The 2019 Toyota Avalon will be an all-new model. As with previous Avalons, the new 2019 model will serve as Toyota’s flagship sedan, likely debuting with a V-6 engine producing over 300 hp as well as a more efficient hybrid model with more than 200 hp.
Now that the 2018 Camry has upped its midsize sedan game, the 2019 Avalon will be even bolder than it has been before, with more upscale options including an available dual-panel moonroof and a head-up display. Standard equipment will include a package of active safety tech with features including adaptive cruise control, a lane keeping assist system, and another system to apply the brakes if an obstacle ahead is detected. Also, expect the return of more traditional HVAC controls.
Our exposure to the Avalon hybrid was extremely limited. But the big news isn’t anything novel in its engineering, it’s that the system carries a mere $1000 premium over the conventional V-6 drivetrain. (The hybrid is available in XLE, XSE, and Limited trims.) And Toyota’s fuel-economy estimates—43 mpg in the city and 44 on the highway on the XLE with 43 across the board on XSE and Limited trims—are astonishing. With the V-6 Avalon estimated at 22 mpg in the city and 31 or 32 on the highway depending on trim, the math indicates this is a hybrid that could pay for itself, an enticing prospect for anyone worried about the long-term health of that 401(k) balance.
That said, the combined output of the hybrid’s 2.5-liter inline-four and dual electric motors is a modest 215 horsepower, up 15 ponies from the previous model. This is a drivetrain built for strolling, and that may be plenty for many buyers. Despite the addition of 204 nickel-metal-hydride battery cells under the rear seat, trunk room isn’t compromised compared with the conventional Avalon.
Befitting its maturity, the Avalon’s interior is more conservatively conceived and decorated than the Camry’s. The panel shapes are simpler, fewer design elements intersect with one another, and the materials used are more subdued. XSE and Touring models use aluminum trim throughout the interior, while Limited models go more traditional with nice-looking real wood trim.
No vehicle can afford to be left behind in the tech sweepstakes, and the Avalon centers most of its functions in a 9.0-inch touchscreen atop the center stack. The Toyota dam has burst and Apple CarPlay is finally on offer. Still missing, however, is Android Auto. Whatever the disagreement is between Toyota and Google, they ought to work things out because the one thing that’s obvious is that buyers crave cell-phone integration.
The first step on the 2019 Avalon ladder comes at $36,395 for the basic XLE, with the top-rung Touring model at $43,095. That’s not cheap, but it’s reasonable in a world where it’s easy to spend more than $50,000 on a sparsely equipped German mid-size sedan.
Although we do not have many Avalons on-hand, we look forward to more coming our way. So come on down to Handy Toyota, where the 2019 Toyota Avalon can be yours today!
