2021 Toyota Avalon Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Can we ask an honest question? How did the Avalon’s orthodontia make it through Toyota’s design approval process? Overall, the Avalon is appealing, but the front-bumper styling makes many versions of the car look like they’ve got a face full of braces.

When your kids are looking through their old school photos, are their favourite ones from the years when you spent thousands of dollars to fix their teeth? We didn’t think so. And with the blacked-out mesh grille on the XSE trim level, it appears as though a roundhouse punch during a bar fight knocked out all of the car’s figurative dentition.

Grillework aside, the Avalon’s long and low styling looks good from any angle. If you’re more interested in comfort than performance, choose the Limited model. The toothless XSE is the sport-tuned variant.

Two Avalon models are sold in Canada, priced at an MSRP of $43,350 and $49,050 respectively. (Unlike in the U.S., Canada does not receive the Avalon Hybrid, nor are Avalon TRD versions offered.) This comes close to overlapping the most expensive Camry and does tread into the pricing territory of the least expensive Lexus ES models. All-wheel drive (AWD) is offered only on the Toyota Avalon Limited, while the XSE version comes with front-wheel drive (FWD).

Our test car was the Limited AWD. Canadian pricing is all-in while the unit we tested is a U.S. model that includes some extra-cost packages that may not be consistent with Canadian offerings. Including the destination charge of $1,790 and other fees, the Canadian version lands at pricing of $50,971.

If the Avalon’s front styling represents an acquired taste, the architecturally-themed interior is firing on all cylinders. Artfully stitched leather seats and door-panel trim with colour-matched material on the dashboard and steering wheel lend the cabin drama—in a good way. The centre control panel sweeps dramatically up from the padded centre console, sitting on stylish pillars akin to bridge supports. Toyota deftly integrates the air vents within an arc of trim stretching between the door panels and flowing behind the infotainment display. The automaker also uses real wood trim in the Avalon Limited.

The result is an interior ambiance more special than a Camry, yet not quite as luxurious and sophisticated as the Lexus ES. This characterization sounds like a compromise, but it’s not. The only criticism we have is that some of the interior plastics look and feel inexpensive for a car priced this high.

In Canada, Toyota offers two different powertrains for the 2021 Avalon. If you want the new AWD system in the Limited trim, you’re going to need to settle for the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that goes into the Camry. In this application, its specs include a decent 205 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, but it’s not going to put a grin on your face.

Given this limitation, you might be happier running an Avalon on winter tires and getting the Avalon’s standard 301-hp 3.5-litre V6 engine. Speaking of fuel efficiency, our test car’s official Natural Resources Canada rating is 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. We averaged 8.0 L/100 km on our testing loop.

Though the Avalon AWD weighs 1,681 kilograms (3,705 pounds), it feels lively enough. The eight-speed automatic transmission leverages the available power to ensure quick launches from a stop and to muster enough velocity for safe merges onto freeways.

But there isn’t much in reserve, which is probably why Toyota restricts AWD to the Limited trim level. Switching from the Normal driving mode into Sport mode doesn’t quicken the Avalon’s pulse so much as it introduces higher engine revs and increased fuel consumption to the driving experience.

Because Toyota builds the Avalon on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) vehicle platform, it displays predictable handling traits and comfortable ride quality. It doesn’t feel too soft or sloppy, quickly quells excess body motion, remains stable and secure over pavement irregularities, and soaks up minor potholes with ease. Toss the Avalon Limited into a turn, and it supplies a flat cornering attitude right up to its modest limit of grip.

Thanks to aerodynamic design, an acoustic windshield with matching front door glass, and commendable powertrain isolation, the Avalon is quiet inside. The exception is noticeable tire slap as you drive over cracks and tar strips in the road.

As for the Avalon’s new AWD option, abnormally dry and warm weather conditions during our test drive preclude comment on its effectiveness.

Though the Avalon is a large sedan and is bigger than a Toyota Camry, it feels about the same size as a Honda Accord whether you’re sitting in the front seat or the back seat. Since the Accord is the largest car among its primary competitors, perhaps this isn’t surprising.

Our Avalon Limited test car came with eight-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped in genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated cushions, and a heated steering wheel. Initially, the impression of comfort is high. With time behind the wheel, there are problems Toyota might wish to address.

Though the Avalon Limited’s handling limits are modest, this car could still use improved side bolstering to hold the driver in place better. The bottom cushions feel a bit short, too, so a power-extending thigh bolster would be a welcome addition. Additionally, after several hours of driving, you may experience neck soreness due to the front head restraint’s severe angle. To solve this, you can recline the seat more than you might typically prefer.

Rear-seat space is generous in comparison to a Camry and is on par with a Honda Accord. The Avalon Limited includes heated rear-seat cushions, adding comfort during weather extremes.

Storage space is ample in the centre console, where Toyota stylishly hides it from view under the padded centre armrest and the hidden compartment forward of the cupholders and shifter. Note how one of the cupholders has a flat side. That makes it a perfect spot to prop your smartphone. The glove box and door panel bins merit an average rating for space.

Open the Avalon’s trunk, and you’ll find a roomy cargo area measuring 456 litres. That’s 28 litres more than a Camry, but 17 litres less than an Accord. Toyota does not furnish a grab handle to make it easy to close the trunk lid without touching the exterior surface.

Every model year 2021 Avalon has a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto compatibility (new this year), and Toyota connected services including Safety Connect, Remote Connect, Service Connect, and Destination Assist. Most come with a free year of access to services.

The upgrade infotainment system adds dynamic navigation and voice recognition systems. These are “dynamic” because they benefit from over-the-air updates during the free subscription period. After that, you’ll pay extra. When the Avalon has this system, it also gets a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system with Clari-Fi digital music restoration technology.

It doesn’t take long to set the Avalon up to personal preferences. The user interface is intuitive and straightforward, and if you’re familiar with modern smartphone operation, you’ll be able to use it without cracking open the owner’s manual.

The dynamic voice recognition system is useful, but it took several tries to find my favourite local restaurant using just the name of the establishment and the street on which it is located. The system successfully switched to my favourite alternative rock station, too.

You’ll need to fine-tune the JBL sound system to personal preferences. With all of its settings centred, it sounds too boomy in terms of bass and lacks clarity when listing to classic or modern rock. Without adjustment, sound quality is decidedly meh.

In addition to the top-shelf infotainment system, our test car had a 10-inch colour head-up display. Unfortunately, it’s only faintly visible when the driver is wearing polarized sunglasses.

Toyota Safety Sense-P (TSS-P) is standard with every 2021 Avalon. This is not the automaker’s most comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, and it lacks many of the more sophisticated features found in other Toyota sedans.

Nevertheless, TSS-P covers the basics with full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights.

Separately from TSS-P, both blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems are standard. Our test car also had a surround-view camera system, parking assist sonar, and rear automatic braking.

As it turns out, TSS-P is an agreeable package of safety features. Better yet, Toyota includes a button on the steering wheel that turns the lane-keeping assistance technology on and off.

During testing, the adaptive cruise control proved smooth and refined as it managed following distances and reacted to other vehicles cutting into the gap ahead. It is not responsive when you change lanes to pass slower traffic, though, and the rather gutless four-cylinder engine doesn’t help. Also, in heavier traffic, you can’t sit still for long before the cruise control disengages. When traffic ahead moves, you’ll need to push on the accelerator or use the resume button to reactivate it.

In crash tests, the Avalon earns an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It also receives top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Due to poor headlight performance with lower trim levels, the Avalon is ineligible for a “Top Safety Pick” award.

The full-size sedan is dying. The main reason is that people who need a roomy vehicle are choosing SUVs instead of cars. Compared to cars, SUVs offer more utility, a better view out, more comfortable entry and exit, and added ground clearance for dealing with snowstorms, crumbling infrastructure, parking curbs, and yes, traveling off the pavement.

Another reason is that midsize sedans have grown in size and comfort over the years. That means there simply isn’t a need for most automakers to continue building two different family-oriented four-door cars anymore. Take the popular Honda Accord, for example. It’s a big car inside but has a starting price of roughly $11,000 less than the Avalon. That alone makes the Avalon a questionable value, but so does the reality of a certified pre-owned Lexus ES.

This situation likely spells doom for the Toyota Avalon. For the smaller Camry to better compete, it will need to grow in size to match direct competitors such as the Honda Accord and Kia K5. Unless Toyota transforms the Avalon into something completely different, like a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, its purpose is now played out.