Why This Used Toyota Hybrid Still Outshines New Cars In 2025

 Whether you're buying a new or used vehicle from Toyota, you'll know that given any model, it'll age nicely over the years. Buying used brings in many bonuses, such as more affordable pricing, a large part of depreciation being out of the way, and manufacturers figuring out the problems early on and ironing out the kinks. There are plenty of other reasons why buying a used vehicle is the way to go, but Toyota makes a compelling case why purchasing one of their used models is just as smart as buying one new.

In the last fifteen years, Toyota has been on a rampage of designing and engineering an extensive catalog of hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Unlike other car brands, which are switching their platform to fully electric, Toyota decided to focus more on gas-powered engines, which use some juice from a small battery. Hybrids are a great buy in 2025 because they are typically more efficient than their counterparts (ICE) while still being affordable. When you narrow it down to Toyota, this is even more true, with this Japanese car brand offering some of the most affordable fuel-efficient hybrids, both new and used.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Toyota and other authoritative sources, including J.D. Power, Consumer Reports, FuelEconomy.gov, and KellyBlueBook.

The Venza Has Been Discontinued, But Is Worth Buying Used

The 2021 Toyota Venza was one of the more underrated hybrids in Toyota's lineup, but still deserves some extra praise. Toyota announced last year that the Venza would be discontinued after 2024, due to the overall popularity of the RAV4 Hybrid, along with making way for the new Toyota Crown Signia. While the Venza might've given space to another underrated hybrid, it still seems like a solid deal in 2025 to purchase a used 2021 Toyota Venza.

The First Year To Come Standard With A Hybrid Powertrain

The Toyota Venza has been in production since 2009, but it wasn't until 2021 that the Japanese car brand slapped a hybrid powertrain onto it. Unlike other Toyota models, the Venza is an exclusive hybrid SUV. The midsize crossover hybrid utilizes a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine, producing 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Toyota just started implementing some impressive performance behind their hybrid powertrains, so it wasn't expected that the 2021 Venza didn't come with some get-up. You can expect a 0-60 mph sprint in just 7.1 seconds. Lastly, the 2021 Venza came standard with an electronically continuously variable transmission (ECVT) and an all-wheel drive system.

2021 Toyota Venza Performance Specifications

Powertrain

2.5-Liter Four-Cylinder Hybrid Engine

Horsepower

219 HP

Torque

163 LB-FT

0-60 MPH

Estimated 7.1 Seconds

Transmission

ECVT

Driveline

All-Wheel Drive

A Fuel Economy That's Competitive In 2025

There are countless areas that may become faulty or lacking over the years on a used model. Hybrid technology and fuel efficiency are still improving, and it isn't out of pocket for older models to offer less than newer models. This may be the case for some, but the 2021 Toyota Venza still demonstrates some impressive fuel economy and range. You get an overall driving range of 566 miles on this hybrid SUV. For its fuel economy, you get 40 MPG in the city, 37 MPG on the highway, and a combined MPG of 39.