Used 2021 Toyota Avalon

The 2021 Avalon is Toyota’s flagship sedan and the big brother to the Camry. This full-size sedan is lauded for its comfort, roominess, standard V6 engine, and a strong history of reliability. The Avalon wears a mainstream badge, but its premium ride quality and fit and finish could nearly pass for a Lexus.

The Avalon was fully revamped two years ago, and whereas former rivals like the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus have been discontinued, Toyota continues to update and improve on what was arguably already the best sedan in its class.

For 2021, the Avalon rectifies the very few drawbacks it formerly had. Namely, Android Auto is now standard, along with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration. For the first time, Toyota is making all-wheel drive available to appeal to sedan buyers in cold-weather states. The Avalon continues to offer an efficient hybrid (reviewed separately) and even the sportier TRD edition that was introduced last year.

As the Avalon lineup continues to be bolstered, there really is a model for just about every type of buyer seeking a large sedan. At just under $36,000, the 2021 Avalon is priced a bit higher than rivals like the Nissan Maxima, Kia Cadenza, and Dodge Challenger, but in the long run, it’s the better deal thanks to this Toyota’s higher resale value.

The Avalon has long excelled as a large, comfortable sedan with a ride quality so plush that it bordered on floaty. Thanks to the Avalon’s recent revamp, that is no longer the case. It is still very comfortable and refined, but it has more edge. The Avalon is hardly a sports sedan, but that isn’t its intent.

Even the recently introduced Avalon TRD model, with a lower ride height and stiffer suspension, remains at its best as a comfortable cruiser. It won’t replicate the rear-wheel-drive architecture of a Kia Stinger or the rumbling V8 of a Dodge Charger, but for Avalon buyers desiring a more athletic experience, the Avalon won’t protest unduly if thrown into a corner.

This is mostly the case with the TRD and Touring models, the latter of which has an adaptive suspension system. The standard V6 provides plenty of oomph, and the 8-speed automatic transmission does its work smoothly and precisely behind the scenes.

This year marks the introduction of the first all-wheel-drive Avalon. It uses the same powertrain as the Camry, which also just added AWD to its lineup. Rather than a V6, the Avalon AWD gets Toyota’s familiar 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. In this application, it makes slightly more oomph than the Camry, with 205 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. That’s nearly 100 ponies less than the V6, but for buyers need extra traction for snowy and slick condition, the power should be more than adequate.

The Avalon is roomy and refined, tech-forward yet still simple enough to use even by seasoned drivers. All models have a prominent 9-inch touchscreen display with redundant physical controls. We also like that the Avalon has a traditional gearshift rather than buttons, dials, or some other method deemed futuristic. Roominess remains a core asset of the Avalon, and a big reason buyers prefer Toyota’s flagship sedan to its Camry sibling.

Rear-seat legroom is impressive even for taller passengers, and the front seats are supple enough to make long treks feel shorter than they are. Even lower trims of the Avalon boast above-average fit and finish, while top-line trims with features like quilted leather paneling could pass for a vehicle by Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus. At over 16 cubic feet, the trunk is spacious, and fold-down rear seats add to the practicality. The sportier Avalon TRD model stands out with TRD-embroidered headrests, red stitching, and assertive red seatbelts.

No longer the somewhat dowdy sedan of the past, this new-gen Avalon is sleek, supple, and stylish. 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 good 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.

New for 2021, the Toyota Avalon Nightshade that’s based on the sportier XSE models has darkened aesthetics with a black grille, mirror caps, rear spoiler, and name badges. It also gets black 19-inch wheels, black window trim, and black door handles.

For those seeking an even more aggressive tone, the 2021 Avalon TRD sits 0.6 inches lower, has an aero body kit and notable front splitter like a sports car, and wears 19-inch matte-black alloy wheels and a trunk-mounted spoiler.

STANDARD TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE PLUS (TSS-P)
Like other new Toyotas, the 2021 Avalon boasts an impressive suite of active safety and driver-assistance features at no extra cost. The TSS-P system includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, full-speed radar cruise control, and more.

VARIETY OF MODELS
With the introduction of the Toyota Avalon all-wheel drive joining the hybrid, V6, and TRD models, there really is a model to fit the needs of the majority of buyers. Even better, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.

Toyota’s Avalon comes in five main trims, but even the least expensive has a good roster of standard equipment and is easy to recommend. The base 2021 Avalon XLE includes heated and 8-way power-adjustable fronts seats, SofTex faux leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control with rear-seat air vents, keyless entry with push-button start, auto-dimming rearview mirror, four USB charge ports, and a 301-horsepower V6 engine.

Standard infotainment features a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa integration, eight speakers, and a 3-year trial of the Safety Connect system with features like an emergency-assistance button. For 2021, the USB ports have been changed to the more modern USB-C variety.

All 2021 Avalons feature extensive safety systems, including forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure/lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, radar cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. All Avalon models also come with two years or 25,000 miles of no-cost maintenance and roadside assistance.

If you want an AWD Avalon, that is now available, with all-wheel drive optional on XLE and Touring trims. The new Nightshade model, meanwhile, is based on the XSE trim.

Most other major options come by climbing trims and include leather interior, heated rear seats, and ventilated front seats, a 10-inch color head-up display, universal garage remote, premium JBL audio system with navigation, moonroof, a surround-view rearview camera, parking sensors and the ability to stop the vehicle if a rear collision is anticipated from cross traffic while backing up.

The Avalon Touring model has a special Sport+ driving mode in addition to the standard Eco/Normal/Sport settings, plus adaptive suspension. The Avalon XSE has a stiffer, sport-tuned suspension, while the new Avalon TRD model goes even further with a track-tuned suspension, larger front brakes, lower ride height, and aerodynamic enhancements. For 2021, it is available with summer performance tires.

The standard Avalon comes with a 301-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This model is front-wheel drive (FWD) only.

The Toyota Avalon TRD has the standard V6 with no bump in power, but a performance exhaust and sportier suspension.

The new all-wheel-drive (AWD) Toyota Avalon uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder tuned to make 205 horsepower. It also uses an 8-speed automatic transmission.

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 trim), 22/31 mpg (all other trims)

2.5-liter inline-4 (XLE AWD, Limited AWD)
205 horsepower @ 6,600
185 lb-ft of torque @ 4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg