2021 Toyota Venza vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Toyota Venza was a sleek and stylish SUV that many critics noted bore a resemblance to a Lexus. It was shorter and closer to the ground than the Toyota RAV4, yet shared the same wheelbase. The Venza's design, from its grille to its elongated profile, blurred the lines between Toyota and Lexus, drawing comparisons to the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept. Available in three trim levels—LE, XLE, and Limited—the Venza offered a range of paint colors and a long list of standard features, including LED headlights, dual chrome-tipped exhaust, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The interior was well-appointed, with a wireless charging pad, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an 8-inch infotainment touch screen standard on the base LE model. Higher trims added more luxurious touches like a digital rearview mirror, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and the Star Gaze panoramic roof.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 retained much of its decade-old design, with updates like the spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights added over the years. The 2021 model didn't see any major styling changes but did include standard silver 18-inch wheels on the Premium trim. The GX's exterior was tough and aggressive, appealing to SUV shoppers looking for a distinctive look. However, the interior felt dated, with wood trim that resembled molded plastic and an abundance of actual plastic. Despite standard leather upholstery, the interior didn't meet modern luxury SUV standards. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel's odd angle made for an uncomfortable driving position. Visibility was good thanks to the boxy profile, but the center-console storage and cupholders were small, and the third row was best suited for children.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motors, resulting in a combined 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid system used an electronically-controlled continuously-variable transmission (eCVT) with a sequential-shifting feature for regenerative braking. While the Venza's acceleration was smooth, it was not particularly rapid, and the engine noise was noticeable during acceleration. However, once up to speed, the noise levels became more tolerable. The Venza's handling was confident and typical of a Toyota, with no surprises. The standout feature was its fuel economy, achieving an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, 37 mpg in the city, and 39 mpg combined, far surpassing competitors like the Murano, Passport, and Blazer. Toyota backed its hybrid powertrain with a 10-year/150,000-mile hybrid battery warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile Hybrid System warranty.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX's performance was a throwback to older SUVs, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds. The V8 provided ample power for initial acceleration, but the GX's 5,130-pound weight was evident at higher speeds, requiring careful planning for merging and overtaking. Stopping the vehicle also required more effort, and the ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, lacking the refinement of modern unibody SUVs. However, the GX excelled in off-road capability, with a Torsen center differential, low-range 4WD, and driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, and Crawl Control. The GX had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds and respectable off-road metrics, but it was outperformed by the Land Rover Discovery in some areas.

The 2021 Toyota Venza offered a practical and well-designed interior, with premium appointments in the center stack and a unique cabin appearance. The deep center console featured resizable cup holders, a traditional stick shifter, and various controls, while the padded upholstery added a touch of luxury in the Limited trim. The front seats were accommodating, and the rear seats were comfortable for extended drives. The Venza had more headroom than the RAV4, slightly less legroom up front, and nearly equal shoulder and hip room. The overall passenger volume was similar to the RAV4, providing a spacious feel. The Venza's cargo space was around 60 percent of the RAV4's, with a maximum of 55.1 cubic feet. While this was less than competitors like the Murano, Passport, and Blazer, it was sufficient for daily driving needs. The quick-flip releases on the 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks made arranging the cargo space easy.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460's interior ergonomics reflected its age, with an upright dashboard and high center console that limited legroom. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position made for an uncomfortable driving experience. Visibility was good thanks to the boxy profile, but the center-console storage and cupholders were small. The GX came standard with three rows of seating, but the third row was best suited for children and difficult to access. The Lexus had more first-row legroom on paper than the Land Rover Discovery, but it wasn't generous. The Discovery also had more second-row legroom and nearly the same headroom. The GX's cargo space with the second and third rows folded was 64.7 cubic feet, less than the Discovery's 73.0 cubic feet. With the third row up, cargo space was minimal, making the GX more suitable as a two-row SUV with occasional third-row use.

The 2021 Toyota Venza featured an 8-inch infotainment system on the LE and XLE trims, while the Limited trim had a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen. All screens ran the Entune infotainment system, which had improved over the years but was still not the best in the industry. The larger screen had good response time and could display three sections of information, but the system was not user-friendly, requiring multiple menu trips for simple functions. The Venza came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, AM/FM/HD Radio, Bluetooth, and a six-speaker audio system. A Wi-Fi hot spot was also standard, with a free trial period. The XLE and Limited trims offered a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system. Toyota connected services included a one-year trial of Safety Connect, a roadside-assistance service, and Remote Connect, an app-based system for accessing vehicle functionalities. Dynamic navigation was available on models with the larger screen, using cloud-based technology for route guidance.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 was light on tech features, with standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The GX had two USB ports for each of the first two rows, but none for the third row. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system was available. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functions, with a separate display for time and temperature using a seven-segment format. However, Lexus included analog controls for most functions, providing a refreshing alternative to screen-centric interfaces. The GX's tech offerings were primitive for a luxury SUV, but the analog controls were easy to use.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite of safety and driver-assist technologies. This included eight airbags, a rearview camera, hill start assist, parking distance sensors, tire pressure monitoring, and adjustable front seatbelt anchors. The suite also added a pre-collision warning system with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, with an upgrade to similar technology with automatic braking available on the XLE and Limited trims. The Venza had two full sets of LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats. The safety features performed as expected, though the lane-keeping and lane-tracing assists kept the SUV further to the right within the lane than other systems.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The GX came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, which included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some safety features available in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist automated lane centering.