Flash Drive

2018 Toyota Avalon

June 20, 2018 - Behind The Wheel - Comments: 
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Model Tested: 2018 Toyota Avalon 4-Door Touring

The 2018 Toyota Avalon Touring features handsome, contemporary styling that’s neither too flashy or too conservative.

Engine: 3.5-liter V-6, 268 horsepower, 248 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 6-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive

EPA Rating: 21-mpg city, 30-mpg highway, 24-mpg combined

Base Price: $37,900

As Tested: $39,939

Performance:

Great highway cruiser

Quiet riding experience

Strong V-6

Paddle shifters

Drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport

Good fuel economy—our best was 25.6 mpg

Blind spot monitor and lane departure control

The 2018 Toyota Avalon profile shows a sloping rear roofline, but there’s still lots of rear seat headroom.

Top notch high-tech safety features

Comfort:

Excellent driver and front passenger legroom

Ample headroom

Heated front seats with variable temperature control

Tall, softly padded headrests

Good range for tilt/telescopic column

Comfortable, medium thickness, contoured leather steering wheel

Excellent rear seat room with knee room to spare

OK shoe room under front seats

Front passenger comfort and legroom are outstanding.

Soft, wide rear armrest

Low floor hump

A large adult can fit in the center position

Medium size moonroof

Utility:

Large trunk with a flat floor

Wide trunk opening

Covered hinges

Carpeting inside trunk lid

Small, locking pass-through to rear seat

7-inch touch-screen

Sliding sun visors

The Toyota Avalon trunk is large and well insulated.

Bright rear dome lamps

Small rear door bins; no bottle notches

Good sized vinyl seatback storage pouches

The Avalon steering wheel is nicely contoured and leather-covered.

Medium to large console bin

Medium size locking glovebox

WOW Factors:

Super spacious interior front and back

Great standard safety suite with latest driver assistance technology

5-star safety rating

Excellent touring sedan

Handsome, conservative styling

High quality fit and finish 

Whines:

Rear seats don’t fold down

Not crazy about touch-screen HVAC controls

No water bottle notches in door bins

Bottom Line:

The 2018 Toyota Avalon Touring sedan is a spacious, comfortable, four-door sedan in the traditional sense that’s loaded with high-tech safety features. It’s a great highway car and solidly built. It’s handsome and fits in anywhere. It’s low on excitement, but for many people that’s a plus, not a minus.