Used 2019 Toyota Avalon

When it comes to big, roomy and dependable family sedans, it just doesn’t get any better than the 2019 Toyota Avalon. All-new this year, the Avalon is offered with a potent V6 or fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain, an impressive list of standard luxury and safety features and a cavernous rear seat providing even the tallest passengers a comfortable perch. The ride is improved over last year’s model, with better handling and steering feedback, not to mention a quieter cabin. Although many competitors like the Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler 300, Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus are being phased out of existence, the Avalon still faces tough competition from cars like the Kia Cadenza, Kia Stinger and Dodge Charger, the latter two offered with a feature missing from the Avalon’s roster: all-wheel drive.

For 2019, the Avalon gains a number of improvements that make the overall driving experience more enjoyable. Output from the 3.5-liter V6 is increased to 301 horsepower, while the hybrid now touts 215 horsepower. The V6 is teamed to a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic, while the hybrid retains its continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Thanks to a new multi-link rear suspension and firmer suspension components, we found the Avalon to be surprisingly agile for its size, with precise steering and minimal lean in sharp turns. Yet, for all its improvements, the Avalon retains its luxury-car smooth ride, exceptionally quiet cabin and unflappable stability.

Of the four available trims, the Touring is the most desirable thanks to its steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, Active Noise Cancellation and Engine Sound Enhancement. The Touring’s Adaptive Variable Suspension continuously varies the shock absorbers according to road conditions up to 50 times per second. The Touring also features a Sport + mode that enhances both engine and suspension performance. Not to be forgotten, the Avalon Hybrid isn’t quite as quick or precise as its gasoline counterpart, and there is no Touring trim, but for a hybrid sedan, we think most will find the ride and handling more than acceptable.

Inside the 2019 Toyota Avalon you’ll discover more than just spacious accommodations for five adults. There’s a newfound elegance in the design enhanced by soft-touch materials, leather or SofTex trimmed seats and a robust standard-equipment list. The dash is particularly handsome, with a squared-off instrument cluster binnacle and protruding shelf vaguely reminiscent of early Toyota designs from the 1980s and 1990s. The wide center console flows elegantly upward, carrying with it the ventilation controls and a massive 9-inch infotainment touch screen that acts as the nerve center for the most necessary controls. Ice-blue backlighting illuminates buttons on the dash and steering wheel, as well as recessed binnacles in the dash and foot-wells. We’re happy to report that Apple CarPlay has finally found its way into the Avalon’s cabin, but Android Auto is still waiting for an invite.

For this remake, Toyota definitely brought the sexy out. The 2019 Avalon is new from tip to tailpipes, and its more aggressive look is clearly an attempt to draw in younger buyers not interested in SUVs or wagons. From its massive wide-mouth grille to its distinctive character lines, the Avalon is all about impressing. There’s plenty of glass for excellent 360-visibility, and the four corners are high enough to easily figure out where the car is, regardless of the driver’s position and seat height.

STANDARD TOYOTA SAFTEY SENSE PLUS (T-SSP)
When it comes to safety, Toyota is all-in. That’s why it includes the comprehensive Safety Sense Plus suite of driver assists as standard equipment on every Avalon. The system includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam assist and lane-departure warning and assist.

TOURING TRIM
The Touring trim is an overall excellent choice. You’ll still get the comfortable ride and feature-rich content of the Limited and XSE trims, but with so much more in the way of performance and driving enjoyment. If you can live without the Limited’s leather seating, the Touring is the way to go.

The most basic trim is the XLE, but its content is far from Spartan. Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, Smart Key entry with push-button start, 8-way-power front seats with 2-way lumbar, SofTex seating (faux leather), heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, 3-drive-mode selector (Eco, Normal, Sport), 8-speaker Entune audio with Apple CarPlay and a 9-inch touch screen, five USB ports (three up front, two in the rear), blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, 10 airbags including rear side-impact airbags and front-seat knee airbags as well as the Toyota Safety Sense Plus system (see Favorite Features).

Options increase as you climb the trim ladder. Opt for the XSE and you’ll get a few more features like 19-inch wheels, Qi wireless charging and a power sunroof. The Limited trim nets leather seating, heated and ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, 4-way-power lumbar support, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, 10-inch color head-up display and a 14-speaker JBL audio system with navigation. The Touring is similar to the Limited, only without the leather and with a more advanced drive-mode system, Active Noise Cancellation and an adaptive suspension. Packaged options include the JBL audio system, Qi wireless charging pad, Bird’s Eye View camera and Intelligent Clearance Sonar with cross-traffic braking. The hybrid trims largely mirror their gasoline counterparts and come in XLE, XSE and Limited trims.

With the 2019 Toyota Avalon, you can have a really powerful car with good fuel economy, or really impressive fuel economy with good power. The standard Avalon comes with a 301-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid employs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with two electric motor generators and a CVT. Combined output is up 15 horsepower to 215 this year, while fuel economy both city and highway improves by three miles per gallon, respectively.

3.5-liter V6
301 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
267 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/30 mpg

2.5-liter inline-4 + electric motor (Avalon hybrid)
215 net hybrid system horsepower
Engine: 163 lb-ft of torque @ 5,700 rpm
Battery: 149 lb-ft of torque @ 0-1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 40/39 mpg