Sure! I guess let me preface this by saying when i was looking for my car i had narrowed it down to 3 main options i was looking at, a Toyota venza, Toyota Prius, and a Subaru outback. I live in Colorado so all wheel drive is pretty important here during the winter. I decided to stay away from the subaru because i heard bad things about its CVT transmission online and from my mechanic which left the prius and the venza. So what it came down to was the MPG VS the AWD really and given where i live i decided to go with AWD so i don't get stuck at home when it snows, Although there are numerous 2010 and newer prisus fully loaded for under 15k out there so it might be worth looking into.
So the venza comes in 2 levels of motor both the V6 and the I4, i haven't driven the 4 cylinder but the V6 has ample power for anything you need to do with it. I average about 22 mpg combined city and highway although with the built in MPG sensor it tends to average around 25-35 mpg on flat highways. The MPG isn't the best but the power you get with the V6 makes it totally worth it, and also given the vehicles size, its actually not that bad at all, espically when you compare it to similar sized SUV's from the US. I found and still find the ride quality to be extremely comfortable especially compared to my old VW GTI which was the car i had before it. It can feel "bumpy" at times however its never startling or sharp and i find it really smooth, before buying it i found that some owners were complaining about ride quality but i find it to be really good and on par with most Mercedes and other luxury cars I've ridden in. When inside of the car its plenty roomy for 5 adults and has plenty of room for cargo if you need to haul anything or if you need to sleep in the back of the car after a night of drinking it'd totally be doable and comfortable to do so.
Since i have the top trim level it came with a reverse cam which I've found really helpful as this is the largest vehicle I've ever owned. However dispute being a large car, after spending 1 week in it it's pretty easy to maneuver. The venza is actually a few inches longer than the Toyota highlander believe it or not. The JBL speaker system in it is top notch and i haven't turned it up all the way yet but once the dial hits vol level 50 it sounds like i'm in a music venue its so loud / clear. The car also features a power lift gate in the back that isn't necessary but is fun for impressing your friends. Additionally mine came with key less entry and starting, so all i have to do is put my hand on the door handle and the car unlocks if i have the key in my pocket then i just have to press on the gas and press the start button to turn it on. Your also able to lock the doors by pressing a certain spot on the door handle. The venza also comes with a really nice climate control system standard so all you have to do is tell it how how or cold you wanna be by temperature and once the motor is warmed up it'll try its hardest to get to the temperature you want, usually achieved within 10 min or less.
The venza is also a fairly unique car, most Toyota dealerships only carry about 2 on hand at any given time because other suv's like the highlander outsell them 5 to 1. I think this is great because i like driving unique cars you don't see 100's on the road of. This won't be an issue reliability wise though because many of its engine parts are shared with the Toyota Camry and the AWD system came right out of a high lander. Also since its a Toyota it has top marks in reliability and when this car was produced toyota was ranked #3 in reliability across all car brands, behind lexus and buick.
Since your in SOCal you probably don't need an AWD one and could get by with the FWD one but if you do encounter snow the venza AWD version can give pretty much any subaru a run for its money with its high ground clearance and amazing AWD / traction control system.
The exterior styling does scream soccer mom to a certain extent but the standard 20" rims it comes with standard, don't. Which does give it a more aggressive look. The car's grill also is really nice looking and it has HID headlights so the light ahead of the car at night is amazingly clear and bright without aiming so high it annoys other motorists.
The only con I've found in the car so far is the AUX jack in my car can be kind finicky. I have to plug it in a few times for the CD deck to change to that mode but that could just be my venza. I'd be surprised if many others have that issue, I've tried searching for it online and so far i haven't found anyone else with the issue i have.
So far my venza is one of the most comfortable cars i've ever been in and is easily the nicest car I've ever owned. The crazy thing is back in 2007 my GTI actually cost more than this car and was no where near the same level of quality. The venza combines good mpg (for its size), comfort, plenty of amenities, and solid Toyota reliability that should easily last into the 200k+ mile range. Everyone that I've driven in it so far has been really impressed with it. I'd give the car a 4.75/5 rating and the .25 is only because of the AUX jack being annoying.
Hopefully that helps, i'd totally recommend giving one a test drive and while your there check out a prius too, they're pretty comfortable and roomy as well and you get almost double the MPG of my car and if your not going though snow that might be a good option as well. Hell, tons of hollywood types drive priuses lol.