Go to an empty snow covered parking lot. Turn off traction control. Now turn the wheel and mash the gas. If the rear end kicks out and you start doing donuts AWD is working. There is nothing to tell you that AWD was enabled, but there is a light for when traction control kicks in.

 

Ohh...I thought that with awd it would prevent me from doing a donut if im mashing the gas and turning the wheel. I thought that the wheel that was slipping would lock up preventing slipping. Im suprised too that their isn't a 4 wheel lock on it. My dads tucson has this. So far though it has been pretty good in the freezing rain and little bit of snow we have gotten. I have oem all season tires on the oem 20 inch rims as well.

I wondered why so many venzas have winter rims and tires.

 

AWD does not help you stop and turn. I run snow tires on my Subaru. Some people ask why, I say why not? I also run larger wheels with high performance tires in the summer too.

I'm hoping to get a winter setup for the Venza for next winter.

I believe the RAV4 has a 4 wheel lock.

AWD does not apply the brakes to prevent a wheel from slipping, that's what traction control is supposed to do.

discalimer: I would not rush out to a parking lot and blow donuts like a ******* in a old V8 muscle car. A lil tossing around here and there is ok, but a lot is a great way to ruin your power steering and your differentials.

 

''I wondered why so many venzas have winter rims and tires.''

Well...looks you are also from Canada...for exemple in QC is mandatory...overall ... in winter...is better with winter tires no matter which car you have!
As far as I know...AWD for Toyota Venza ...is 'there' ...when you need him...is not 100% like Subaru OB...

 

You can always put the car on jack stands and then put it in drive and slowly let off the brakes.