Exterior There will be no confusing the 2019 Avalon for any of the previous versions. The styling changes are comprehensive, and the 2019 edition is longer, lower and wider. The old Avalon also had an awkward split between its grille and lower air opening, which the new car fixes by simply joining the two together. Limited and XLE models feature a dark-gray grille with a chrome border while the XSE and Touring have a piano-black mesh grille that’s more attention-grabbing.
The sides and rear of the car have been changed up, as well, adding angles and folds in the body work that make the Avalon look a lot more aggressive. New LED headlights with adaptive-cornering LED lamps that activate when the car steers to provide better visibility in that direction go on Limited and Touring models.
Interior The center console ditches its tiered setup for a new vertically oriented panel that sits atop two supporting beams on either side of the shifter. The panel houses climate and multimedia controls, and it effectively splits the dashboard in two.
What’s most exciting are the updates to the multimedia system, which features a 9-inch touchscreen. Toyota has also added Apple CarPlay as standard on the Avalon, though Android users are still out of luck. Also new for 2019 is Amazon Alexa-enabled device connectivity, which allows the user to lock and unlock doors, remote start the engine or check fuel levels from any Alexa-enabled device. Charging options are numerous: There are five total USB ports.
Other interior highlights include a wireless charging pad, available 10-inch head-up display, Wi-Fi hot spot capability and a new cognac-colored leather upholstery on Limited models.
Under the Hood The 2019 Avalon will have two new powertrains, one a V-6 and the other a hybrid system for the Avalon Hybrid. The 3.5-liter V-6 teams with an eight-speed automatic transmission that includes paddle shifters and rev-matching on V-6-equipped XSE and Touring models.
The Avalon Hybrid has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a dual electric motor hybrid system that works with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The battery pack has been moved from the trunk to under the rear seat, which should open up some more cargo room.
Toyota has also introduced a new adaptive variable suspension for Touring models, which adjusts damping forces in real time to limit body roll while also absorbing road imperfections. All Avalons also get a new multilink rear suspension with thicker stabilizer bars and stiffer spring rates in an effort to increase the Avalon’s handling prowess.
Safety Toyota Safety Sense P comes standard on the Avalon. This safety system includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and automatic high beams. Blind spot warning, a 360-degree camera system, parking sensors and a rear cross-traffic braking system are also available.
