Thinking of trying some pretty long and tough routes in my Venza. Some routes I’m thinking about:
Did any of you make a similar trip? How did you prepare for it? I’m planning to drive from Florida to Alberta, Canada soon.
I just did a trip from Times Square in Manhattan to Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn. 82 minutes for 6.9 miles, if you can believe it.
Not the longest, but it felt like it.
Oaklan said:
I just did a trip from Times Square in Manhattan to Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn. 82 minutes for 6.9 miles, if you can believe it.
Not the longest, but it felt like it.
That sounds brutal. City driving can be a nightmare.
I drove from Las Vegas to Chicago when I picked mine up. It was a fantastic drive, super comfortable, and the Venza held up really well. Averaged good speed and mileage, which I was surprised about for a hybrid.
If you’re passing by any national parks, don’t miss them. North Cascades in Washington is stunning, one of the most beautiful places out there.
Katnis said:
If you’re passing by any national parks, don’t miss them. North Cascades in Washington is stunning, one of the most beautiful places out there.
Definitely won’t miss them. It’s all about the journey, not just the destination .
Katnis said:
If you’re passing by any national parks, don’t miss them. North Cascades in Washington is stunning, one of the most beautiful places out there.
Totally agree .
Two years ago, we drove from Bath, Maine to Los Angeles in our 2022 Venza. It was during summer, and we had our dog with us. Figured out how to lock the car with the AC on, which helped when we needed to leave the dog for a bit at rest stops.
@EDAH
How did you manage to lock the car with the AC running? Left a key fob inside?
Tully said:
@EDAH
How did you manage to lock the car with the AC running? Left a key fob inside?
The car won’t lock with a fob inside. The only way I know is using remote start after locking it, but you need a subscription after the first year. Costs about $10 per month or $80 for the year. For my ‘21, I can remote start twice, which gives you 20 minutes of running time.
We got our Venza mainly for road trips. The comfortable interior was the deciding factor for us. We knew Toyota hybrids were reliable, but we also wanted something we could drive for hours without feeling stiff or cramped.
@Tully
What drive mode did you use on those trips?
Eden said:
@Tully
What drive mode did you use on those trips?
On highways, I stick to Eco mode to relax, though acceleration can be a bit slower. In cities, I use Sport mode for quick acceleration, but it does use more gas.
@Tully
I stash a lot of stuff in the spare tire compartment. I’ve got a sub, amp, and spare tire in there, and it still feels like I have a whole extra trunk.
I’m an Uber driver and being a hybrid, it saves a lot on wear and tear while also getting better gas mileage. I do oil changes every 7500 miles. I think 5k is too soon for hybrids, but 10k might be pushing it for how often I drive.
I’ve done a lot of Texas to Kansas City drives. No problems at all.
I live in SoCal and have driven to Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Vegas, and even Death Valley. No issues, just make sure you bring extra food and water if you’re heading out to places like Joshua Tree or Death Valley. Some drop in mileage in higher elevations, but nothing major.
Bought my 2023 XLE in January and did a long trip in May. Drove from near Clemson, SC to Charleston, SC, then up to Williamsburg, VA, followed by a visit to family in Connecticut and a stop at Niagara Falls. Total was about 2300 miles, averaged 41mpg. This year, we went to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and our annual beach trip to Dauphin Island, AL. My only issue has been a noisy tailgate motor that the dealership said would be fixed in February.
The car’s quiet ride, comfy suspension, and impressive gas mileage are what I like most. The only other issue was the display screen going out, but it was replaced under warranty.
@esleystanley
You should check out the noisy tailgate motor thread here. Someone suggested turning off the power lift and using it manually for a few days, which stopped the noise for me and saved me a lot of money.
