2011 Toyota Avalon Up Close
I actually thought the outgoing Avalon looked good — reserved and elegant, particularly after its 2008 updates. Restyled more aggressively for 2011, the Avalon looks more like a big Camry SE, particularly with the front bumper’s bottom-heavy air dam. Major dimensions are the same, meaning the trunk is on the small side for a large sedan. On the upside, the side mirrors now fold in. Last year’s didn’t; I live in the city, and fixed mirrors irk me like airline baggage fees. (OK, maybe not that much.)
Cabin materials are very good. There’s liberal padding where it counts, and it’s good to see Toyota ditch the last Avalon’s odd flip-up covers over all the major controls. The faux wood looks respectable, and so does the textured silver material around the center controls. I’m not sure why Toyota didn’t extend that elsewhere — the gray plastic around the gearshift, for one, needs to go.
The new gauges are straightforward and sharp, but the steering wheel still uses separate handles for its tilt and telescope adjustments. Share the car with your spouse, and that will get annoying fast. Like before, the backseat is enormous, and its reclining backrest is still exclusive to the segment. Unfortunately, the setup means the rear seats don’t fold down; you’ll have to make do with a center pass-through.
Toyota says it eked out an extra 1 mpg mostly by tuning the six-speed automatic. Good news at the pump could mean bad news in the passing lane; the 2010 Avalon’s six-speed wasn’t terribly responsive, and this one could prove even less so. Fortunately, the automaker’s 3.5-liter V-6 is a proven hauler, which should mitigate some of the transmission’s lethargy.
Like all 2011 Toyotas, the Avalon will employ a redesigned accelerator pedal and a brake override system to fight unintended acceleration. (Existing Avalons under the floormat entrapment recall receive the same retrofits.) It’s one small step toward climbing back from a massive hit in quality perception — if Toyota has, indeed, reached the bottom.
