Used 2022 Toyota Avalon

The 2022 Toyota Avalon full-size sedan is a luxury car for people who don’t want to pay luxury car prices. Sure, many buyers want the prestige that a luxury badge will bring, and probably some of the more cutting-edge tech features as well. But for those who just want a larger, well-equipped, super-comfortable car of better-than-mainstream quality, the 2022 Avalon rings that bell.

How unfortunate, then, that this is the last year of its existence. Yep, Law & Order: SVU is still running, but the SUV has killed off yet another sedan. Anyone who thought that they’d like to get a new Avalon one day had better make it today.

If a big sedan with bigger fuel economy and a Toyota reputation is your goal, the 2022 Avalon Hybrid is reviewed separately.

There are no tricks like rear-wheel steering or torque vectoring to make this full-size sedan seem smaller on the move. Instead, the suspension does its best to help occupants forget that it’s a rough world out there with equally rough road surfaces. The engine, meanwhile, does its best to power through the mean streets and mildly hostile freeways with refinement and authority.

Outward vision is great on the straight-ahead and to the sides; standard blind-spot monitoring looks after those tricky rear three-quarter areas. There’s also sufficient adjustment of the driver’s seat to find the ideal position.

The Touring model has a sport-tuned adaptive suspension, along with an extra selectable driving mode of Sport+. For any potential buyers wavering between this and the Limited, take a proper test drive in both to find out which one appeals more.

Although legroom is generous in both rows, with 40.3 inches in the back, because the 2022 Avalon has a sleek roof line, rear headroom is compromised slightly, offering no more than the Camry. This will be an issue more for tall people, however.

At least everyone, regardless of stature, will enjoy a spacious, comfortable, well thought-out interior with materials of decent quality. The Touring model is meant to be a bit sporty, to the point where it has Engine Sound Enhancement — piping the sound of the engine into the cabin — which we’d imagine most Avalon buyers could live without quite easily.

Trunk space of 16.1 cubic feet should be commodious enough for most purposes.

Casual onlookers may mistake the 2022 Avalon for a Camry, or vice versa. They both come under the heading of “contemporary Toyota sedan” so it’s hardly surprising. The Avalon is slightly longer and wider, but not any higher.

It does have dual exhaust outlets, however. Unless it’s the Touring model, in which case the dual-pipe system eventually ends up with four chromed tips. The XLE and Limited both have chrome grille surrounds with a dark gray mesh in the center. The Touring goes down a different road, painting its wheels, grille and side mirror housings black.

10-INCH HEAD-UP DISPLAY
It’s always cool to have information like navigation directions, speed, compass and outside temperatures projected onto the windshield directly in front of the driver. This customizable display is standard in the Limited and Touring models.

JBL AUDIO SYSTEM
Optional in the XLE and standard in the top higher trims, this 14-speaker system comes from the same parent company that makes the excellent Mark Levinson audio equipment offered in Lexus vehicles.

The most affordable new Avalon, the XLE, comes with enough standard equipment to please many buyers. This includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights/taillights, acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows, keyless entry/ignition, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, simulated leather upholstery, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

The infotainment system has a 9-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite radio, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and an 8-speaker audio setup.

In the safety department, the 2022 Avalon comes with forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and full-range adaptive cruise control.

The XLE is eligible for some extras — a powered moonroof, navigation, wireless charging, and a 14-speaker JBL audio system — but the main way to bring more equipment into a new Avalon is to consider a higher trim level.

Limited brings adaptive cornering lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, head-up display, heated/ventilated front seats, leather seating surfaces, wood trim, heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, ambient cabin lighting, and all the above items that are optional in the XLE.

The top Touring model adds 19-inch alloy wheels, sport-tuned/adaptive suspension, simulated leather/simulated suede seating surfaces, aluminum trim and pedals, plus a sportier-sounding exhaust system.

An Advanced Safety Package is offered with both the Limited and Touring trims, consisting of a 360-degree/bird’s-eye view camera system, front/rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic braking.

All three versions of the 2022 Avalon have a 3.5-liter V6 developing 301 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. This goes solely to the front wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Regular 87-octane gasoline is fine.

3.5-liter V6
301 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
267 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 mpg (XLE), 22/31 mpg (Limited, Touring)