2016 Toyota Avalon vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

The Avalon has many rivals, but none are so directly comparable as the Chevy Impala, Buick LaCrosse, and Hyundai Azera.

The Azera feels very refined, has an attractive design, and rides well, but it's surprisingly tight on headroom in the back seat and it's only offered with a non-hybrid V-6.

The Kia Cadenza is mechanically identical to the Azera, but it's a bit more appealing, we think, due to its trim and materials choices; its ride and handling are also a notch better.

The LaCrosse comes with a standard eAssist mild-hybrid powertrain, and it's very comfortable and quiet like the Avalon, but its EPA ratings don't come anywhere close to those of the Avalon Hybrid.

It's similar to the Chevy Impala, which adopted most of Buick's running gear and even some of its styling cues in its winning 2014 makeover.

The Ford Taurus may look like a solid rival on the outside, but its interior is a packaging disaster, somehow feeling more like a compact sedan inside; in terms of features and performance the Taurus is a contender, though, and nobody else in this class offers something quite like the MyFord Touch infotainment system.

The LaCrosse and Taurus are offered with available all-wheel drive, whereas the Avalon isn't.