This is the second Toyota crossover to have the Venza name badge. Visually, it looks like a piece with the angular and creased crossovers from Toyota’s luxury offshoot but with a foster face rather than the Cylon’s giant cheese-grater that adorns those vehicles. Toyota Venza is its own thing, and it surely has not rebadged Lexus. With its 105.9-inch wheelbase, it can deliver firmly in the midsize bracket.

The New Toyota Venza

The Venza is offered with just a signal 219hp hybrid powertrain that’s rated by the EPA at 37 mpg on the highway and 40 mpg on the highway. It combines a 2.5L four-cylinder gasoline engine with three electric motors. This makes for an additional 54hp drive motor for the rear wheels that provide all-wheel-drive on-demand. Such electric motors draw power from a 0.9kWh lithium-ion battery instead of the 1.6kWh NiMh pack that is used in other Toyota hybrid models.

The final 18 miles to the Hall of Fame get a little more interesting than a two-lane highway. They offer a good test for the Toyota Venza Sport mode, which makes the powertrain more responsive but doesn’t charge much.

The new 2021 Toyota Venza has a lot of balls to juggle. In fact, it’s the first Toyota SUV to be powered by a special hybrid system. The design of the new model has to push the brand in a whole new direction without being offensive, and this makes it the most luxurious SUV in Toyota’s lineup.

Looks Are Subjective

The new Venza is not what you would call ugly. It’s different from what Toyota has been doing with the rest of its lineup lately, and it’s a great sign of things to come for the marque. Looks are subjective, but people think that the Venza does enough to stand out from the rest without resorting to being offensive or outlandish. It’s a very well-thought-out vehicle and a well-executed crossover.

Cars are quickly shifting towards sustainability and motorsport is not far behind. Formula 1 had gone hybrid about ten years ago. NASCAR, on the other hand, has taken its time to make this move. The V8 engines are still popular with this racing company but come 2024, things are going to change for the better. As per Bob Pockrass, a NASCAR report for Fox Sports, Steve Phelps has said that hybridization will soon become a reality. Phelps is the president of the sanctioning body who also mentioned in another interview that this transition was to come in 2024.

There Will Be Changes

There are many changes that NASCAR would have to make so that hybridization is possible. For instance, oval races do not require cars to slow down and so is not conducive to the system of hybrid cars. Slowing down helps utilize this system to its full potential. Tracks that have more turns would have to be included in future races. Phelps is also said to have claimed that it is imperative to have a variation in schedules and these changes would be visible in the season of 2023, as per Pockrass.

Pandemic Delays the Transition

NASCAR was believed to go hybrid in 2022 but the pandemic caused delays. In 2019, John Probst, Racing Development’s Senior Vice President provided details about the system and said that braking opportunities would be the key to make it happen. However, the mechanisms for using electric power for the cars are still undecided.

New Technology, More Fun

The new cars will have some interesting upgrades like six-speed sequential transmission, independent rear suspension and more. There will also be new technology introduced for the new platform. The hope is that with hybrid power, NASCAR will be more fun to watch. And if that is not all, these cars will be more relatable.