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Introduction
Though front-wheel drive, the Toyota Avalon is arguably the best rendition of a
traditional big American car sold today. American cars should be this good. And
it could even be argued that Toyota's flagship family sedan is in fact an
American car. The Avalon was designed in Newport Beach, California, engineered
by the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is built in
Georgetown, Kentucky.
This third-generation Avalon was completely redesigned late in the 2005 model
year and comes with the latest in safety features (though electronic stability
control is optional, not standard). Its styling is understated. It's more
distinctive than the previous-generation Avalon, but it doesn't stand out,
instead presenting a quiet look of grace and agility. Not everyone wants to
pull up in a red Viper.
Inside is a comfortable cabin lavished with tasteful materials and
ergonomically designed controls that make this car easy to operate and pleasant
to drive. This newest Avalon is significantly larger than previous models. The
front seats are roomy and comfortable and special attention was paid to
back-seat comfort. This is a car that will never annoy you.
The Avalon is smooth and comfortable underway, quiet and serene. The suspension
was tuned for ride comfort and it largely excels in this area. The newly
designed double-overhead-cam V6 engine is smooth, quiet and powerful, while the
electronically controlled five-speed automatic ensures smoothness and economy.
Four trim variations are available, each representing slightly different
priorities to broaden the Avalon's appeal. There are no significant changes for
2006. Avalon benefits from Toyota's reputation for quality, durability and
reliability.
Model Lineup
The 2006 Toyota Avalon is available in four trim levels: XL, Touring, XLS, and
Limited. All come with a 3.5-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission
with a sequential-shift feature.
The Avalon XL ($26,625) comes with cloth upholstery, dual-zone climate control
with air filtration; a premium-level AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo with nine
speakers; remote keyless entry; power door locks with anti-lockout feature;
power windows with driver and passenger auto up/down, pinch protection and
retained power; Optitron instruments with chrome accents; maintenance indicator
light; steering-wheel-mounted audio and climate controls; multi-function
information display for audio, climate control, temperature and trip computer.
The XL also has cruise control, an engine immobilizer and a tilt and
telescoping steering column. Tires are 215/60R16 on aluminum wheels; the spare
tire is full-sized, with a matching aluminum wheel.
The Touring model ($28,875) features more aggressive suspension tuning and
17-inch alloy wheels with P215/55R17 Michelin MXV4 tires and
high-intensity-discharge head lamps. Touring also upgrades to leather-trimmed
seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and aluminum scuff
plates.
The XLS ($31,075) reverts to the standard suspension, keeps the 17-inch tire
size, and adds a power moonroof, four-way adjustable power passenger seat,
in-dash six-disc CD changer, dual heated outside mirrors (with electrochromic
auto-dimming on the driver's side), and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with
compass and Homelink universal transceiver.
The Limited ($33,815) adds a 360-watt JBL Synthesis audio system with six-disc
CD changer and 12 speakers, a one-touch auto-reverse power rear sunshade, power
driver's seat cushion length adjuster, the Smart Key system, unique 17-inch
alloy wheels, HID headlamps, a wood-and-leather-trimmed shift knob and steering
wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a driver and passenger seat heater
and cooling fan.
Options include a power moonroof ($910), heated seats, and the JBL Synthesis
sound system. A navigation system ($1,900) and dynamic laser cruise control
($600) are optional on XLS and Limited.
Safety features that come standard on all models include driver and
front-passenger airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection,
side curtain airbags for head protection, and a driver's knee airbag. Active
safety features include anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force
Distribution (EBD), and Brake Assist. Optional on all Avalons this year are
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control.
Walkaround
This third-generation Toyota Avalon was launched as a 2005 model and carries
into 2006 unchanged. It projects more character and looks more contemporary
than the previous generation yet the actual changes were subtle.
This latest Avalon features a wider, longer stance than before and the overall
length is five inches longer. That additional length is especially apparent
from the rear, where a tall deck, large tail lamps and dual exhaust outlets
suggest an expensive touring sedan. The handsome rear deck line remains
undisturbed by a wing, except in the Touring grade, which mounts a rear lip
spoiler consistent with its sporty wheels and brighter accents.
The front of the Avalon is dominated by a horizontal grille with
chrome-accented bars, and a wide lower intake valence calling attention to its
greater width. The lines created by the valence are extended by use of fog
lamps on the Touring, XLS and Limited models.
At first glance, Avalon appears as an elegant, if unassuming, sedan. A second
glance and it looks sleek, powerful, and advanced.
Interior Features
Climbing inside reveals an elegant cabin, remarkably clean and uncluttered, and
very roomy. Choose the leather upholstery and it feels quite luxurious. The
leather used for the seat and door trim is first class, with attractive
stitching used to tie it all together. Wood trim is tastefully used and
beautiful, and it warms up the cabin.
The front seats are firm but not hard and relatively flat. They're quite
comfortable and feature power adjustments and memory functions. In addition to
heated front seats, the Limited model features a fan in the seat cushion and
seat back that blows cabin air through the perforated leather trim to improve
comfort. Knobs for seat heating and cooling are conveniently located on the
center console. The front of the driver's seat bottom is power adjustable,
offering improved thigh support. And the steering column tilts and telescopes.
In short, these seats will not permit any form of discomfort, no matter what
the conditions. They provide an apt analogy for the entire car, a vehicle
possessed of small comforts that add up to a satisfying environment to soothe
the driver.
The overall impression of the Avalon interior is upmarket and high quality. The
steering wheel in the Limited model is attractively trimmed in wood and
leather. The Optitron instruments are elegant and technically appealing
displays. Retracting lids hide controls for audio and navigation, reducing
clutter. The action of the retracting covers is slow and measured, with the
look and satisfying feel of high-end audio equipment. The painted silver
plastic covers and panels aren't the strongest feature, however, and we wonder
how good they'll look in five years.
Controls for the excellent navigation system are behind a panel in front of the
shifter that folds out like an ashtray. It's an unconventional design, but it
works and the controls are fairly easy to reach. The buttons used to control
navigation, climate and audio are superb, big, clearly marked, illuminated and
easy to operate. We recommend getting the navigation system.
This is a roomy car and its roominess extends to the back seats. Rear legroom
is particularly generous with three-across seating facilitated by the totally
flat floor. We rode in the rear seat, directly behind a six-foot driver, with
legroom to spare. In fact, there's enough room that we could imagine the Avalon
as a taxi cab. The rear seat is comfortable, and offers 10 degrees of
adjustment to create five sitting positions. Reclining the backrest effectively
increases headroom, so people of varying heights and sizes can find comfort.
The trunk is family sized, with a pass-through door for long gear such as skis.
Wood accents, particularly on the Limited, are attractive and judiciously
placed. The chrome door scuff plates on the Touring grade, particularly, are
notably attractive and distinctive.
The Limited model comes with a Smart Key that eliminates the need to pull it
out of your pocket or purse. To use it, just walk up to the car. At a touch,
all four doors unlock. Climb in. Foot on the brake, touch the Start button and
the car hums to life. No fumbling with keys.
Driving Impressions
The Toyota Avalon is perhaps best characterized by what's missing: noise,
vibration and harshness. The Avalon will never annoy you. It offers a smooth,
quiet ride. It always feels under-stressed, quietly relaxed, and undemanding.
Like the rest of the car, the suspension is set up primarily for comfort. The
handling is extremely well balanced, and the rack-and-pinion steering offers a
good balance between road feel and easy steering, avoiding the over-assisted
vagaries common with large SUVs and American cars. Driving hard on tight roads
will induce some body roll (lean), yet the Avalon Limited we drove held any
reasonable line we cared to strike through a corner, protesting only at
careless tossing, and absorbing pavement irregularities at the apex with little
apparent concern. The Avalon is front-wheel drive, with front struts located by
L-shaped lower arms, and a multi-link/strut arrangement in the back. So it
tends to squat slightly coming out of corners, and pull through them from the
front.
The Touring model is set up for sharper handling performance than the others,
with stiffer shock tuning and Michelin MXV4 tires on 17-inch wheels. The
Touring has quicker reflexes, at the expense of some ride comfort and noise
control, and delivers a secure, on-center feeling through the twisties.
Avalon's engine and transmission deliver unobtrusive performance. Fifth gear is
a relaxed overdrive, allowing the engine to loaf on the highway. Driving over
steep mountain passes with some determination rewarded us with 268 horsepower
backed by an automatic that knows when to shift. In tighter sections, where our
speeds were in the 30 to 50 mph range, we decided to operate the transmission
in manual mode, tap-shifting from second to third gear and revving up and down
through the corners.
(About that 268 horsepower: The 2005 Avalon was rated 280 horsepower, but the
2006 engine is in fact just as strong as the '05. The Society of Automotive
Engineers, or SAE, the people who decide these things, issued new procedures
for measuring horsepower and torque. In short, only the numbers have changed;
the performance remains the same.)
Toyota's V6 engine pulls strongly at higher rpm and right up to the 6200 rpm
redline, but it remains remarkably quiet in the process. It's a double
overhead-cam unit with four valves per cylinder and an aluminum block and
heads. A short stroke dimension means that it likes to rev, abetted by very low
reciprocating mass and a very-low-friction cam gear. These are the
characteristics of a long-life, efficient everyday engine with exceptional
passing power. Our forays into canyon carving were not perfectly consistent
with this type of design, and yet they were not frustrating, either. The
horsepower is there, and the transmission will allow you to access it.
Add the tighter suspension of the Touring model and the Avalon is decidedly
sporty. But that's not what the Avalon is about. It's a car that makes everyday
use a pleasant experience, a versatile cruiser and around-town chariot that
shortens long trips, thoughtfully insulating occupants from the jagged loose
ends of the real world. That's been Avalon's mission since its debut in '94,
and with changes since then it has only gotten better.
The V6 is a smooth power plant, and its very low levels of vibration are no
accident; an active control mount cancels low-rpm engine motions. Transmission
upshifts are governed by third-generation electronic software with specific
engine mount tuning to reduce shift shock. Part-throttle upshifts are barely
noticeable.
All this, and EPA city/highway fuel efficiency ratings of 22/30 mpg, albeit on
premium fuel.
Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, and Brake Assist are dynamic
systems that remain in the background until wheel slip, or skidding, is
detected. VSC helps keep a skidding vehicle on the road by instantly braking
one or more wheels, individually. We were able to activate the traction control
by hammering the throttle from a standing start, with one side on pavement and
the other on a sandy shoulder. Sure enough, no wheelspin, just a smooth
departure. We're told it works on wet surfaces and snow-covered roads, anyplace
with mixed friction driving surfaces.
Brake Assist steps in when you stab the brakes, as if you were in a panic stop.
Very hard, sharp application of the brake pedal automatically triggers full
braking response from the anti-lock brakes (ABS). Brake Assist helps the driver
stop the car as quickly as possible even if the driver makes the common mistake
of relaxing pressure on the brake pedal because it was pulsating.
Summary 
The Toyota Avalon may be the best of the full-size sedans. Completely
redesigned just a year ago, the Avalon takes full advantage of the latest
technologies in safety, efficiency, and performance. It's roomy, smooth and
comfortable.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Stewart filed this report from
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
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