
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37.4%	40.1%
Neck Stress	258 lbs.	267 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	340/190 lbs.	403/457 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Venza is safer than the Lexus RX:

	Venza	RX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	165
Hip Force	508 lbs.	594 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	44 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Venza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RX last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Venza for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RX (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 5 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Venza’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Venza is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Venza’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The RX’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lexus is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Lexus is ranked second.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Venza gets better mileage than the RX:

			MPG
Venza
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/37 hwy
RX
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 V6 Hybrid	31 city/28 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

The Venza can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The RX can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Venza uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450h requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Venza higher (7 out of 10) than the Lexus RX (5 to 7). This means the Venza produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Venza stops shorter than the RX:

	Venza	RX
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Venza LE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RX’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Venza Limited handles at .80 G’s, while the RX 450h pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Venza LE’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the RX’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.8 feet). The Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the RX’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

Chassis

The Toyota Venza may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 850 pounds less than the Lexus RX.

The Venza is 5.9 inches shorter than the RX, making the Venza easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Venza uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Cargo Capacity

The Venza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (28.8 vs. 16 cubic feet). The Venza has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (55.1 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Venza has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the RX.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Venza and the Lexus RX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Venza third among midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The RX isn’t in the top three in its category.

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