Toyota Venza: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Toyota Venza: 5 model years scored from 201 NHTSA owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns. Worst year 2013, best year 2014.
Toyota Venza: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Toyota Venza ranges from 66/100 in 2013 to 87/100 in 2015 — a 21-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Air Bags (12 of them).
Safest years: 2012, 2014, 2015 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2014 (score 86). Worst: 2013 (score 66, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 87 | BUY | $4,626 | 27 | 1 |
| 2014 | 86 | BUY | $4,769 | 31 | 1 |
| 2013 | 66 | CAUTION | $4,946 | 59 | 4 |
| 2012 | 83 | BUY | $5,034 | 25 | 4 |
| 2011 | 68 | CAUTION | $5,214 | 59 | 6 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Venza, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Toyota Venza
Across every Venza model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Air Bags38 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other36 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Service Brakes27 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Electrical System25 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Structure15 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
- Vehicle Speed Control13 complaints across all Venza years · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement$520–$1,150
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Toyota Venza years to buy?
2012, 2014, 2015 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2015 at 87/100, on 27 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Toyota Venza years should I avoid?
The 2013 is the weakest year we score, at 66/100 (CAUTION), on 59 complaints and 4 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Toyota Venza problem?
38 of the complaints filed against the Venza across all its model years sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04