Venza Nightshade: It's Batman's ride and much more

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- In its efforts to please seemingly everybody in the sport-utility vehicle segment, Toyota offers the just-right-size Venza -- a five-passenger midsize that's bigger than the tiny travelers but smaller than the line's behemoths.

And my tester -- a 2023 Toyota Venza XLE Nightshade -- went a couple steps better than that, with a gas-sipping hybrid powertrain system and the Nightshade treatment.

If Batman wanted an SUV, this would be the one he'd drive.  The Nightshade touches include a black front grille with smoked chrome trim, black wheels, black roof rails and black mirror caps and rear badges. A bold look?  You bet.

Power comes from a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine matched with a hybrid system. From the cockpit, it can be tuned to EV, Eco, Normal and Sport functions.  In Sport mode, the combined 219 horsepower package is pleasingly peppy.

The tester held its own with just about everything on the road, and quietly at that. Per usual, the Toyota was firm in the corners and balanced in all conditions.  A pleasure to drive.

The hybrid system produces admirable fuel mileage figures of 40 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

My ride, with a bottom line of $41,665 on the sticker, was packed with a long list of standard features, including a hands-free power liftgate, heated front seats and dual-zone climate control with rear vents.

A full suite of safety technology features made me feel secure, as did the max five-star federal government overall safety rating based on crash test results.

In sum, the Venza continues to be an excellent choice for SUV buyers who need a bit more than a RAV4 but don't want to break the bank purchasing a massive sport-ute.

Throw in the Nightshade look and, well, Batman certainly would be pleased.