Road Test: 2013 Toyota Avalon Limited Premium

Story and photos by John LeBlanc About half a century ago (before the minivan, the SUV or the crossover existed), full-sized sedans met the family transportation needs for the majority of Canadian households. Today, however, big four-doors are just a blip on new car sales charts. Take for instance this new-for-2013 Toyota Avalon. In 2012, Toyota Canada sold 6,851 copies of its Highlander three-row crossover but only 427 units of its full-sized Avalon sedan. This segment is usually seen to attract older buyers, but automakers like Toyota are trying to make full-sized sedans appeal to a whole new group (i.e. younger)  of customers. Despite what you see on the roads, there are many new car buyers who don’t need the practicality of a minivan, SUV or crossover, which is why the large family sedan segment is on a bit of an uptake with the likes of the up-sized Volkswagen Passat, all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala, and Kia Cadenza — not to mention the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger and Ford Taurus. Enter the made-over 2013 Toyota Avalon, which starts at $38,420 (including a $1,620 freight and pre-delivery charge). As before, the five-passenger four-door is essentially a stretched-wheelbase version of the front-wheel-drive, mid-sized Toyota Camry. While the outgoing model looked like a bowler hat in profile, the 2013 Avalon gets a swoopy, Audi A7-esque back glass and an aggressive front end. Inside, there’s an adventurous centre dash design, ambient backlighting and backlit analog driver’s gauges. As big of an improvement as it is over the outgoing model, the quality of materials and fit and finish in the new Avalon'’s cabin don’t feel as upscale as in the new Impala or Cadenza. Of course, the main reason to buy the more expensive and larger Avalon over a mid-sized sedan like the Camry is the luxury of more space, and the 2013 Avalon’s swoopy looks haven’t scarified its limo-like interior space. Unlike mid-sized sedans (or SUVs or crossovers) rated for three in the back, the big Toyota can  accept a trio of rear passengers graciously. Even adults. Compared to the mid-sized Camry, rear passengers will find more hip-, shoulder- and legroom in the full-sized Avalon. The seats have been moved forward so those in the back won’t knock their heads on its newly sloping rear glass. Plus, my fully optioned $41,850 Limited Premium version added features like heated rear seats not available on the Camry. Less impressive is the Avalon's rear cargo capacity. Not only does the Impala offer more trunk room (18.8 cubic feet versus 16.0), the Chevy's rear seats fold down for longer objects, whereas the Toyota's are fixed. The 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid’s gas-electric system is available for U.S. Avalon buyers, but Canadians make due with the carryover six-cylinder gas engine and six-speed automatic, once again, pulled directly from the Camry parts bin. With only 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, the Avalon’s 3.5-litre V6 trails its competition, led by the 305 hp and 264 lb-ft Impala. However, rated at 9.9 L/100 km city and 6.4 highway, the inverse benefit to the Avalon’s lack of mojo is fuel economy that none of the above-mentioned V6 gas-engine rivals can match. As well, the Toyota’s zero-to-100-km/h time of just over six seconds is competitive. In line with the type of non-enthusiast buyer that normally shopped in this class, every Avalon since the first one that arrived in 1994 drove like a sensory deprivation chamber. If drivers of the big Toyota sedan had felt any sort of feedback from its steering or suspension, they would immediately drive directly to their Toyota dealer to get the car looked at by a mechanic. In an attempt to attract younger buyers, however, Toyota has re-engineered the 2014 Avalon to make it more of a car for people who actually like to drive. Like its luxury branded $41,495 Lexus ES 350 platform-mate, the mainstream Avalon comes equipped with a driver-activated Eco, Normal and Sport mode system. As you can imagine, Eco is about saving fuel: It limits air conditioning, softens throttle responses and hastens transmission up-shifts. Normal is, well, normal, but the the Sport button may scare existing Avalon buyers. It hastens the go-pedal’s reactions, changes gears quicker, and (wait for it) adds weight to the Avalon’s steering feel. Yes, I just wrote “steering feel” and "Avalon” in the same sentence. And from the Pigs Can Fly Dept., you’ll also find steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, that, when used for downshifts, prompt a nice-sounding throttle-blip. The Avalon also no longer acts like the Queen Mary in sharp cornering. Larger anti-roll bars and larger 225/45-18 rubber see to that. If not a class-leader, the new 2013 Toyota Avalon’s newly updated styling and more athletic driving demeanour makes it more relevant in a once-moribund segment that all of a sudden seems to have come to life. Admittedly, the Avalon is geared toward the American market, where sales in 2012 made up only 2.3% of Camry sales in Canada, while the proportion was almost three times that in the United States. But as a substitute for a family utility vehicle, the big Toyota sedan is a legitimate alternative. Road Test: 2013 Toyota Avalon Limited Premium Type of vehicle Front-wheel-drive full-sized sedan Engine 3.5L DOHC six-cylinder Power 268 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 248 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm Transmission Six-speed automatic Brakes Four-wheel discs with ABS Tires P215/45R18 Price: base/as tested $36,800/$41,850 Destination charge $1,620 Natural Resources Canada fuel economy L/100 km 9.9 city, 6.4 hwy, 8.8 as tested Standard features Heated and ventilated front seats, 10-way power driver seat with memory, eight-way power passenger seat, leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, tilt/telescopic multi-function steering wheel, Bluetooth, dual-zone automatic climate control, nine-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA audio system with auxiliary input/USB jack, navigation, backup camera, power locks and windows, cruise control, auto-dimming side mirrors and rearview mirror with compass, garage door opener, smart key with push-button start, 18-inch aluminum wheels, power moonroof and more.

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