{"id":1774,"date":"2019-11-01T18:58:50","date_gmt":"2019-11-01T22:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/?p=1774"},"modified":"2025-03-06T16:26:32","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T21:26:32","slug":"2019-toyota-avalon-xse-road-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/2019-toyota-avalon-xse-road-test\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 Toyota Avalon XSE Road Test"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"2019
The all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon gets a massive new grille and sportier styling all around. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019ve ever wondered how large the front grille of a car could get, you\u2019re looking at it. It certainly doesn\u2019t appear as if the new 2019 Avalon\u2019s grille could get any larger, as it nearly covers the entire front fascia, but no doubt some will like this a lot more than the already gaping maw offered with the outgoing model. <\/span><\/p>\n

The grille looks bigger in my tester\u2019s entry-level XSE trim due to a glossy black surround in place of top-tier Limited trim\u2019s chrome, while gloss-black mesh grille inserts appear darker and therefore more aggressive than the pricier trim\u2019s matte-black horizontal strips. Following the XSE\u2019s sporty theme rearward, Toyota adds glossy black door mirror caps plus a black lip spoiler on the trailing edge of the trunk, which is discreet in size albeit quite obvious when the car is painted in a lighter coating than my tester\u2019s elegant Brownstone metallic. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even my XSE tester\u2019s base LED headlights look meaner than the Limited model\u2019s enhanced triple-beam LEDs, while its previously classy tail lamps have been swapped out for a body-wide combination of angular lenses filled with LEDs, which rest overtop a sporty matte-black diffuser-style lower apron highlighted by four circular chromed exhaust pipes with the XSE, or two larger rectangular tailpipes for Limited trim. Additionally, the XSE rolls on machine-finish 10-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels with black-painted pockets for a more assertive look than the more premium looking Limited model\u2019s silver multi-spoke 18-inch alloys. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
The new Av replaces the previous car’s elegance for an edgier new look. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One thing we can surmise from the Avalon\u2019s 2019 redesign is their unwillingness to quietly watch their flagship luxury sedan get eaten alive by SUV sales, even if those utilities were RAV4s and Highlanders. A brand\u2019s flagship needs to garner a certain amount of respect, and after decades of somewhat forgettable designs the Av\u2019s dramatic new styling should allow it to do just that. <\/span><\/p>\n

In my opinion, the 2005\u20132012 fourth-generation Avalon was the most attractive ever. It was an elegant sedan that delivered surprisingly good performance than previous iterations as well. It wouldn\u2019t be right to call it a sport sedan, but the big Av has continued to get better as the generations and refreshes passed, and now this fifth-generation, especially in base XSE form, is the most capable off the line and around curves yet. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before filling you in on its driving dynamics, some background info: My tester\u2019s base XSE trim line is not the least expensive version in North America. OK, let me be more specific. If you take the U.S. base price of $35,800 USD and then convert it into Canadian dollars you\u2019ll in fact need to pay $47,128 CAD, or $4,338 more than our base price that\u2019s actually a much better equipped model. South of the 49th the Avalon is available in XLE, XLE Hybrid, XSE, Touring, Limited and Limited Hybrid trims, which is three times as many trims as offered here in Canada. Of course, the hybrids aren\u2019t available here, Toyota choosing to leave electrification to Lexus and its ES 300h (basically the same car as the Avalon Hybrid under the skin). <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Standard LED headlights and 19-inch alloys give the Avalon XSE an aggressive new look. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Interestingly, the pricier ES 350 and ES 300h combine for about five times as many buyers than the Avalon, but possibly even more interesting is the fact that both Lexus models are 35 times more popular in the US than in Canada, while Americans purchase the Avalon 100 times more often than Canadians, at least based on sales figures since the beginning of this year. So far, year-to-date Avalon deliveries are a paltry 212 in Canada compared to 22,453 in the US, whereas Lexus Canada\u2019s ES sales reached 1,081 units compared to 37,896 across the line. When factoring in that the US is less than 10 times the population of Canada, it\u2019s easy to see how much more popular these two cars are Stateside. <\/span><\/p>\n

So either you\u2019re American, enjoying a Canadian journalist\u2019s point of view about your favourite car, or you\u2019re a very, very, very rare Canadian considering a very good car that doesn\u2019t get enough attention (you could also be an anything-car-related-junkie getting your fix on the new Av, but that\u2019s just weird). Either way, the Avalon has exclusivity in its corner, which has an appeal of its own. Unless you\u2019re the kind of person who likes to nod at all the folks driving Camrys as if you\u2019ve got something special in common, you might just appreciate having Camry drivers (and everyone else) looking over at this very interesting luxury car they may have never seen. You\u2019re unlikely to see one pulling up to the stop sign across the street, or find one parked beside you after the game, and that\u2019s a shame as Camry XSE and XLE owners (the most obvious candidates) won\u2019t know what they\u2019re missing (not to mention that they can get into an Avalon for little more than they paid for their Camry). <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
A single body-wide LED tail lamp replaces its predecessor’s more conventional smaller lights. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This new generation is more likely to get noticed than any previous iteration, but everything said the current trajectory for large sedan sales is down. Even the dominant Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 twosome that achieved 4,704 combined sales over the same three quarters endured a fairly steep 14.15 and 39.31 percent slide respectively, while General Motors\u2019 Chevy Impala and Buick LaCrosse, which pulled in 2,075 collective sales over the same time period saw their numbers fall 16.96 and 15.13 percent apiece, which without doubt made those within GM\u2019s inner circle feel better about their cancellation. Nissan\u2019s 710 year-over-year Maxima sales were off by 7.07 percent, which isn\u2019t all that bad compared to every other car in this category; Toyota\u2019s previously noted 212 Avalon deliveries resulting in a 17.19-percent downturn. And then there\u2019s Kia that only managed to find 19 new Cadenza owners since January 1st, resulting in the category\u2019s harshest 54.76-percent deep-dive to near oblivion. One has to wonder why Kia hasn\u2019t discontinued the Cadenza for the Canadian market (it recently did so with the K900), and wonder more why they\u2019re audaciously introducing an entirely new 2020 model as I write. Brave or foolish? You be the judge. <\/span><\/p>\n

All of the cars in this class are worthy of attention, with most having served as their various brands\u2019 flagships. This means they\u2019re usually well stocked with all of the features offered in lesser models, and for the most part this is true for the $42,790 base Avalon XSE. Its standard features menu includes plenty, such as the previous mentioned LED headlamps and LED taillights, as well as 235\/40R19 all-season tires, proximity keyless access, pushbutton start\/stop, a power tilt and telescopic steering column, a leather-clad multifunction steering wheel, a 7.0-inch multi-information display, a 9.0-inch centre touchscreen with Toyota\u2019s own Entune along with Apple CarPlay smartphone integration (but no Android Auto), SMS\/text- and email-to-speech functions, advanced voice recognition, decent sounding eight-speaker audio with satellite radio, Bluetooth audio streaming, a handy wireless smartphone charger, four USB charge ports, a power glass sunroof, an eight-way power-adjustable driver\u2019s seat, a six-way power front passenger seat, breathable Softex leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, an auto-dimming centre mirror, a remote garage door opener, two-zone automatic climate control, plus more. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Like the exterior, the new Av’s cabin is all-new and completely modernized. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Entune Safety Connect is standard as well, including automatic collision notification, a stolen vehicle locator, an emergency assistance (SOS) button, and enhanced roadside assistance, while standard advanced driver assistance and safety systems include auto high beams, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning, plus all the expected active and passive safety features including two airbags for the front occupants\u2019 knees, etcetera. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Avalon\u2019s multi-information display mentioned a moment ago sits within an otherwise analogue gauge cluster, hardly anything unusual about that, but rather than just a glorified trip computer it also provides in-depth infotainment functions such as route guidance instructions exactly where needed. Atop the centre stack, the large touchscreen also shows navigation mapping in a high-resolution display, the only truly colourful application, and while Toyota\u2019s new Entune interface is a bit drab its proprietary smartphone integration is excellent, even better than Android Auto in my opinion. You can connect to numerous functions, plus music and additional info such as traffic conditions, fuel stations, weather forecasts, stocks, etcetera via plenty of apps including Scout GPS, Yelp, Slacker, NPR One and more. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Mostly analogue, the Avalon’s gauge cluster gets a large colour multi-info display at centre. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Those still needing more will want to go for the $47,790 Limited model, which includes smaller more comfort-oriented 235\/45R18 all-season tires, the previously mentioned triple-beam LED headlights, more sophisticated LED tail lamps, ambient interior lighting, a 10-inch colour head-up display unit with customizable settings, a heated steering wheel, four-way power lumbar support for the driver\u2019s seat, driver-side memory, semi-aniline leather upholstery, cooled front seats, heatable rear seats, a surround-view bird\u2019s-eye parking camera system, navigation\/route guidance, 1,200-watt 14-speaker JBL Clari-Fi surround-sound audio, Toyota Premium Audio Connected Services, a three-year subscription to Scout GPS Link, front parking sensors, autonomous rear cross-traffic braking, plus more. <\/span><\/p>\n

The list of premium-level features above is impressive, but truly some should be standard in the base XSE I was driving. After all, the base model is getting close to $43k, so charging Canadians $5k more for a heatable steering wheel doesn\u2019t seem right. Of course, you\u2019ll receive a bevy of additional features with that warming wheel, but it\u2019s hard to designate any car a \u201cluxury\u201d offering without this feature when so many lesser models (including Toyota\u2019s new Corolla) offer one optionally, while some brands are even doing so as standard equipment (Kia\u2019s $16k Forte). <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Fabulous centre stack is highly functional. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As for interior refinement, the Av provides plenty soft, pliable surfaces above the waist, including the entire dash top plus both front and rear door uppers, and the middle portion of instrument panel that features an even softer padded and stitched surface treatment, while just below is a lovely textured metallic inlay and wonderfully stylish three-dimensional metallic and black horizontal section that extends into the corner vents. The lower portion of the dash, glove box lid included, gets the segment\u2019s usual hard plastic treatment, this spreading over to the lower door panels as well, although each door\u2019s middle section, just under the aforementioned soft composite upper, gets a soft-touch synthetic treatment of its own, plus ultrasuede and stitched leatherette. <\/span><\/p>\n

Outdoing the previous model\u2019s centre stack was a tall order, and I can\u2019t say they made the new version more appealing than the old car\u2019s metal-finished surfacing and hollowed-out hockey stick-shaped switchgear that was totally unique and quite fabulous, but the new model\u2019s gloss-black, glass-like design is certainly more modern and up-to-date, the upper portion standing upright like a fixed tablet while melding seamlessly into the centre infotainment touchscreen, and appearing to be held up by side buttresses that allow access to a big wireless device charging pad resting under a retractable bin lid, whereas the lower section provides digital HVAC controls including a neat row of narrow aluminized buttons, plus more. This satin-silver highlighting actually frames most of the centre stack, as well as the shift lever and cupholder surrounds plus elsewhere in the cabin, while comforting stitched and padded leatherette wraps the edge of the lower console. While shared such niceties, that should also include fabric-wrapped A-pillars, with a few premium-grade shortcomings, most should be impressed with the Avalon\u2019s refinement. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
These inherently comfortable seats only provide two-way powered lumbar. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just in case you were wondering whether or not to move up to an Avalon from the barely smaller Camry, which incidentally shares Toyota\u2019s TNGA-K (GA-K) platform architecture with the Avalon, as well as Lexus\u2019 previously noted ES, the namesake brand\u2019s flagship sedan is 100 mm (4.0 in) longer from front to back, with a 50-mm (2.0-in) longer wheelbase, plus it\u2019s 10 mm (0.4 in) wider and only slightly lower by 10 mm (0.4 in) as well. The new Av takes up more real estate than its outgoing generation too, with its length increased by 20 mm (0.8 in) to 4,980 mm (196.0 in), its wheelbase longer by 50 mm (2.0 in) to 2,870 mm (113.0 in), its width having grown by 15 mm (0.6 inches) to 1,850 mm (72.8 in), and its overall height down by 20 mm (0.8 in) to 1,440 mm (56.5 in), the end product therefore looking longer, wider and lower for a more athletic stance. <\/span><\/p>\n

Along with its dramatic new look, the updated Avalon provides more output under its hood, its sole engine being an upgraded 3.5-litre V6 that now puts out 10 additional horsepower and an increase of 17 lb-ft of torque resulting in a new maximum of 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, while the XSE model I tested also includes an \u201cEngine Sound Generator\u201d that enhances the engine\u2019s aural sensation by pumping a more entertaining (albeit artificial) exhaust note through the audio system when Sport mode gets selected. Incidentally, BMW does the same with its highly revered M models and Ford does likewise its Mustang and Ecoboost-powered F-150 pickup trucks (as no doubt do a number of others), with the end result being a more entertaining performance experience. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
There’s no shortage of rear seat room. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Better yet, Toyota has conjoined this modified V6 to a completely new eight-speed automatic gearbox (not a continually variable transmission, or CVT, like the Av\u2019s supposed sportier Nissan Maxima), which means that its aging six-speed automatic is now history. Added to this are shift paddles on the steering wheel to make the extra gears and additional power a more hands-on affair. <\/span><\/p>\n

Quietly hidden below the Av\u2019s new avant-garde sheet metal is an elongated version of the more rigid, nimbler chassis that also enhanced the latest Camry, and as noted makes the new Lexus ES a lot more enjoyable to drive than any previous generation, while on top of this this XSE model\u2019s front MacPherson struts and rear multi-link design gets some extra sport tuning and bigger 19-inch alloys to improve its handling further. All of the above makes it much more fun through fast-paced corners than its already capable predecessor, and while hardly a sport sedan, it would be a worthy opponent against any of its full-size, front-drive semi-luxury competitors. <\/span><\/p>\n

In spite of all the just-noted go-fast goodies, the Av\u2019s ride quality once again places comfort above performance, its smooth, compliant ride ideally suited to its primary luxury sedan role, and even that new multi-speed automatic engineered to shift slower than a performance fan would want in order to maintain a sense of decorum to the benefit of each and every occupant. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
The Avalon’s spacious trunk can be expanded with a 60\/40-split rear seatback. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By all occupants I\u2019m also referring to the driver, who is especially cared for by a particularly good seating position. This hasn\u2019t always been the case for Toyota, which didn\u2019t provide enough reach from their steering wheel columns more often than not, but the automaker is improving across its wide model range in this regard. Therefore, I was able push the Avalon\u2019s primary seat amply rearward for ideal legroom thanks to a steering column that extends far enough in the same direction to bend the elbows while hands rested at the optimal 9 and 3 o\u2019clock positions. <\/span><\/p>\n

All said I was disappointed with driver seat\u2019s two-way powered lumbar support, especially when factoring in that most competitive brands provide much better four-way power lumbar support in this price range, which does a much better job meeting up to the small of my back. This forced me to not use the powered lumbar at all, but fortunately the seats offered good support without any lower back adjustment, while the back seats are equally comfortable and surrounding area ultra-accommodating. Along the same theme, the Av\u2019s trunk is sizeable at 456 litres (16.1 cu ft) and provides 60\/40 split-folding extendibility for stowing long cargo, but a pass-through down the middle would\u2019ve improved the car\u2019s usability even more. <\/span><\/p>\n

All in all, most premium sedan shoppers choosing to spend a bit of time with the new Avalon should like it. It\u2019s a well built car, as all of us should expect from Toyota, offers expected be dependability, comes stuffed full of most features anyone could expect in a $40k-plus four-door, and delivers good comfort with unexpectedly strong performance. <\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, now that this 2019 model year is ending and the unchanged 2020 Avalon is about to arrive, Toyota should be quite motivated to rid themselves of all remaining stock, which is likely why you can to now save up to $2,500 in additional incentives (at the time of writing). You can learn about all the details right here at CarCostCanada<\/a>, and while you\u2019re at it learn about 2019<\/a> and 2020 model year pricing<\/a> info, including trims, packages and individual options, plus make sure to check out the latest rebates and dealer invoice pricing that puts you in the driver\u2019s seat when negotiating your new car. <\/span><\/p>\n

Story and photo credits: Trevor Hofmann<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever wondered how large the front grille of a car could get, you\u2019re looking at it. It certainly doesn\u2019t appear as if the new 2019 Avalon\u2019s grille could get any larger, as it nearly covers the entire front fascia, but no doubt some will like this a lot more than the already gaping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[31,329,331,227,73,63,36,37,79,78,38,207,91,330],"class_list":["post-1774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-carcostcanada","tag-31","tag-avalon","tag-executive","tag-full-size","tag-fwd","tag-luxury","tag-mid-size","tag-midsize","tag-review","tag-road-test","tag-sedan","tag-toyota","tag-v6","tag-xse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1774"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1798,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774\/revisions\/1798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}