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2017 Toyota Avalon Road Test and Review

Charles Krome
by Charles Krome
March 21, 2017
5 min. Reading Time
2016 Toyota Avalon LTD front angle ・  Photo by Toyota

2016 Toyota Avalon LTD front angle ・ Photo by Toyota

Much like King Arthur’s magic island of the same name, the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited is a place where you can retreat from the conflict of daily life to spend your time in ease and luxury. The car is a lot easier to find, of course, but it really does offer a certain magic of its own: It showcases a fairly powerful standard engine, more-than-midsize dimensions, and enough content to contend with some premium rivals. Yet it does so while backed by Toyota-style pricing and reliability, and with an available hybrid powertrain for particularly impressive fuel economy ratings. Also, for the 2017 model year, the Avalon adds the Toyota Safety Sense P bundle as standard equipment in all trim levels, for another competitive advantage—which will be discussed in detail in the Safety Technology and Ratings section of today’s gallery below.

Pricing

Toyota says that its current flagship sedan can deliver “premium driving without the premium price,” and the Avalon lives up to that billing with lots of lux cues and an MSRP of $33,300. To put that into context, the comparably sized 2017 Lexus ES, which is the Avalon’s corporate cousin, starts at $38,900. And to be clear, the entry-level Avalon comes straight from the factory with high-end accoutrements like heated front seats with leather-trimmed upholstery. The 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited then stands out as the range-topping model, with a starting price of $41,400 that includes all of the brand’s top technologies and luxury content, from fully climate-controlled seating to an upscale infotainment system with navigation. Like all Toyota products—and most of today’s luxury vehicles—the Avalon further checks in with a complimentary routine-maintenance and roadside-assistance program, in this case covering two years or 25,000 miles.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Power, Performance, and Fuel Efficiency

The standard engine for the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited is the same sturdy V6 found in all gas-only Avalon trims. Engineered with a satisfying mix of performance and fuel economy, this unit relies on variable valve timing to produce 268 horsepower, 248 lb.-ft. of torque, and very competitive EPA ratings. In fact, with fuel efficiency grades of 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/24 mpg combined, the Avalon has higher standard EPA grades than either the Ford Taurus or Kia Cadenza. Avalon drivers also benefit from a standard 6-speed automatic transmission, paddle shifters, a MacPherson-strut suspension, and a 3-mode drive system: Eco mode adjusts driving performance and climate systems for optimum efficiency, while Sport mode sharpens steering feel, revises transmission shift points, and quickens throttle response. The Avalon’s Normal setting balances those two characteristics for the typical kind of daily driving.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Exterior Design and Lighting

The 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited presents a refined appearance from most angles, thanks to clean lines, sophisticated 18-inch Super Chrome alloy wheels, and an aggressive roof line to match other premium “4-door coupes.” The face of the car, however, has a noticeably distinctive appearance. There, a short upper grille contrasts with an oversized lower intake and is set off by both LED daytime running lights and Toyota’s Quadrabeam high intensity discharge headlights. The Avalon Limited additionally features premium exterior mirrors that are heated, foldable, and auto dimming, plus they have built-in turn signal indicators and puddle lighting. A powered tilt/slide moonroof also is standard for the Limited trim. Toyota even touts the car’s exterior color palette as premium touch, since it includes finishes such as Ooh La La Rouge Mica, Créme Brulee Mica, Sizzling Crimson Mica, and Parisian Night Pearl.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Interior Design and Capacities

The stylish cabin of the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited is highlighted by a driver-oriented dashboard in which an asymmetrical space has been carved out for the center-stack control interfaces and Optitron-type gauges. Upscale seating is standard here as well. The driver and front row passenger, for example, enjoy perforated leather trim plus multistage heating and ventilation. In keeping with the car’s driver focus, the pilot also benefits from a premium leather-trimmed steering wheel—conventional leather is standard in the entry model—and 10-way power-adjustable chair with power lumbar support and cushion extension. But there are standard comforts for the backseat passengers, too, such as heated seating and a powered sunshade for the rear window. The back row then stretches the point with more legroom than in the car’s Ford or Kia competitors. For cargo, the Avalon Limited has a relatively large trunk with a capacity of 16 cubic feet.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Infotainment and Audio Technology

As mentioned at the beginning of our 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited road test and review, this vehicle provides an upscale infotainment system, and the specifics are these: It starts with an Entune Multimedia Bundle for a 7-inch touchscreen (with split-screen capability), integrated navigation, advanced voice recognition, Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming, a USB 2.0 port, and a premium sound system. Incorporated into that audio setup: a 12-channel JBL amplifier and 11 eco-friendly JBL GreenEdge speakers—including two subwoofers. Next, Toyota serves up the Entune App Suite, which allows access to Destination Search, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, Yelp, Slacker Radio, OpenTable, Pandora, Facebook Places, and numerous other mobile apps. HD Radio and XM Satellite Radio also are both standard, the former enhanced by a predictive traffic and Doppler weather overlay, and the latter covered by a complimentary 3-month SiriusXM All Access subscription. Finally, for customers’ personal devices, the car has an eBin electronic storage tray that can fit and wirelessly recharge two compatible devices at once.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Safety Technology and Ratings

Before getting to the occupant-protection measures found specifically in the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited, let’s remember that a rearview camera and the automaker’s Safety Sense P package are standard in all Avalon trims. The bundle brings a pre-collision system (with a dedicated pedestrian-detection function), lane departure alert (with steering assistance), Toyota’s adaptive Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and automatic high beams. Moving up to the Avalon Limited means extra safety content comes on board, such as a blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 1-year complimentary subscription for the Safety Connect telematics service. That, in turn, enables automatic collision notification, emergency assistance, stolen vehicle location, and enhanced roadside assistance. In terms of safety ratings, the 2017 Avalon Limited has earned a 5-Star Overall Safety Score from NHTSA, with three Recommended Safety Technologies, and it was recognized as a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with the highest possible grades for crashworthiness and front crash-prevention technology.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Available Equipment

As you might expect from the country’s No. 1 seller of hybrid vehicles, the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited is available with one of the automaker’s hybrid propulsion systems. With that powertrain leveraging a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, a permanent-magnet AC synchronous motor, and a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine, the Avalon Hybrid has EPA ratings of 40 mpg city/39 mpg highway/40 mpg combined; those are increases of 90 percent/30 percent/40 percent as compared to the gas-only Avalon with its standard V6. Among the other hybrid-exclusive details are a hidden exhaust outlet with a chrome-accented cover, enhanced instrumentation with a hybrid system power meter and, to assist with battery charging, a regenerative braking system. For first responders, standard collision sensors can deactivate the car’s high-voltage battery if there’s a crash. It’s also worth noting that the high-efficiency Avalon is backed by an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty coverage for much of its key hybrid hardware.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Other Cool Info

Customers who like what they’ve read about the 2017 Toyota Avalon Limited, but would prefer a more dynamic driving experience, can find that in the Avalon Touring edition. It has a number of luxury cues of its own, ranging from heated and leather-trimmed front seats to a steering wheel wrapped in premium leather to a Smart Key system with push-button start. The Touring trim also has some exclusives that aren’t available on any other Avalon model, like LED headlights, a chrome grille with a piano-black insert, and 18-inch alloy wheels with dark gray paint and a machined finish. But the real difference-maker for drivers of the Avalon Limited is its suspension. Although all Avalon models furnish MacPherson struts, coils springs, and stabilizer bars both front and back, along with a dual-independent setup in the rear, the suspension in the Touring trim has been retuned for enthusiastic handling maneuvers.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

Final Thoughts

The 2017 Toyota Avalon has to compete against a wide variety of rivals, since many of the mainstream brands now offer some sort of flagship sedan above the midsize level. Nissan has the Murano, Chevy has the Impala, while the Kia Cadenza, Ford Taurus, and Buick LaCrosse all overlap with the Avalon. That said, the Toyota product delivers an especially large bang for your buck, bolstered by a full portfolio of technology, luxury, and comfort features—and a class-exclusive hybrid propulsion system for EPA grades of 40 mpg. Now, the Avalon Limited doesn’t have quite the prestige of a “real” luxury car from one of the top-name premium brands, and its bland exterior design doesn’t match its well-appointed cabin, but for customers who want real-world comfort for a real big value, this entry definitely delivers.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota


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