The Toyota Avalon comes with one of two basic powertrain configurations. Most cars find motivation by way of a smooth and powerful V6. The base engine has been redesigned from last year, but still boasts a hearty 301 horsepower which is sent to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. The optional hybrid drivetrain sacrifices a bit of power by utilizing a 4-cylinder engine connected to an electric motor. Power drops to a still decent 215 horsepower, which is 15 more than the previous generation made. The tradeoff is, of course, fuel economy. While the V6 is extremely efficient for a car making 300+ horsepower, it's still rated at 22 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the freeway. The hybrid version blows this out of the water with ratings of 43 mpg city and 44 mpg on the freeway for the base hybrid trim. It's quite a feat of engineering and few people just 10 years ago could've imagined a vehicle with this combination of luxury and fuel efficiency.
The Avalon comes in four different trim levels: XLE, XSE, Touring and Limited. All but the Touring is available with the hybrid drivetrain, which adds just $1,000 to the price of the car. Being a fairly luxurious vehicle, the base XLE still comes very nicely equipped. Standard items include a 9-inch touchscreen, a blind spot monitoring system, a rear cross-traffic alert system, Apple CarPlay connectivity, Toyota's Entune App Suite, LED headlights and taillights, heated power exterior mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch multi-information display for the driver, radar controlled dynamic cruise control and a smart key.
The XSE adds smoked headlights, a piano black grille, a moonroof, 19-inch black painted wheels, heated front seats, paddle shifters, a multifunction steering wheel, aluminum interior trim and pedal covers and an auto dimming rearview mirror.
The Touring trim concentrates on driver comfort and entertainment for those long road trips. It has nicer headlights and taillights, a memory function for the mirrors, a 14-speaker sound system with a 1,200W amplifier, ventilation in the front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a 10-inch color Head-Up Display.
The top-of-the-line Limited is equipped somewhat similarly to the Touring, though it rides a little better on slightly smaller 18-inch wheels. It also gets genuine leather seating surfaces and a woodgrain trimmed interior.
Smooth Powertrains
40-mpg Hybrid Model
Excellent Ride And Handling
Quiet, Spacious Interior
Stunning Touchscreen-style Dash Controls
Active Safety Features
Attractive Styling
The Toyota Avalon gets a full redesign for 2019, now riding on a larger chassis that offers more space for occupants with lots of new technology as well. Under the skin, the 2019 Avalon gets new engine options as well, with redesigned V6 and hybrid drivetrains. These new engines have appropriately been mated to a new transmission with more gears. The result is a car that is more comfortable and easier to live with than the car it replaces, while also offering plenty of technology to keep up with the times.
Starting at about $35,000, the Toyota Avalon can be considered a "near luxury" car. Although it carries the traditional Toyota marque instead of a higher end badge, the Avalon still features equivalent if not greater levels of luxury than cars from other upscale makes. In addition, a hybrid version of the Avalon starts at roughly $1,000 more than the base model, while offering up to 44 mpg in combined city and highway driving.
