As we discovered during our first drive of the 2021 Toyota Venza, it may have RAV4 bones but it looks and feels a lot like a premium product. And with its entirely electrified powertrain range, the crossover is shaping up as one of the better offerings in this segment. However, there might be something wrong with Toyota’s pricing policy regarding the new Venza.
According to a new report from our colleagues at CarsDirect, if you lease the 2021 Venza, you may end up paying almost Lexus money. For example, in Southern California, the Japanese SUV is listed at $399 per month for 36 months with a $1,999 signing fee. That’s for a vehicle that costs $33,914 (MSRP) and the publication calculates that this leasing plan equates to $455 per month.
A quick look at the analyzed dealer incentive bulletins reveals this offer is just $17 short of a similar lease deal for a Lexus NX. The 2021 NX 300h is currently listed at $389 for 36 months with $2,999 at signing, which is exactly $472 per month, according to calculations by CarsDirect. It’s important to note that this calculation is based on an MSRP of $45,405.
But where does the difference come from? A deeper look at the offers reveals the NX comes with a bigger discount of $1,250 ($500 for the 2021 Venza) and a lower interest rate of 0.3 percent APR (4 percent for the 2021 Venza). On top of that, the December To Remember Sale by Lexus is also making things look even better.
Of course, it’s important to note that the Venza is a much newer model and the offers may vary depending on the state. Also, the NX offer is based on 10,000 miles per year, while the Venza deal is for 12,000 miles per year.