Used 2009 Toyota Avalon

The 2009 Avalon is Toyota’s flagship sedan. One step above the popular Camry, the full-size Avalon offers a generous interior packed with so much luxury many owners consider the car to be almost Lexus-like. In what has long been the domain of the domestic automakers, the Avalon offers full-size car buyers a modern, front-wheel-drive sedan with an impeccable history of excellent service, outstanding quality and best-in-class resale. Beyond its solid engineering attributes, the Avalon also offers customers a powerful yet fuel-efficient V6 engine, a huge and easily accessible trunk and a sense of style not found in more traditional sedans.

The 2009 Toyota Avalon has a personality even more distinct from the Camry, along with Lexus-like attributes. On good roads, the ride is generally smooth. Still, the relatively taut suspension delivers noticeable harshness when encountering certain bumps and holes. Acceleration is sufficiently assertive, but the Avalon feels like a heavy automobile. Though not up to European sport-sedan levels, the Avalon has responsive steering and handles with reasonable agility. An abundant glass area helps with overall visibility. Side bolstering is modest, but the seats are supportive and nicely cushioned. Rear headroom is so-so, but leg space is abundant and the reclining seats are helpful.

Spacious and handsome, the 2009 Toyota Avalon looks inviting and feels comfortable. Extra width gives occupants another inch of shoulder space. Instruments are large and symmetrical, though smaller readouts are harder to see. Lustrous woodgrain on high-end models helps make the dashboard attractive and distinctive. The glovebox is large, but sits low. A pushbutton starter is included with the Limited trim; you don’t even have to hold the button in, just push and release. To entice younger buyers, the Touring model has a unique interior with a sportier charcoal dashboard trim.

As promised, this four-door sedan looks different enough from the Camry to attract a separate set of customers. Details count. Wide-opening doors have three-stage door checks to ease entry and exit. The back doors open wide – to almost 90 degrees. Jointless flat windshield-wiper blades are half the usual thickness and are said to ensure even pressure and reduce wind turbulence. Limited sedans have rain-sensing wipers and an acoustically-dampening windshield. Each trim level has its own wheel design: 16-inch for the XL and 17-inch for other models.

Safety Features
Seat-mounted airbags, side-curtain airbags and a knee airbag for the driver are standard on all models. Vehicle Stability Control is also standard.

Reclining Rear Seatbacks
Standard on all Avalons, the five-position rear-seat recliners adjust from a 25 to 35-degree seatback angle.

All Avalons use a six-speed automatic transmission. Anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) incorporate Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Traction and stability control are also standard, as are steering wheel-mounted audio controls and dual-zone climate control. Seat comfort is enhanced by reclining rear seatbacks and adjustable-length front cushions. The XLS trim adds leather seating, 17-inch alloy wheels and a power moonroof. Perforated leather upholstery, a JBL Synthesis 360-watt system with 12 speakers plus Bluetooth connectivity and heated front seats are included with the Limited trim. All models include front seat side-impact airbags, front and rear side-curtain airbags, driver’s-side knee air bag, a six-disc CD changer and an auxiliary audio input jack.

XLS and Limited models offer a GPS navigation system with voice recognition that responds to 200 commands. Dynamic Laser Cruise Control, which lets you set the preferred distance you wish to maintain from the vehicle ahead, is optional on the Limited. Three radios are available, including a JBL Synthesis 360-watt system with 12 speakers, and the dealer-installed remote engine starter works from up to 80 feet away.

The Avalon’s V6 qualifies as one of the best in the business. It’s so silent at idle that glancing at the hovering tachometer needle might be the only way to be sure the engine is actually running. Power for passing and merging is excellent, as are the seamless shifts offered up by the new six-speed automatic transmission. Despite its ample size and quick acceleration, the Avalon offers fuel economy figures comparable to some four-cylinder economy cars.

3.5-liter V6
268 horsepower @ 6200 rpm
248 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/28