What Is It?
2005 Toyota Avalon
What's Special About It?
The Avalon has never been the most exciting car in the Toyota lineup. In its early days, the Avalon seemed a tough sell against a loaded Camry XLE and its market never felt clearly defined. Still, the Avalon has its followers.
Our guess is that those followers will get a lot younger and more plentiful once the 2005 version hits local showrooms; although, Toyota confidently said it was happy with the "under 60" demographic for the car. The new car is bigger but sports a tighter, sleeker body. It is a better-looking sedan inside and out.
Clever panels that hide the radio and navigation controls give the dash a clean look. The available JBL stereo is equally capable of handling cranked-up Brahms or Bon Jovi and Lexus-like glowing gauges hint at Lexus opulence.
There are now four distinct trim levels, including an upscale Limited and sporty Touring version. The Limited features a keyless entry and start system similar to the Prius', and the interior is as near to luxury as you can get without jumping up to a Lexus. The Touring features stiffer suspension, plus upgraded 17-inch wheels and tires. It's no BMW 5 Series but the Touring version of the Avalon does provide a noticeable edge that ups the fun factor.
If you doubt Toyota's sincerity in making the Avalon a more serious near-luxury sedan, a quick peek under the hood should convince you. The heart of the new Avalon is an all-new, all-aluminum 3.5-liter V6. The new engine uses dual VVTi technology, and is good for 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's a 70-hp advantage over the 2004 model.
What's Edmunds' Take?
This new Avalon actually looks like a sporty sedan rather than an import-branded Buick — not that there's anything wrong with that. Toyota's 2005 Avalon certainly lacks the in-your-face nature of the Chrysler 300C but maybe that's the point. Not everyone wants to be "in-your-face." With a slick interior and sporty silhouette backed up by a 280-hp V6, the new Avalon is a flagship Toyota can be proud of. — Brian Moody
2005 Toyota Avalon
What's Special About It?
The Avalon has never been the most exciting car in the Toyota lineup. In its early days, the Avalon seemed a tough sell against a loaded Camry XLE and its market never felt clearly defined. Still, the Avalon has its followers.
Our guess is that those followers will get a lot younger and more plentiful once the 2005 version hits local showrooms; although, Toyota confidently said it was happy with the "under 60" demographic for the car. The new car is bigger but sports a tighter, sleeker body. It is a better-looking sedan inside and out.
Clever panels that hide the radio and navigation controls give the dash a clean look. The available JBL stereo is equally capable of handling cranked-up Brahms or Bon Jovi and Lexus-like glowing gauges hint at Lexus opulence.
There are now four distinct trim levels, including an upscale Limited and sporty Touring version. The Limited features a keyless entry and start system similar to the Prius', and the interior is as near to luxury as you can get without jumping up to a Lexus. The Touring features stiffer suspension, plus upgraded 17-inch wheels and tires. It's no BMW 5 Series but the Touring version of the Avalon does provide a noticeable edge that ups the fun factor.
If you doubt Toyota's sincerity in making the Avalon a more serious near-luxury sedan, a quick peek under the hood should convince you. The heart of the new Avalon is an all-new, all-aluminum 3.5-liter V6. The new engine uses dual VVTi technology, and is good for 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's a 70-hp advantage over the 2004 model.
What's Edmunds' Take?
This new Avalon actually looks like a sporty sedan rather than an import-branded Buick — not that there's anything wrong with that. Toyota's 2005 Avalon certainly lacks the in-your-face nature of the Chrysler 300C but maybe that's the point. Not everyone wants to be "in-your-face." With a slick interior and sporty silhouette backed up by a 280-hp V6, the new Avalon is a flagship Toyota can be proud of. — Brian Moody
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