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2008 Toyota Avalon Quality Review

October 30, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

enough space to ride five with ease
Road & Track

spacious and comfortable
Edmunds

a Best Buy pick
ConsumerGuide

The interior of the 2008 Toyota Avalon is a serene, handsome, and exceptionally comfortable place to be.

The interior generally finds a more favorable reception. ConsumerGuide states the front of the Avalon is “large-adult roomy with supportive seats,” but complains that “visibility is a bit pinched to the right-rear.” Edmunds considers the front seats “wide and accommodating, particularly in the Limited, which offers both ventilated seats and a seat-cushion length adjuster.”

The rear is an even better story, offering remarkable room and great comfort, courtesy of seats that recline. Road & Track lauds the “flat floor and a 60/40-split rear seatback that can be reclined through 10 degrees in any of five positions,” Edmunds notes that the flat floor in the rear makes it “a legitimate proposition to seat three adults,” and Motor Trend likens the rear seat room to “the sort of stretch space a pricey ticket buys you on Virgin Atlantic.”

The trunk is judged adequate, not overly impressive, in its storage capacity, and some are dismayed at the lack of pass-through folding seatbacks. “The trunk has space enough for most family excursions, but packing gets complicated by intrusion from the wheel housings and trunklid hinges,” comments ConsumerGuide.

In general, ergonomics and material quality are first rate. Road & Track likes the “flat-panel switches, which are nicely lit at night,” and Automobile confirms “switches and controls are exactly where you'd expect them.” Ride comfort and isolation fall into the same category: Motor Trend comments that “Toyota's flagship extends the limousine impersonation with, shall we say, noticeable silence and astute absorption of road imperfections.” “The V6 sounds rich during acceleration and is always subdued while cruising,” compliments ConsumerGuide.

Conclusion

Apart from a few rough details hidden in the trunk, the 2008 Toyota Avalon impresses with its vast interior space.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:enough space to ride five with easeRoad & Trackspacious and comfortableEdmundsa Best Buy pickConsumerGuide The interior of the 2008 Toyota Avalon is a serene, handsome, and exceptionally comfortable place to be. The interior generally finds a more favorable reception. ConsumerGuide states the front of the Avalon is “large-adult roomy with supportive seats,” but complains that “visibility is a bit pinched to the right-rear.” Edmunds considers the front seats “wide and accommodating, particularly in the Limited, which offers both ventilated seats and a seat-cushion length adjuster.” The rear is an even better story, offering remarkable room and great comfort, courtesy of seats that recline. Road & Track lauds the “flat floor and a 60/40-split rear seatback that can be reclined through 10 degrees in any of five positions,” Edmunds notes that the flat floor in the rear makes it “a legitimate proposition to seat three adults,” and Motor Trend likens the rear seat room to “the sort of stretch space a pricey ticket buys you on Virgin Atlantic.” The trunk is judged adequate, not overly impressive, in its storage capacity, and some are dismayed at the lack of pass-through folding seatbacks. “The trunk has space enough for most family excursions, but packing gets complicated by intrusion from the wheel housings and trunklid hinges,” comments ConsumerGuide. In general, ergonomics and material quality are first rate. Road & Track likes the “flat-panel switches, which are nicely lit at night,” and Automobile confirms “switches and controls are exactly where you'd expect them.” Ride comfort and isolation fall into the same category: Motor Trend comments that “Toyota's flagship extends the limousine impersonation with, shall we say, noticeable silence and astute absorption of road imperfections.” “The V6 sounds rich during acceleration and is always subdued while cruising,” compliments ConsumerGuide. ConclusionApart from a few rough details hidden in the trunk, the 2008 Toyota Avalon impresses with its vast interior space. 2008 TOYOTA AVALON STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: “Toyota’s Buick” Road & Track: “more stylish suit of clothes than in the past” Edmunds: “attractive and ergonomic control layout” Motor Trend: “sculptural boldness” The 2008 Toyota Avalon is crisp and conservative on ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The top rivals to the 2008 Toyota Avalon include the Lucerne, Taurus, and Azera, which are also large, primarily front-wheel-drive sedans that favor ride comfort over tight handling response. Each of them also has decent straight-line acceleration. The Taurus, which was recently called the Five Hundred, has a very nicely appointed interior and an especially spacious backseat, and its 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic are very responsive. The Lucerne V-6 and the Azera both have 3.8-liter V-6 engines and aren’t as responsive as the Taurus, but the Lucerne is also available in Super trim, which adds a 292-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8. Next to either of these rivals, the Avalon is quieter and more refined inside. Another alternative is the Chrysler 300, which comes in an economical rear-wheel-drive base model or with all-wheel drive in upscale Touring trim. The 300 also has a powerful HEMI V-8 available. But the 300 might not be as appealing to the crowd that favors ride comfort and space above all else; it’s less roomy inside and not nearly as refined and quiet.

Next Steps:

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See the Toyota Avalon in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (2 total)

  1. By  jerry #2, Posted: 11/3/2008

    Who can tell me the price about AudiQ5

    i want to buy Autocar
    I am interested in AudiQ5 and will like to get a price qoute for it. You can as well call me if there is any thing you want me to know,send me an email,thanks.
    here is AudiQ5 phone

  2. By Bill #4, Posted: 1/25/2009

    Center Display

    When "may be icy" flashes on the center display, is there any type of a audio alert as well?

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