Article Comments - 2009 Toyota Venza V6 Full Test

52 messages, Last post on Oct 27, 2009 at 3:45 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Venza, SUV

2009 Toyota Venza V6 Full Test and Video - Bottom Line: Pure people-packing utility in a package that's more practical than an SUV, though with less character.(more)

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#35 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [6sptl] by anry555 May 02, 2009 (3:58 pm)
Replying to: 6sptl (May 01, 2009 6:43 pm) Really? Check tirerack.com Pirelli and Yokohama in a good price range too. Also by time you need to change the tires there will be more choices for sure. And it's not a 15k car. Replies to this message: halwick (May 03, 2009 3:23 am) kharris (May 03, 2009 6:27 am) md_outback (May 03, 2009 11:20 am) halwick (May 04, 2009 10:52 am) and 1 more...
#36 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [anry555] by halwick May 03, 2009 (3:23 am)
Replying to: anry555 (May 02, 2009 3:58 pm) I've got the 19" wheels and the tires are P245/55R19. Last time I checked with my local tire dealer (I live in Los Angeles) there were only two choices: Bridgestone and Toyo and they were around $300 EACH, mounted & balanced. If you check tirerack.com, there are no choices listed. Interestingly enough, there are more selections available in the 20" tire size. For some reason, Toyota picked an oddball 19" size for the 4-cylinder models. I bought the car knowing the limited choices and high price but hope within a few years there'll be more selections at reasonble prices. Those 19" wheels are the only thing that bugs me about the car; otherwise I'm happy with the rest of the car. On the other hand, tirerack.com lists 12 tires in the P235/55R19 from $149 (Hankook) to $248 (Pirelli). Can you put slightly narrower tires than originally equipped? Replies to this message: kharris (May 03, 2009 6:27 am) md_outback (May 03, 2009 11:20 am) halwick (May 04, 2009 10:52 am) md_outback (May 04, 2009 11:51 am)
#37 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [halwick] by kharris May 03, 2009 (6:27 am)
Replying to: halwick (May 03, 2009 3:23 am) I don't think it's a good idea to put on a smaller size(p235/55R/19) to replace the original larger size(p245/55R/19) because it reduces the load index (the car's load capacity). The 235 size (load index 101)is rated for 1819 lbs while the 245 size(load index 103) is rated for 1929 lbs. This assumes the other 2 dimensions remain the same.
#38 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [halwick] by md_outback May 03, 2009 (11:20 am)
Replying to: halwick (May 03, 2009 3:23 am) Hi halwick, The smaller, 235 tire will have a slightly shorter radius and will reduce ground clearance from 8.1 inches to 7.9 inches. Also, the overall circumference of the tire will be reduced from 93 inches to 91.7 inches, about a 1.4% difference. That difference in size will affect your speedometer, odometer, cruise control and possibly other sensors that monitor vehicle speed related to tire/wheel revolutions (such as ABS, traction control, etc.). It is not a huge size difference, but you should get professional advice (ask the folks at tirerack) before changing. MD Replies to this message: halwick (May 04, 2009 10:52 am) md_outback (May 04, 2009 11:51 am)
#39 of 52 Consumer Reports Venza review by tomd May 04, 2009 (8:27 am)
The June CR did a review of the Venza. They liked it overall but had a few comments: 1. They complained about the ride and blamed the big 20 inch wheels. Is the ride really that bad? How would it compare to my '07 Higlander Limited? Some other reviews have said that the interior noise levels are higher than expected. Can anyone comment on this? 2. They said that several interior trim panels were misaligned and that some grains didn't match. I am surprised to read about misaligned trim panels. How do owners feel about the workmanship? After the initial problems the Camry and other models had a few years ago, I read that Toyota had this big push to get quality back to where is used to be. They said that they were going to hire more Engineers and take more time to "get it right" before releasing a new model. Replies to this message: lal_clt (May 04, 2009 11:15 am) halwick (May 04, 2009 9:24 pm) qs933 (May 04, 2009 10:55 pm) md_outback (May 09, 2009 6:08 am) petl (May 09, 2009 1:47 pm)
#40 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [md_outback] by halwick May 04, 2009 (10:52 am)
Replying to: md_outback (May 03, 2009 11:20 am) Hi MD, Thanks for the explanation. Thought the 235 vs 245 pertained to width only. You mean this slight change in width also affects the circumference and tire height? Hal Replies to this message: md_outback (May 04, 2009 11:51 am)
#41 of 52 Re: Consumer Reports Venza review [tomd] by lal_clt May 04, 2009 (11:15 am)
Replying to: tomd (May 04, 2009 8:27 am) Over the years I've learned to take what CR says with a grain of salt. I don't think they've ever had a totally positive review with any vehicle. That said, I think their remarks were relatively harmless. They were nit-pickin in my opinion.
#42 of 52 Re: Calling a spade a spade [halwick] by md_outback May 04, 2009 (11:51 am)
Replying to: halwick (May 04, 2009 10:52 am) Hey halwick, The "55" in the tire size of 235/55-19 refers to the aspect ratio, basically the height of the sidewall and it is a percentage of the tread width (the 235 or 245 in your case). So the sidewall height of a 235/55 tire is 235 mm times 55%, or 129.25 mm. The sidewall height of the 245/55 tire is a bit taller at 134.75 mm. That difference of 5.5 mm equates to about 0.22 inches less ground clearance for the 235/55 tire. This also serves to illustrate why the higher aspect ratio percentage (i.e. 60% vs. 50%) means a taller sidewall that is more likely to result is a softer, more compliant ride. This isn't always the case, as some tires are designed for comfort and other tires of the same size may have stiffer sidewalls to improve cornering performance, but won't be as comfortable. And obviously, as the tire height changes, so does the rolling circumference and that is what can affect your speedometer, odometer, etc. Hope this helps. MD
#43 of 52 Re: Consumer Reports Venza review [tomd] by halwick May 04, 2009 (9:24 pm)
Replying to: tomd (May 04, 2009 8:27 am) I noticed the plastic housing behind the steering wheel was misaligned and not fitting flush with the steering wheel spokes. It was replaced along with the entire steering wheel! Fortunately this was done under warranty. I'm also hearing a slight buzzing noise coming from either the right part of the dashboard or the right front door inner panel at highway speeds. I'm not surprised as the car was built in Kentucky and a first year model run. Didn't have any problems with a 1997 Toyota Camry, which was built in Aichi, Japan. Anybody have similar fit & finish problems with their Kentucky-built Camry or Avalon?
#44 of 52 Re: Consumer Reports Venza review [tomd] by qs933 May 04, 2009 (10:55 pm)
Replying to: tomd (May 04, 2009 8:27 am) I am surprised to read about misaligned trim panels. How do owners feel about the workmanship? When I take my Venza in for its first oil change, I'm going to have the dealer fix the following: - misaligned woodgrain trim panel around the gear shift - misaligned dash panel (right side of the center speaker grill) - rattle in the driver's door - rattle in the passenger's door - peeling leather on the gear shift And to check on the following: - more flex than I would think is normal on the driver's side front fender - more flex than I would think is normal on the lift-gate panel (the panel with the logo and Venza nameplate -- feels almost like it's plastic or fiberglass, not metal). Sounds like a lot listed out like this, but it's not that bad. If it was, I'd head to the dealer immediately. For what it's worth, my Highlander (first model year) and my 4Runner (3rd year of the current generation) both went back to the dealer soon after delivery. The former was for a turn signal that wouldn't cancel and the latter for rattles and a defective side airbag module. Both were made in Japan. Other than the defective airbag module, though, I've only had minor trim and/or rattle types of problems with my Toyotas over the years.