2011 Toyota Avalon: Refreshed and rejuvenated

For years, the Toyota Avalon has been considered a fad car appealing only to those seeking comfort and reliability. Something of an overpriced Camry. Facing modest sales figures – fewer than 500 units a year in Canada – Toyota management decided to massage a little youth into this big sedan, which remains the brand’s most luxurious vehicle. In fact, if you want to pay more, you’ll have to go knocking at Lexus’ door.

But since this model is derived from the Camry, which hasn’t changed on the mechanical front, the folks in charge of the Avalon turned to stylists and marketing experts to make the vehicle more competitive in the large sedan market. The fact that this segment has nosedived in recent years was all the more reason to brush the dust off the Avalon and start attracting a broader base of younger clients.

All about the grille

When you’re keeping the same platform, you can’t really afford major changes to the body. Therefore, the stylists at Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, decided to focus on eye-catching details. That’s why the Avalon now sports a bigger grille made all the more visible with chrome. It really makes all the difference. Speaking of chrome, a bar running along the bottom of the body adds texture when you admire the vehicle from the side. Another major change: the multi-reflector halogen highbeams combined with halogen lowbeams fitted with tubes for a distinctive look at night. The fog lights, now integrated in the front bumper, offer a wider beam than before. In addition, the rear lamps have been redesigned, now with the stop lights, signal lights and side lamps all cased in together. Overall, these changes are not necessarily spectacular, but they do add a little something to this otherwise sedate sedan.

Space and luxury

Like all cars this size, space is not a problem. You have to remember that when it first launched, the Avalon offered a full-size bench in front to accommodate three passengers, like the large American sedans. Times have changed, but the fact remains that this is still a big daddy of a car. But since size alone won’t convince buyers, Toyota opted to entirely revamp the dashboard. The pièce de résistance is the central information centre with a 7-inch LED screen, which displays the satellite navigation system (offered factory-standard on this vehicle, just like the rearview back-up camera). Plus the fact that it’s a touch screen makes using the different controls that much easier. The new dash has also inherited the Optitron gauges, which feature graduated white illumination and white pointers. These indicators are nestled behind tinted lenses and contoured with wide chrome rings.

And that’s not all! The marketing gurus at Toyota Canada decided to offer just one model that comes equipped with a multitude of accessories. The reason? To convince buyers that the Toyota Avalon is a real deal! Consequently, the Avalon comes with complete offering of equipment. The only option is their special paint, which will cost you a little more. The more enticing accessories include hands-free phone connectivity, BluetoothMD sound system, XM satellite radio and a USB port and 1/8 inch auxiliary connections for iPod and other audio devices. Each of the three sound systems allow you to control the iPod directly (music and information) via buttons on the steering wheel. Plus, Toyota’s new DVD navigation system features a new database and easier search and address-entry functions. The revamped system offers new icons for roads and points of interest, and the on-screen keyboard now has the same layout as a laptop computer. The 660 watt JBL Premium Synthesis sound system has 12 speakers, a subwoofer, and a 12-channel digital amplifier.

Comfort, a top priority

The managers at Toyota Canada will tell you, this vehicle’s main selling points are its very competitive value-for-money and its level of comfort, which matches that of a luxury sedan. We’ve already been through the list of electronic accessories offered factory-standard. But we’d be remiss not to mention the leather seats and the generous room in the back.

The drive train is well-adapted to the kind of driving you’d anticipate for this kind of vehicle. The Avalon is powered by a 24-valve dual overhead cam 3.5-litre V6 that produces 269 hp at 6,200 rpm. Equipped with the dual VVT-i electronic valve-control mechanism that provides a broader powerband, this V6 is paired with a multi-mode six-speed automatic gearbox. According to the manufacturer, it consumes approximately 10.7 L/100 km in the city and 7.0 L/100 km on the highway, making for about 9.0 L/100 km for combined driving.

Till now, we’ve focussed mainly on this vehicle’s equipment, comfort and reasonable set price of $41,100 for the only model available, which comes fully equipped. But if Toyota wants this vehicle to meet its objectives, it has to perform at least as well as the average. As a general rule, whenever the words “comfort” and “luxury sedan” are mentioned, we immediately think of a marshmallowy suspension, totally disconnected steering and driving pleasure hovering around zero.

In the Avalon’s case, however, we can confirm that its handling is honest at legal speeds. The suspension is not excessively soft, but it absorbs bumps and holes in the road quite well. Body roll is reasonably well controlled, though the steering could be more precise and less assisted – but it’s OK, nonetheless. In short, Toyota managed to balance comfort and honest road handling. Of course, it’s not a sports car, but it’s not a cocoon on marshmallows either. If you were willing to put sportier tires on this car and adjust the suspension, you could be in for a surprising drive. Overall, this car’s performances and engine power are adequate for this kind of car.

A good job has been done on the Toyota Avalon. That said, they’ll have to work hard to convince their target market that it’s not just for octogenarians. At any given medium-sized company, the boss could roll in his Lexus ES350 while the middle managers would feel just as good driving their Avalon. This car is definitely worth trying if you’re more interested in comfort than fun driving.