3 minute read
Shredding Boring
Shredding Boring Design A mong the field of sporty sedans, Toyota’s Avalon isn’t one that typically comes first to mind—and more likely, it doesn’t even register a blip on enthusiasts’ fun-to-drive meter, much less garner meaningful garage-occupying consideration. There are, after all, numerous sedans that offer performance on par with (or even exceeding) purpose-build sports cars.
After shouldering the weight of its 25-year
The 2020 Toyota Avalon TRD is worth a look—and a spot in the garage. (Photo by Greg Rubenstein)
By Greg Rubenstein
heritage as a staid, nondescript full-size four-door people hauler, the 2020 Avalon TRD (Toyota Racing Development) edition sheds (and shreds) decades of boring design, plodding performance and hyper-isolated driving dynamics. Now five generations beyond its introduction as a 1995 model, the Avalon today is built on a platform shared with its up-market Lexus ES cousin, and boasts a wheelbase 2 inches longer than the previous iteration, while overall width is increased by nearly an inch and ride height is dropped 1 inch.
In TRD trim, the Avalon is athletic and aesthetically appealing, sporting an aggressive fascia with a gaping maw piano-black grille framed by dramatic vertical airflow slats. Sharp hood creases; sculpted door handles, which blend into belt-high character lines; plus TRD-exclusive body-kit enhancements, including a front splitter, side aero skirts, trunk lid spoiler and rear diffuser, complete the exterior design—this is definitely not your grandparent’s Avalon.
Driver and passengers will appreciate the Avalon’s upgraded interior, which features soft-touch plastics, genuine wood and brushed aluminum trim. Seating surfaces are a mix of leather and perforated Ultrasuede, with contrast stitching and TRD logo-emblazoned headrests. The interior sports a 9-inch multifunction touchscreen infotainment system, along with a 14-speaker, 1,200-watt, 7.1-channel surround sound stereo featuring a 12-channel amp, four 1-inch freestanding JBL horn tweeters, a 10-inch dual-voice coil subwoofer, 6-inch wide-dispersion rear-door speakers, 8-by-9-inch wide-dispersion frontdoor woofers, five 3-inch wide-dispersion midrange speakers, plus inner-door sealing for more bass punch.
Dynamically, the 3,638-pound Avalon TRD is equipped with a 3.5-liter, 301-horsepower V6 engine mated to an eight-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission that has sequential-shift mode, as well as steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. A four-level drive mode selection— with eco, normal, sport/sport+ and custom— allows the pilot to tune vehicle response, including aural augmentations coming from exhaust baffles, an intake sound generator, as well as active noise control and engine sound enhancement.
Standard safety features include Toyota’s Safety Sense suite (TSS-P), offering passive and active systems designed to avoid and minimize collision danger. TSS-P is comprised of a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams. Additional safety features include blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, intelligent clearance sonar with rear cross-traffic braking, backup camera, a bird’s-eye-view camera with perimeter scan, 10 airbags, enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, anti-lock braking system and smart-stop technology.
The Avalon with V6 engine is available in five trims—XLE, XSE, TRD, Limited and Touring—while the Avalon Hybrid comes in three variants: XLE, XSE and Limited. Pricing for the V6 starts at $36,870, while the hybrid has a base of $37,995. As tested, the Avalon TRD came in at $46,147. EPA fuel economy ratings for the V6 Avalon are 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 25 mpg in combined driving. The hybrid version is rated at 43 mpg city, highway and combined.
The Avalon TRD has come a long way and now offers an impressive blend of style, luxury and even performance. For people needing a full-size sedan, this Toyota serves up solid value and fun driving dynamics. It is definitely worth a look and might just even earn a spot in your garage.
