That I was able to request a test drive in the new Avalon without surprising the salesman says as much about the car's new-for-2005 styling as my advancing age. The first Avalon was hard to distinguish from the Camry on which it was based. The second, boxy to a fault and cursed with awkward proportions, was clearly styled by packaging engineers. The third is different. Finally, the car has styling in line with its near-lux positioning.

In fact, this is why the Avalon caught my eye the day of the test drive. I was driving past a Toyota dealer, and wondered what a new Lexus GS was doing there. Only after a second or two did I realize I was looking not at a Lexus GS but at the new Avalon. Wondering if the rest of the car stacked up to the new sheetmetal, I went into the dealer and requested a test drive.

Styling

Note: The above photo is of the previous-generation Avalon.

The Avalon has always been classified by the EPA as a large car, but it has never looked large. Until now. The third-generation car looks large, partly because it has grown nearly half a foot to 197 inches. The new Avalon also looks elegant, courtesy of a strong horizontal emphasis in the exterior design that also further accentuates its newfound length. Some might also think it beautiful, but then aesthetic expectations tend to be lower for Toyotas. At first glance I find it stylish, but a lingering gaze finds Galant-like overly stiff panel transitions and excessive rear overhang. But these are minor issues. What matters is that the Avalon finally has presence.

Inside, the styling is pleasant, but nothing special. The instrument panel is more conventional than in the previous generation, with mixed results. The old interior's concave instrument panel made the interior feel especially roomy. But it also looked like something out of an early 1980s Buick.

The only Avalon in stock was an XLS. As such, the interior was loaded with fake wood in a caramel shade. Not my taste. The Touring trim replaces the faux timber with textured faux metal bits. No doubt more to my liking. I also find the charcoal leather exclusive to the Touring appealingly sporty; a shame it's not perforated as in the Limited. Then again, this interior isn't sporty no matter what color the upholstery and trim. It was clearly designed for the Limited buyer, with the Touring trim an afterthought.

The materials are of good quality, but their look and feel fall short of those in a true luxury car. Definitely still a Toyota and not a Lexus.

I have a couple of issues with the controls. First, all of the readouts are grouped in an LCD screen at the top of the center stack. As a result, the readouts are located apart from the controls, so you cannot look at both simultaneously. LCDs also wash out in direct sunlight. Second, the audio system is concealed behind a retractable panel. While I suppose this results in a cleaner look when the panel is shut, opening it to get at the controls is an inconvenience.

Accommodations

The driving position is less open than previously, but remains more open than in the average sedan. The large C-pillars create blind spots, but otherwise visibility is good.

A bench seat is no longer available, so those wanting to seat six in a sedan will once again have to buy American.
The now mandatory front buckets are fairly comfortable, with a power lumbar adjuster for the passenger as well as the driver, but they are firmer than many buyers will like. This might be expected to please the Touring customer, except the seats provide nothing in the way of lateral support. You very much sit on them rather than in them.

The rear seat does more to "surprise and delight." Generous dimensions combine with a relatively flat cushion and a hump-less floor to make fitting three adults much more viable than in the great majority of sedans these days. The rear seats manually recline to further aid comfort.

The new Avalon's large posterior led me to expect a large trunk. However, the trunk volume at 14 cubic feet falls at about the midsize sedan average. Just about any competitor has a larger trunk. A Ford Five Hundred offers 50 percent more volume. On top of the trunk's disappointing mediocrity, the rear seat does not fold to expand it. I suspect the reclining feature precluded this.

On the Road

The new Avalon gets a new engine, a 3.5-liter V6 good for 280 horsepower. Frankly, given the nature of the car, the very quick acceleration this enables seems like overkill. Typical of Toyota's V6s, this one is smooth and quiet. Add in the overall quietness of the Avalon, and the car does not feel as quick as it is. Keep your eye on the speedometer. This said, the new engine does have a torquier character than the old one, and is thus more suitable to the car's positioning. I was unable to provoke a significant amount of torque steer despite the amount of torque being channeled through the front wheels. The EPA rating of 22/31 is surprisingly high for such a large, powerful sedan.

The five-speed automatic has a manual-shift feature. Again, not quite in character with the car. I'm thinking most owners won't use it. I'm a driving enthusiast, and yet I wouldn't expect to use it in this car.

The more substantial feel of the new Avalon continues with its ride and handling. Ride quality is very good, yet lean in hard turns is moderate. (If you actually prefer that your luxury sedan handle like a boat, check out the Kia Amanti.) For a nose-heavy front-driver, the chassis is reasonably balanced. I've driven supposed sport sedans with more understeer. And bear in mind this was in the XLS; the suspension is a bit firmer in the Touring.

So, might the Avalon actually be viable as a driver's car, at least in Touring form? Might those leaning toward a Maxima SE end up in Toyota's Buick instead? Well, even though the Avalon has a more composed chassis than the current Maxima, I'm going to have to say no. One simple reason: the steering is far too light. I'd think the Touring might fix this issue, but I've read elsewhere that the steering feels even lighter in that trim. Add in the unsporting seats, and even the Touring isn't really a driver's car. A shame since the chassis is just about up to the task.

One final problem with the Touring: stability control and heated seats aren't even available. The former especially should not be restricted to the XLS and Limited. Since the Touring goes off in an entirely (well, somewhat) different direction, most if not all of the features available on the Limited should also be available on it. Toyota could learn from Nissan's Maxima strategy here.

Toyota Avalon Price Comparisons and Pricing

Price comparisons, with differences adjusted for features and rebates.

Kia Amanti: $5,300 less expensive

Ford Five Hundred Limited: $3,700 less expensive

Nissan Maxima SL: $1,700 less expensive

Buick LaCrosse CXS: $1,600 less expensive

Note: Toyota provides its dealers with significantly larger margins. Invoice to invoice the Avalon's price is $1,000 to $1,500 more competitive.

Overall the Avalon's price seems a bit on the high side. But people are willing to pay more for a Toyota, so this probably won't hurt the car.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Toyota Avalon:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Avalon.php

Last Words

Lured in by the Avalon's new styling, I wondered whether the 2005 might actually qualify as a driver's car. Well, it doesn't. But anyone more interested in room and ride quality than steering feel will be very satisfied. The Avalon has always been roomy, but now it has the elegant styling and more substantial feel befitting a large $30,000 sedan. It's still not quite a Lexus for less, but it is no longer simply an overgrown Camry.

A Note on Toyota Avalon Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an Avalon rather than a Buick Lucerne, Hyundai Azera, or other vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Toyota Avalon reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Avalon--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
2000 Toyota Avalon review (previous generation)
Buick LaCrosse CXS review
Buick Lucerne review
Chrysler 300 Touring review
Ford Five Hundred review
Hyundai Azera review
Kia Amanti review
Nissan Maxima review
Amount Paid (US$): 32000
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: XLS with stability control