Mr Buckshot
August 21st, 2007, 12:55 AM
Price range: $37000-$50000 (Canadian), probably $26000-$40000 in US dollars (not a conversion, cars are always more expensive here)
Category: Full-size sedan. It's the longest and most luxurious Toyota sedan that does not carry the Lexus brand. As a family sedan, don't expect a special engine
Who should buy this car: An average consumer who wishes he can drive one of those big full-size luxury sedans like the BMW 7-series or Lexus LS or Jaguar XJ, but doesn't want to splurge the cash, or a family man who needs a reasonably priced sedan to comfortably hold a family of 4 or 5.
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaAvalon/ImagesXLS/RightFront.jpg
A few days ago my dad and I went to the Toyota/Lexus servicing center (my dad drives a Lexus LS 460 standard wheelbase) and test drove this car. I'm turning 16 in December and planning to learn to drive, but of course my dad will never ever let me behind the wheel of his Lexus, and my mom is too busy to let me use her Audi A6. Therefore, my dad is currently considering getting me this car (since we have memberships and stuff at the Toyota/Lexus servicing center, we get special offers). He will never buy another Lexus after we blew $120 000 Canadian on his car (starting price is $98700 but we ordered all the cool options), but a Toyota fits the bill.
The Toyota Avalon can be considered a "near-luxury" car. Options are leather seats, fake but convincing wood trim, DVD navigation system with Bluetooth and park assist, and reclining rear seats with heating. There are performance-enhancing options that I don't care about. With all the interior-enhancing options, the price comes to just under $50 000 Canadian. Rear-seat air conditioning is standard, thankfully.
So what did our similarly sized Lexus have? More comfortable leather, real wood trim, hard drive navigation system with Bluetooth, reclining rear seats, heated and cooled front/rear seats, rearview camera and park assist, robotic system that auto-parallel-parks the car independently, radar cruise control, lane departure warning, and a dashboard camera that monitors the driver's face and brakes the car if the driver slumps. With all those options, the Lexus came into the six-figure price range.
Both cars have a ton of interior leg room and huge trunks, plus big storage compartments in the cabin. While the Lexus does have Mark Levinson surround sound (I just know it's a premium brand), my ears cannot tell the difference.
Just for the performance whores, the Avalon features a 280-horsepower engine.
I'm seriously considering getting this car when I turn 16. It offers great value for the money, and has many features that are usually found in $60000+ cars. If I got this car, I would get the navigation system and leather seats, plus the park assist (when you are parking your car, it beeps if you come close to an object, and beeps even faster if you get closer). But if possible, I would try to get the car second-hand with at least the navigation system since I don't wish to blow too much of my parents' money.
Discuss! I highly recommend this car to any new buyers. Second-hand is recommended if you live in Canada.
sorry if I sound like a Toyota/Lexus fanboy. I've always found Japanese cars, both standard (i.e. Honda) and nice (Lexus) to be more reliable and stylish than American cars. My parents have rented Chevrolets and Fords when we go on vacation in other parts of North America, and they are so bleh compared to Hondas or Toyotas. I've also sat in a fully-equipped Cadillac DTS, far preferred the Lexus.
Category: Full-size sedan. It's the longest and most luxurious Toyota sedan that does not carry the Lexus brand. As a family sedan, don't expect a special engine
Who should buy this car: An average consumer who wishes he can drive one of those big full-size luxury sedans like the BMW 7-series or Lexus LS or Jaguar XJ, but doesn't want to splurge the cash, or a family man who needs a reasonably priced sedan to comfortably hold a family of 4 or 5.
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaAvalon/ImagesXLS/RightFront.jpg
A few days ago my dad and I went to the Toyota/Lexus servicing center (my dad drives a Lexus LS 460 standard wheelbase) and test drove this car. I'm turning 16 in December and planning to learn to drive, but of course my dad will never ever let me behind the wheel of his Lexus, and my mom is too busy to let me use her Audi A6. Therefore, my dad is currently considering getting me this car (since we have memberships and stuff at the Toyota/Lexus servicing center, we get special offers). He will never buy another Lexus after we blew $120 000 Canadian on his car (starting price is $98700 but we ordered all the cool options), but a Toyota fits the bill.
The Toyota Avalon can be considered a "near-luxury" car. Options are leather seats, fake but convincing wood trim, DVD navigation system with Bluetooth and park assist, and reclining rear seats with heating. There are performance-enhancing options that I don't care about. With all the interior-enhancing options, the price comes to just under $50 000 Canadian. Rear-seat air conditioning is standard, thankfully.
So what did our similarly sized Lexus have? More comfortable leather, real wood trim, hard drive navigation system with Bluetooth, reclining rear seats, heated and cooled front/rear seats, rearview camera and park assist, robotic system that auto-parallel-parks the car independently, radar cruise control, lane departure warning, and a dashboard camera that monitors the driver's face and brakes the car if the driver slumps. With all those options, the Lexus came into the six-figure price range.
Both cars have a ton of interior leg room and huge trunks, plus big storage compartments in the cabin. While the Lexus does have Mark Levinson surround sound (I just know it's a premium brand), my ears cannot tell the difference.
Just for the performance whores, the Avalon features a 280-horsepower engine.
I'm seriously considering getting this car when I turn 16. It offers great value for the money, and has many features that are usually found in $60000+ cars. If I got this car, I would get the navigation system and leather seats, plus the park assist (when you are parking your car, it beeps if you come close to an object, and beeps even faster if you get closer). But if possible, I would try to get the car second-hand with at least the navigation system since I don't wish to blow too much of my parents' money.
Discuss! I highly recommend this car to any new buyers. Second-hand is recommended if you live in Canada.
sorry if I sound like a Toyota/Lexus fanboy. I've always found Japanese cars, both standard (i.e. Honda) and nice (Lexus) to be more reliable and stylish than American cars. My parents have rented Chevrolets and Fords when we go on vacation in other parts of North America, and they are so bleh compared to Hondas or Toyotas. I've also sat in a fully-equipped Cadillac DTS, far preferred the Lexus.