Inside, though, the Venza receives rave reviews. "I appreciate the silkiness of the audio controls and the clever center console, which easily adapts to multiple configurations and neatly clasps an iPhone," opines St. Antoine. Loh notes, "Best interior of the group. Classier surfaces than Murano and Edge. Weird placement of some wood elements, but at least you get the sense Toyota's design department is trying." While we generally like the cabins in the Edge and Murano, both are deemed either too dark, too frustrating, or too techy in light of the cheery and simpler Venza's. In addition, the Toyota's quarters boast the most comfortable second row, the easiest ingress and egress, and the largest cargo area, whether the seat is up or down.
Over our 35-mile road loop, much of which presents pockmarked and undulating pavement, the Murano, with its light, communicative steering and taut-yet-forgiving suspension, manages to soak up the worst of bumps while still delivering quick reflexes and confidence-inspiring agility. "The athlete of the bunch," says St. Antoine. "Feels light on its feet, steering is nicely weighted and accurate, and balance and grip are quite good." The CVT, further, keeps the 265 horses on a tight rein, never missing a step, whether exiting a tight turn or passing big-rigs on the highway.
Although it's not quite as fun or sharp as the Murano, the Venza impresses us as the one that could get up and over the hills the quickest, thanks to its heady 3.5-liter, 268-horse V-6, intuitive six-speed slushbox, and grippy Michelins. It posts the briskest 0-to-60 and quarter-mile times -- 6.5 seconds and 15.0 at 93.7 mph, respectively, not only putting the Edge and Murano on the trailer but also the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Track -- as well as a carlike 0.81 g on the skidpad. "Exceptionally smooth transmission and burly engine. Put your foot in it, and you're treated to instantaneous and delicious acceleration," says Loh. That said, the steering feels a tad numb, the 20-inch wheels degrade an otherwise pleasing ride, and the suspension "wallows and porpoises" when really pushed, according to St. Antoine. The Edge, in comparison, comes across as athletic but heavier and less refined than the Nissan and Toyota.
Peruse the curb weights -- 4229 pounds for the Ford, 4023 for the Nissan, and 3911 for the Toyota -- and those sensations aren't surprising. Moreover, the Edge's 3.5-liter seems the wheeziest near redline and most overburdened under aggressive acceleration. Making things worse are the showy wheels and tires, which add objectionable unsprung weight, dulling turn-in and stiffening the ride to the point we were begging for an SEL with 18s. "Ford's execs should flagellate the fleet manager who equipped our test vehicle with these 22s. Was it to wow the SEMA crowd?" wonders St. Antoine. Nonetheless, the Edge's heroic alloys and float-tube Pirellis do provide the largest contact patches, helping deliver the shortest 60-to-0 braking (123 feet) and stickiest lateral acceleration (0.83 g). Too little, too late, though.