Shares TNGA platform with the 2018 Toyota Camry
Toyota unveiled the fifth-generation 2019 Avalon sedan in Detroit and the Japanese carmaker claims it has raised the bar in the mid-premium sedan niche. Let’s see what arguments back up that claim.
When it goes on sale later this year, Toyota’s 2019 Avalon range will be split into four trim levels, namely XSE, Touring, XLE and Limited.
The new Toyota Avalon sits on the manufacturer’s TNGA underpinnings (Toyota New Generation Architecture), just like its Prius and Camry peers. Toyota says this has allowed for a 7-inch increase in rear cabin room.
Speaking of interior, the Japanese advertise soft-touch materials and piano black inserts mixed with engineered or natural wood trim and Softex seats and leather upholstery on range-topping models. Also on the comfort side, the Japanese threw an active noise cancellation system into the mix – contrasted by the engine sound enhancement gimmick aimed at those looking for a more sound-rich experience.
On the powertrain front, Toyota introduces two new additions: a 3.5-liter V6 and a hybrid setup – aka Toyota Hybrid System II – made of a 2.5-liter Dynamic Force four-cylinder engine and a 650 V electric motor. The battery pack was moved from the trunk beneath the rear passenger seats.
Either variant the customers choose, they get the new eight-speed Direct Shift automatic gearbox (fitted with a torque converter) for what Toyota describes as a “more enveloping and direct driving feel” over the current six-speed auto transmission.
Safety-wise, every 2019 Avalon model comes with 10 standard airbags and a suite of safety features including enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, reverse camera and brake assist. Moreover, the Toyota Safety Sense P pack adds the like of pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed range radar cruise control, lane departure alert, automatic high beams and blind spot monitor.
Toyota assembles the new 2019 Avalon (just like the previous generations) at its TMMK plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.