Toyota Avalon
2005-07 Toyota Avalon
Manufacturer	Toyota
Production	1995–present
Predecessor	Toyota Cressida
Class	Full-size
Body style(s)	4-door sedan
Layout	FF layout

The Toyota Avalon is a full-size car produced by Toyota in the United States. It was also produced in Australia, but production stopped in July 2005, as the Toyota Avalon was replaced by the Toyota Aurion. It is produced as a front-wheel drive four-door sedan.

The Avalon filled the gap left by the cancellation of the Toyota Cressida in the American market in 1992. The new Avalon was a large car, whereas the Cressida was an upper-level mid-size, was rear-wheel drive, and had an I6 engine. The Avalon however, was front-wheel drive and had a V6 engine.

The first Toyota Avalon rolled off the assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky on February 21, 1994 as a 1995 model. A second generation model was released in the United States and Japan in 1999.

The Avalon is the most high-end car produced by Toyota that is not part of the company's upscale Lexus division (barring the Toyota Century).

First generation (1995-1999)

First generation
1995-1997 Toyota Avalon
Production	1995–1999 (US) 2000-2005 (Australia)
Assembly	Georgetown, Kentucky Altona, Victoria, Australia
Engine(s)	3.0L 1MZ-FE V6
Transmission(s)	4-speed A541E automatic
Wheelbase	107.1 in (2720 mm)
Length	1995-97: 190.2 in (4831 mm) 1998-99: 191.9 in (4874 mm)
Width	1995-97: 70.3 in (1786 mm) 1998-99: 70.5 in (1791 mm)
Height	1995-97: 55.9 in (1420 mm) 1998-99: 56.7 in (1440 mm)
Fuel capacity	18.5 US gal

The 1995 Avalon was a completely new model built in the same plant as the Camry. It was positioned higher than the Camry, making it Toyota's flagship. The Avalon was based on a stretched Camry platform and had a 3.0L V6 engine making 192 hp (0 kW) and of torque.

For 1997, the Avalon's power rating increased to 200 hp (0 kW) @ 5200 rpm, and torque increased to @ 4400 rpm. In 1998, Toyota made minor updates to the front and rear fascias. The Avalon also offered an available front bench seat for full six passenger seating. Its column shifter was the first such feature in an American Toyota car since the 1982 Corona.

Side air bags, and belt pre-tensioners were optional. The optional traction control works by engine speed management and anti-lock braking.

In 1999, Toyota sold the old tooling for the Avalon to Toyota Australia, which launched this Avalon as an "all new" model in June 2000. The Australian Avalon therefore had an identical body to the original 1995 Avalon.



The Avalon performed poorly in Australia; critics called the car "boring" and sales were tepid. It did not help that the car was front wheel drive, and available only as a sedan with a 3.0L V6 and automatic transmission. By contrast its intended rivals, the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon offered a wider range of bodystyles and engine/transmission options.

Buyers preferred the V6-powered Camry instead and when the 2004 facelift failed to lift sales, Toyota Australia marketed it towards taxi fleets with a specially developed dual-fuel (LPG and petrol) engine. Eventually the Avalon was laid to rest in mid-2005.

The Australian model was built in the Melbourne suburb of Altona, made in both right hand drive for Australia, New Zealand and some parts of Asia, and left-hand drive for the Middle East. The Camry is also made at this same plant, mainly for export.

Second generation (2000-2004)

Second generation
2000-2002 Toyota Avalon
Production	2000-2004
Assembly	Georgetown, Kentucky
Engine(s)	3.0 L 1MZ-FE V6
Transmission(s)	4-speed A541E automatic
Wheelbase	107.1 in (2720 mm)
Length	191.9 in (4874 mm)
Width	71.7 in (1821 mm)
Height	2000-02: 57.7 in (1466 mm) 2003-04: 57.1 in (1450 mm)
Fuel capacity	16 us gallons

The second generation Avalon grew larger in almost every respect. The Avalon was still based on the stretched Camry platform and had a 3.0 L V6 shared with the Toyota Sienna, Lexus RX300, Lexus ES and the Toyota Highlander, making 210 hp (157 kW) and . of torque. However, its size was similar to the Camry.

This Avalon was available in two trims: the basic XL and the upscale XLS. The Avalon received a minor facelift for the 2003 model year, with a new grille and modified headlights and taillights.

This second generation Avalon also featured a built-in 115V AC power inverter, the first car with such a feature. This feature was dropped in the third generation Avalon, yet the Toyota Matrix and Scion models now offer this feature.

This second generation Avalon was exported to the Japanese market where it was labeled as the Toyota Pronard. Due to poor sales, Toyota will not export the third generation Avalon to Japan and thus, the Toyota Pronard has been discontinued.

Third generation (2005-present)

Third generation
2008 Toyota Avalon
Production	2005-present
Assembly	Georgetown, Kentucky
Engine(s)	3.5 L 2GR-FE V6
Transmission(s)	5-speed U151E automatic
Wheelbase	111.1 in (2822 mm)
Length	197.2 in (5009 mm)
Width	72.8 in (1849 mm)
Height	58.5 in (1486 mm)
Fuel capacity	18.5 US gal

The 2005 Avalon was a complete redesign from the previous generations. It is Toyota's largest, most luxurious, and most expensive sedan model sold under the Toyota name (not Lexus). The Avalon features a 3.5 L 268 hp (200 kW) V6 engine and a myriad of advanced technological features. The 3.5L engine is shared with many other Toyota models including the Lexus ES 350, Lexus GS, Toyota Camry, and Toyota RAV4. The new Avalon, introduced to the public at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, offers more distinctive styling than previous generations, which were known for their conservative styling. This redesign also dropped the availability of a front bench seat, a feature once common among large American sedans such as Buicks. The current Avalon is available in XL, Touring, XLS, and Limited trim levels.

Due to changes in the SAE testing procedures, power has dropped to 268 hp (200 kW) and torque has dropped to for the 2006 model year. However, this is due to being rated on 87 octane fuel. When supplied with 91 octane, the engine matches the 272 hp (203 kW), rating of the same engine in the Lexus ES 350. Stability control is optional on all trim levels and a keyless remote start is optional.

Car and Driver, which had called previous Avalons "Japanese Buicks", rated it at the top of a group of large premium sedans in 2005.^[1]

For 2008, the Avalon receives a minor facelift.

Sales

Model Year	Sales
2005	95,318
2006	88,938

^[2]

Replacement in Australia

The Toyota Aurion is the replacement for the Toyota Avalon in Australia and is built at Toyota's Altona, Victoria plant alongside the Toyota Camry. The Aurion was designed with the Australian large car market in mind and Toyota hopes to make more sales with the Aurion than the relatively unsuccessful Avalon. The Aurion has an Australian-tweaked version of the 2GR-FE V6 engine currently powering the export Avalon. A special supercharged version is also available on some models.

References

• "Toyota Avalon", an article in the March 2004 issue of Motor Trend, under "Spied!" in the "News" section, on page 38

External links

• Official web site
• Toyota Avalon Specifications
• Used Car Safety Ratings - Toyota Avalon

•  • [ e] Toyota road car timeline, North American market, 1980s-present
Type	1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Subcompact	Tercel			Tercel				Tercel				Tercel				Tercel					Echo						Yaris
		Starlet				FX
	Corolla				Corolla
Compact									Corolla					Corolla					Corolla					Corolla
																								Matrix
	Corona			Camry				Camry														Prius
Mid-size																									Prius
													Camry					Camry					Camry					Camry
																						Camry Solara					Camry Solara
Full-size	Cressida	Cressida				Cressida				Cressida						Avalon					Avalon					Avalon
Sport compact	Corolla Coupe											Paseo
	Celica
Sports	Supra
Roadster					MR2																MR2 Spyder

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