It features 19-inch black machine-finished alloy wheels, and high-end materials throughout the vehicle. The exterior is stunning and bold, with its in-your-face grille and a sharp lighting design.
You also get a dual exhaust with chrome tips, a power tilt/slide moonroof, dual zone climate control and heated steering wheel.
The Softex and Ultrasuede front seats were extremely comfortable, and are heated and ventilated with lumbar support. And being a large sedan, there was plenty of room in the back seat, so all passengers can be comfortable.
HOW’S THE RIDE?
The 2019 Toyota Avalon has ample power from a 3.5-liter, V6 engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The output is an impressive 301 horsepower and 267 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Avalon is a Front-wheel drive vehicle only, with no option to upgrade to AWD.
In my experience, the Avalon offered a smooth, balanced and quiet ride. But it can be powerful when you need to be, such as freeway merging. The handling is also quite impressive for a larger vehicle.
There are multiple drive modes: Eco, Normal and Sport, depending on your needs. With a sport-tuned adaptive suspension, the drive quality of the Avalon is on the level of a luxury sedan.
Side note: There is also a hybrid version of the Avalon available, if you’re interested in a more eco-friendly large sedan.
TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
At the center of the technology in the Avalon is Toyota’s Entune 3.0 infotainment system, and I had an overall positive experience in this area.
Voice commands work extremely well on the navigation system, including finding Points of interest (POIs) along the route, and the audio commands were also effective with audio commands.
On the safety front, Toyota includes the extremely helpful Safety Sense P package, which features: Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detect, Lane Departure Alert with Steer Assist, Auto High Beams and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.
Also included on the Avalon are Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and an anti-theft system with engine immobilizer.
The advanced Safety Package (a $1,150 option) offers Intelligent Clearance Sonar, Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Braking.
The audio file on the Avalon reads as follows: 14-speaker audio system, Hands-free Bluetooth connection for streaming music and phone calls, a handful of USB ports, and 3 free months of satellite radio. The Avalon is compatible with Apple CarPlay for phone mirroring, but not with Android Auto.
Wireless phone charging is also standard on the Avalon.
MPG
Official fuel mileage numbers on the 2019 Toyota Avalon are 22 city/31 highway/25 combined. I averaged 24 mpg in my time with the vehicle.Compared to other large sedans (including the Ford Taurus, Kia Cadenza, Chrysler 300 and Nissan Maxima), these numbers are best in class, another feather in the Avalon’s cap.
PRICE
The Avalon I tested was just under $45,000; and base price starts about $36K. These numbers are more pricey than the Avalon’s competitors, so the cost of the Avalon is a potential deterrent for those following a strict budget.
BOTTOM LINE
The 2019 Avalon is sticking around in the large sedan battle for good reason, as it has a lot to offer those still in the market for such vehicles. With echoes of luxury without being part of that class, it looks, feels and drives like vehicles that cost many thousands more. And that should be a recipe for success.
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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.
