The 2021 Toyota Venza Is Back, But This Time It’s Hybrid Only

Toyota’s SUV-meets-tall-wagon slots between the RAV4 and Highlander.

For 2021 Toyota is bringing back the Venza, its two-row crossover, for the first time since 2017. When we last drove the Venza we wished Toyota had pushed the envelope just a little bit more when it came to the interior and exterior design, and that's exactly what they've done here. The 2021 Venza ditches the dorky front fascia and frumpy rear end of the old car for something sleek, forward-looking, and no doubt developed alongside the handsome Mirai concept that debuted late last year. But that's just on the outside.

Underneath the all-new bodywork lives Toyota's TNGA-K architecture and its Hybrid System II powertrain, and it's the only powertrain available in the new Venza. A 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder is supplemented by three electric motors—two in front, one out back—and total system output is rated at 219 hp. Thanks to electronically controlled variable valve timing, an electric water pump, and a variable oil pump, Toyota estimates the base LE trim will get 40 mpg.

In addition to its Eco, Sport, and Normal driving modes, the new Venza can also be driven for short distances as a pure EV, though Toyota didn't specify exactly how far it'll go on battery power alone. According to Toyota, throttle response should be sharp thanks to the electric motors that augment the engine and give extra low-end torque. Though it's paired to a CVT, Toyota added a sequential style shift gate to the gear selector, meaning drivers can "downshift" should they desire a little extra regenerative braking.

2021 Toyota Venza, It's Efficient And Fun

All 2021 Venzas will come with an on-demand AWD system as standard. Most of the time, 100 percent of the engine's power will be routed to just the front wheels via the engine and electric motors. However, thanks to the electric motor mounted on the rear axle, as much as 80 percent of available torque can be applied at the rear wheels to give better traction.

There are struts up front and multi-link setup at the rear to give a nice balance between handling and ride comfort. Toyota also included a torque vectoring by braking system it's calling Active Cornering Assist that activates the stability control to slow the inside wheels and improve handling in certain driving situations. The hybrid system also uses a torque preload function that improves traction off the line and handling on slippery roads. According to Toyota, the system can also help reduce understeer, and even though hybrids aren't known for their vehicle dynamics we'll never say no to a talented chassis.

Toyota is also including its predictive efficient (PED) drive system that uses the navigation system to analyze driving habits and road conditions in order to optimize the charging of the battery. PED analyzes frequently driven routes—your daily commute, for example—to learn when the car might slow down or come to a stop. All in all, the system helps reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

So, What's The 2021 Venza's Interior Like?

At launch, there will be three trims available: LE, XLE, and Limited. All trims will come with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration as standard. LE trims get a 4.2-inch color multi-information-display (MID) in the gauge cluster, a six-speaker audio system, and an 8.0-inch infotainment display. All trims get an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, too.

The XLE trims up the ante a little bit, granting a 7.0-inch MID and the option for a nine-speaker JBL audio system, a 10.0-inch head-up display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. However, there's a problem, look closely and you'll notice no physical volume knob on the optional system —make of that what you will. Limited trims come with the JBL hi-fi and 12.3-inch infotainment screen as standard, but the HUD remains an option. LE trimmed cars come on 18-inch alloys while Limited and XLE trims ride on 19-inch chromed multi-spoke wheels.

The New Toyota Venza Has Some Sweet Luxury Touches

Though hybrids are known to be quiet, Toyota has really gone to town on the new Venza to make sure it's as relaxing as possible. There is special insulation above the wheel arches, in the headliner, in the engine bay, and in the floor of the cabin to limit the amount of noise that enters the cabin. There's also an acoustic glass windshield to help minimize wind noise.

Speaking of glass, perhaps the Venza's best coolest luxury feature is the optional electrochromic glass roof. A first for Toyota, the new Venza's roof can be specified with glass that can be dimmed at the touch of a button. At its most opaque, the glass amplifies sunlight entering the cabin to brighten it up without making it too toasty, and when it's fully transparent the roof gives a full view through for stargazing or simply checking the weather.

The new Venza will also come with Toyota's suite of safety features as standard, too. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 comes with pre-collision warning, pedestrian safety warning, full-speed dynamic cruise control, lane departure warning, road sign assist, lane tracing assist, and automatic high beams.

Since the Venza is a crossover, utility is paramount, and the Venza has 36.3 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats. That's about equal with the Ford Edge—a non-hybrid crossover of similar proportions—that has 39.2 cubic feet of space to play with when the second road is folded up. Toyota says the lithium-ion battery is small enough to fit under the second row and that it doesn't take up any room in the cargo area.

Toyota is including its 36-month/36,000 mile basic warranty to the Venza. This applies to the entire car and not just regular wear and tear components. Additional warranties that cover hybrid-related components for up to eight-year or 100,000 miles are also available. The HV battery is covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles and is transferable across ownership.

Toyota didn't say when we'll see the new Venza or how much it'll cost. We think we'll see it at the end of this year or early in 2021. As for pricing, the last Venza started at around $27,000, but we expect the new car to creep closer to the $30,000 mark when it launches.

Acura Just Set a Thirst Trap With This 2021 TLX Rear-End Teaser

We're hoping we don't get catfished in the end.

We finally have a date for when Acura will show us the all-new TLX: Thursday, May 28, at 10:00 am PST.  Bookmark this link if you want to watch the live reveal. Additionally, Acura was kind enough to give us our best look yet at the new TLX, even if it is just one dark image. According to Acura, the new TLX will "be the quickest, best-handling and most well-appointed sport sedan in Acura history, with the Type S being the model's performance pinnacle."

That's a big claim. Granted, the TLX doesn't have the lineage of something like the BMW M3.

The lone teaser image gives us a pretty good look at the new TLX Type S's rear end, and to our eyes, it looks focused, sporty, and ready to take the fight to competitors like the Lexus IS and BMW 3-Series. The teaser image also gives us a good look at the car's quad exhaust tips, wide stance, and low roofline.

Additionally, the picture includes the TLX's badging, which all but confirms that the high-performance Type S trim will include all-wheel drive (Super Handling All Wheel Drive in Acura parlance). The system delivers power from a new turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine to all four of the sedan's wheels.

The TLX's design will pull heavily from the Acura's Precision and Type S concepts and promises to reveal a new design direction for the Japanese luxury brand.

Lamborghini Doors Now Available for the C8 Chevy Corvette

Pre-order this kit, and you can give your exotic-looking Vette the doors to match.

How do you make an already cool Chevrolet C8 Corvette even cooler? Just add a Lamborghini-inspired vertical-opening door kit for $2,999 (or $4,300 installed). Vertical Doors Inc. is now offering a kit that includes said "butterfly" doors with hinges, all mounting hardware, and two gas shocks to hold the doors open in their elevated position.

The direct bolt-on hinge kit mounts to the factory door-mount bolt pattern and is made from domestic steel, according to seller Eikōn Motorsports. The "Lambo" doors come with a lifetime warranty and are completely reversible/removable, the company claims. While that bit may be true, after watching the Scottsdale, Arizona-based installation specialists do their work on Facebook video, we figure you might want to have them install the exotic doors on your Vette for you. The job requires a number of modifications to the original doors, internal wiring, and front fenders—just look at the photo below.

Are the Lambo doors worth it? That depends on your point of view and desire for attention, but there's no question the exotic setup further elevates the 2020 Corvette's supercar-like appearance. Many onlookers, in fact, might not realize the aftermarket doors are anything but factory—that's how expensive and high-performance our 2020 Car of the Year appears to be out of the box. (Vertical Doors, Inc. also sells butterfly door kits for the previous-generation C7 Corvette, Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and many other late model cars and trucks—none of which look as though they should have butterfly doors.) Doors aside, the C8 Corvette doesn't merely look exotic—it acts like it, too. Its first-for-a-Corvette mid-engine layout affords the C8 Corvette properly giant-killing performance. And this, people, is only the base model—spicier Vettes are on their way to chase six-figure supercars.

HD EV: Rivian R1T Imagined as an Emissions-Free Dually Pickup

This fan rendering has us hoping Rivian green lights an R1T HD truck.

It's only a matter of time before electric pickup trucks hit the road. Ford is preparing an electric F-150, Tesla has previewed the Cybertruck, and Rivian is getting ready to roll out the sleek R1T. Just as we're getting used to the idea of an electric truck, one forum user has rendered something we're not yet prepared for: a dually EV pickup.

The new rendering, posted to RivianOwnersForum.com, shows what a heavy-duty version of the R1T could look like. The imaginary truck shares styling cues with the original Rivian but gets two additional rear wheels. We like the rugged, lifted look, but there's no indication Rivian will actually make an HD truck.

If it did become a reality, the Rivian HD should offer more towing than the regular model. Rivian claims the R1T will tow 11,000 pounds, which is impressive, but towing at max capacity will slow the truck down and cut its range in half. We can only imagine how far a Rivian HD would be able to travel on a charge while hauling. Theoretically, HD customers would also enjoy greater payload than the standard model's 1,760 pounds.

The Rivian R1T features a body-on-frame design like most pickups. But it's unique in that it sits on a flexible skateboard architecture, with the battery, motors, transmissions, cooling system, and front and rear suspension setups incorporated into a complete module that allows for any type of body style to sit atop it. The R1T's driving range is said to exceed 400 miles when equipped with the beefiest battery pack available.

In addition to the R1T, Rivian plans to introduce the R1S SUV in the near future. As we previously reported, Rivian and Lincoln have canceled plans to co-develop a luxury SUV, although the companies will continue to work together in the future.

Ford Admits Screwing Up the 2020 Explorer Launch, Promises Not to Again

The ol' whoopsie-doo and other learnings from Ford's shareholder kumbaya.

Ford's launch of its latest Explorer three-row crossover was a mess, and Ford brass knows it. That model's woefully slow and problem-plagued launch in Chicago in 2019 won't happen again, per Ford's message to shareholders today during Ford's 65th annual shareholders meeting that also sought to reassure stockholders about the impact of the pandemic.

The meeting was once again held virtually, a practice for the last few years, but one made necessary this year as the world strives to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And while many of the presentations and responses to shareholder questions revolved around the impact of the pandemic that stopped vehicle production around the world, executives also focused on changes made to operations in general for when the industry resumes a degree of normalcy.

Which brings us back to the Explorer and the lessons it holds for the future. A year after its bungled rollout, Ford is still lamenting how it went, the losses it incurred, the blot it put on the company's ability to get vehicles out the door and into customer hands. The learnings are crucial as Ford prepares to launch a new Ford F-150 fullsize pickup truck, including a hybrid version, as well as the new 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport, a Mustang hybrid and the new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric crossover.

In the past, we were told some of the problems with the Explorer were because the automaker tried to launch the next-generation SUV with many trim levels, including a hybrid and the Police Interceptor utility vehicle, while simultaneously adding the new luxury Lincoln Aviator sibling which also comes as a plug-in hybrid. It was all being done in an old plant with no room to set up a pilot area to test assembly. Keep in mind, the new Explorer switched from the old SUV's front-wheel-drive-based underpinnings to Ford's new rear-wheel-drive architecture and all the sheetmetal was changed.  All this was done while maximizing production of the outgoing Explorer right up to the end.

Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett called it an over-aggressive effort to launch the revamped Explorer and new Lincoln Aviator. He denounced the decision to run pilot builds virtually and says the company has fixed that and will better manage launches now. Ford is also addressing higher warranty costs by reversing past decisions to develop some of its key powertrain components remotely around the world. All these lessons learned will hopefully make Ford stronger when the world regains some normalcy.

Product Delays And Plant Production

In the interim, Hackett said Ford has delayed launches from the original plan but did not specify which vehicles have been affected. Some reveals have already been delayed because of the health crisis, including the new Bronco and Bronco Sport, both of which were to have been shown to media earlier this year. But Ford officials have said key products like the F-150 remain on track.

Oh, and plants were shut down around the world. "We can now see in retrospect our action to close [plants] definitely helped flatten the curve in geographic hot spots," said Hackett, referring to the common phrase for the mitigation of new coronavirus cases. While there are fears of new outbreaks, Ford has returned 90 percent of its salaried staff to work in China and resumed production at all plants in that country, but production is not yet at full capacity. Plants are running again in Europe, too, with a second shift added at the Saarlouis plant in Germany. North American production resumes May 18. "We don't know yet when we will be able to get back to full production," said Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley.

Abysmal Ford Stock Price

Shareholders had a lot of questions about Ford stock that closed at $4.72 on May 13, the night before the annual meeting. Executive Chairman Bill Ford said he feels the company has the right metrics in place for the future and that it is in everyone's interests, including the Ford family, to get the stock prices back up.

According to Hackett before the health crisis, Ford was on track to meet or exceed its original financial guidance. "Never before have we had to close plants in a cascade around the world." The impact was a net loss of $2 billion in the first quarter and Ford is bracing for even worse results in the second quarter.

The automaker must emerge ready to build a brighter future, Hackett said, and the company is working to protect its cycle plan, product plan, launches and technical roadmap with a focus on the long game. In the next two years, Ford will put 40 hybrids and electric vehicles on the road and the China market will get 30 vehicles over the next three years, 10 of them electric. Ford will use its partnerships with Rivian and Mahindra will help accelerate the development of electric vehicles.

Cutting Spending

To preserve cash during this economic crisis, Ford is cutting spending wherever possible to have the financial wherewithal to emerge as a stronger company. Tim Stone, chief financial officer, said Ford has identified billions of dollars in opportunities. It won't be enough to recover from all production losses this year, he said, but Ford is doing what it can to make up for the losses as soon as possible. In the meantime, the company has suspended merit increases, top executives have deferred some of their salaries for at least five months, cost cutting is occurring in areas such as advertising and marketing, and in areas of non-essential spending. Ford has cut its capital spending in half to about a half-billion dollars. The dividend has been suspended and will be restored when Ford is able to strengthen its balance sheet and pay down its lines of credit.

In other business at the annual meeting, 13 people were elected to the board of directors and the perennial request for equal voting rights for each share was turned down with 64.9 percent against. The results are not a surprise, the whole point of the proposal is to give all outstanding stock equal weight. The dual-class share structure gives the Ford family 40 percent control with a small percentage of shares while non-family shares get a single vote each. The request for equality is raised every year and has received more than 51 percent support from non-family shareholders since 2011. But every year the power of the Ford family votes shoots it down. Hackett said the Ford family has been a source of stability during the pandemic.