avalon are more luxurious. share same engine, yes. performance no. from what I read, 0- 60 are
Camry 6.5~6.9
Avalon 6.0~6.4

When you ride in a camry and avalon you shold notice a difference, at least thats what I think.

 

avalon are more luxurious. share same engine, yes. performance no. from what I read, 0- 60 are
Camry 6.5~6.9
Avalon 6.0~6.4

When you ride in a camry and avalon you shold notice a difference, at least thats what I think.

From what I've seen in the various magazines and online reviews, the performance of the two is about equal, making performance sort of a non-issue. I would be surprised if the performance was much different, considering that the HP ratings of the engines in the two cars is the same. The Camry weighs less, so if anything, it should have a slight performance edge.

As far as ride goes, I've driven both a 06 Limited Avalon and an 07 XLE Camry and they both have excellent ride quality and quietness. It's difficult to pick one over the other in that regard. The interiors on both models are similar in feel and fit and finish.

So my question remains, why $6k more for an Avalon just to get a few more inches of rear seat legroom?

 

Why buy an 06 Avalon when you can get an 07 Camry V6 fully optioned with Nav for about $31k? The 06 Avalon and the 07 Camry share the same engine and the Camry has a 6 speed auto vs the 5 speed auto in the Avalon.

I personally think that Toyota shot themselves in the foot here and Avalon sales will suffer considerably for the rest of the 06 model year and my guess is that the 07 Avalon will have the 6 speed auto and upgraded Nav and audio with bluetooth. If this does not happen with the Avalon in 07 then you can pretty much write off the Avalon as a meaningful contender.

What about double door seals, laser cruise, Voice Nav, 17" wheels, Vent seats, xenon's, large interior space...go buy the camry...ha ha

 

What about double door seals, laser cruise, Voice Nav, 17" wheels, Vent seats, xenon's, large interior space...go buy the camry...ha ha

The Camry has double door seals, voice Nav, and 17' wheels, and also includes reclining rear seats like the Avalon has.

But I agree. If Xenons, vented seats, laser cruise control and a few extra inches of rear seat room are worth the extra $5k to you, then by all means buy the Avalon.

The Camry also includes bluetooth and the ability to play MP3's and a 6 speed auto, none of which are offered on the Avalon.

 

yeah.....i think the Avalon is getting pretty screwed in this bargain. Same HP ratings and everything. I couldn't tell much of a difference between my camry and my sister's avalon except maybe the pedal was stiffer? that's about it =/

 

Having been in and driven both cars, I can safely say that I doubt that the Avalon sales will suffer much. The Avy is a big, luxurious car and has a more luxurious feel and look to it in every way.

 

I agree with Hobojoe. I went thru the same decision. I ordered a 06 Touring Avalon and then the 07 Camry came out. I drove the Camry, and could definitely feel a difference in ride quality, comfort and fit and finish even though the specs are similar. I went through with my purchase of the Avalon and am very happy with it. I would suggest trying both and make your own decision.

 

But I agree. If Xenons, vented seats, laser cruise control and a few extra inches of rear seat room are worth the extra $5k to you, then by all means buy the Avalon.

You must not own an Avalon.

I do. I work for Toyota, the Camry is a very nice car but is not even close to being on the same level as the Avalon, IMO if you spend that much on a Camry & DON"T spend the extra few dollars for the Avalon then you are the one getting screwed.

06 Limited & wouldn't change but one thing that I think might come with the new 07 Camry.. Touch screens !

 

You must not own an Avalon.

I do. I work for Toyota, the Camry is a very nice car but is not even close to being on the same level as the Avalon, IMO if you spend that much on a Camry & DON"T spend the extra few dollars for the Avalon then you are the one getting screwed.

06 Limited & wouldn't change but one thing that I think might come with the new 07 Camry.. Touch screens !

GreatwhiteAv: maybe you can articulate the differences since you probably know both inside and out, as well as parts. I drove the lexus and notice the same door handles, exhaust, Illumination of gauges, seat ventilation system...please tell us.

 

You must not own an Avalon.

I do. I work for Toyota, the Camry is a very nice car but is not even close to being on the same level as the Avalon, IMO if you spend that much on a Camry & DON"T spend the extra few dollars for the Avalon then you are the one getting screwed.

06 Limited & wouldn't change but one thing that I think might come with the new 07 Camry.. Touch screens !

I don't own an Avalon, I don't own a Camry. I'm going to purchase one or the other, and like I said above, I've driven both the 07 Camry XLE V6 and the 06 Avalon Limited and I just don't see the big difference. The Avalon is about 6" longer and 1" wider but only has a 1.7" longer wheelbase. Unless you get out your tape measure, you won't even notice the difference. They both have the same size trunk, and are the same height. The Avalon's hip and shoulder room are about 1.5" more than the Camry and the rear seat legroom on the Avalon is about 2.5" larger. Overall the EPA passenger volume is only about 5% larger in the Avalon than the Camry. The Avalon weighs 3600, the XLE Camry 3516. The SE Camry and the Avalon even use the same size tires (P215/55R-17)

None of these numbers show that there is a big difference between the two models, size wise.

They both ride nice and are very quiet, but I don't see a big difference in "luxury" between the two, so I also would like to know what in your mind makes the Avalon so much "better" than the comparable Camry.

 

Went to the dealership about two weeks ago and sat in the new camry and loked at a few different colors and.........i hate it. The driver seat wasn't as comfortable as my xls. As i got back into my avalon i drove away saying " I'm glad I didn't buy that s__t!". I'm sure i'll see a million on the road, just like any car it will grow on you.

 

If I was deciding between the Camry XLE and the Avalon Limited, I'd take the Avalon no question. The only big issue for me would be the 6 speed vs 5 speed. The Avalon is available with black leather, which is a big plus for me, as only the 07 Camry SE is availble with black on any color, and the 07 SE is in a different class entirely (more of a sports sedan) than the XLE or the Avalon.

So yeah, no question, I'd choose the Avalon. It's a much more luxurious car, it rides a bit nicer, and it's much more roomy, in the front and the back. It also has 17" wheels, xenons, voice activated nav, and xenons which are all a big plus and add to the luxury factor.


For the record, I do own a 2007 Camry SE V6. It's a beautiful car, but I wouldn't consider it if you're looking for luxury. The ride is pretty stiff, and while it's quiet, it still isn't anywhere near the XLE/Avalon in terms of real "luxury". Like I said, it's more of a luxurious sports sedan than a luxury cruiser.

I hope this helps.

 

It's all in what you're looking for, really.

I mean, the Corolla is a great car also, but if it came with a 3.5 and some of the other amenities the Avalon had would we compare them too ? The answer is no because they are in different catagories just like the Camry & Avalon are.

Bottom line is, Camry owners can now rejoice & the Avalon owners are still just "Big Pimpin".

 

I needed a new car and I was excited about the new Camry's styling. When I sat in it however, my head hit the ceiling...the dealer joked that I should open the moonroof. I bought an 06 Avalon Touring instead and couldn't be happier. It's so big and comfy!

 

You seem pretty set on the '07 Camry - so you might as well just get it.

I agree with the others that the Avalon just feels more luxurious. And to me, the space difference is noticeable. The Avalon is a notch above the Camry for a reason. Toyota wouldn't make the Camry better and cheaper.

 

You seem pretty set on the '07 Camry - so you might as well just get it.

I agree with the others that the Avalon just feels more luxurious. And to me, the space difference is noticeable. The Avalon is a notch above the Camry for a reason. Toyota wouldn't make the Camry better and cheaper.

I went and took both for extended test drives again, and ended up with the XLE V6 Camry w/o NAV.

I just could not see a big difference between the two, and the Camry felt more solid and quieter than the Avalon. The Camry that I purchased was built in Japan and the Avalons that I drove were built in Kentucky (I have no idea if that made any difference).

In the end it was bang for the buck. I just felt that the Camry was a better buy. I saved a few $grand$ and got a 2007 vs a 2006 to boot.

Both cars are sweet rides. I can sure see why Detroit is having a hard time keeping up.

I hope that Toyota upgrades the 07 Avalon to include the 6 speed auto and a better Stereo/Nav combo with Bluetooth. I'm not sure why the current NAV in the Avalon costs about $2k and the NAV in the Camry is $1.2k ($800 less).

 

Toyota wants to sell millions of Camrys so that they can claim their #1 just like honda wants to sell millions of Accords. To do that and still make money, they build a car that serves the needs of the millions. I own a '99 Accord and a '04 Avalon. The Accord is my daily driver and I love it but my wife wont even ride in it unless she has to. The ride is stiff and tight just like every Camry I've driven. The Avalon is her ride because it's soft, quiet, and very safe. The Avalon is a small step down from the Lexus but I get the ride I like for a few bucks less. Go make your best deal on what you want to drive but I'd bet the Toyota dealers have instructions to make the deal on the Camry.

 

I was in the same boat, deciding between the 07 Camry and the 06 Avalon. I checked out both, and was able to get an Avalon Touring out the door for $28,300 which really made it a no-brainer because it came with everything I wanted and more. The Avalon is really built of Lexus quality, just with a Toyota badge. I just felt there were too many Camrys on the road, plus I didn't want the stigma of being a Camry driver. Avy's are far and few around here (especially the 05/06), so that's a nice perk too.

 

It is the same thing as the BMW 3 series and 5 series and Mercedes C and E classes. They are very similar with only minor differences, but they both sell to different markets.

Fact is, people who will consider the avalon, won't even look at the camry. Completely different market segments. The camry is still the "mid-line" car from Toyota, not their flagship.

Fully loaded Camry is around 30k, fully loaded Avy is around 40. 10k price difference and a huge gap in market segment.

Apples to oranges here. I certainly hope you don't ever plan on writing for car mags. lol


PS: Avalon is MUCH larger in the interior and exterior than the Camry

 

You also need to keep in mind, Toyota has no intention of selling as many Avalons as they do Camrys.

Go to a Toyota dealership. There will be tons more Camrys than Avalons. Toyota knows what they are doing.

 

At the beginning I had my mind set on a camry. I wanted nothing but a camry. I test drove every model, the I-4, V6 and the hybrid (several times each). I've never even considered the Avalon because i'm only 28 years old. Then not to long ago the toyota sales guy said "have you ever driven the avalon?"... so to humor him, I said "why not"... Long story short, I got the Avalon XLS.

As soon as i sat in the Av, I made up my mind. It's a whole different class of car. It's not about the size of the car or the speed of the engine because theres not much of a difference, it's the quality of the interior. The interior of the Camry just felt cheaper to me. Not to mention, in about 5 months, everyone will have a camry. Not to say that the camry is bad because I still love them, I just love the avalon more. I just wish it had bluetooth

 

Given the similar pricing (Canada) between the '07 Lexus ES350 and the '06 Avalon Touring, I'd go with the ES350. Even the "base" model ES350 is very well equipped. I think the Avalon is a hard sell because for a bit more, you can get an ES350 (newer model, new look, "Lexus" class, 6-speed, push-button start, bluetooth, etc). Buyers will choose either the '07 Camry, or '07 ES350 and skip the Avalon, IMO:

 

In Canada, the prices are close but there's a big gap in the US, the Avalon starts at $26,775 and the ES350 starts at $33,865.

 

You must not own an Avalon.

I do. I work for Toyota, the Camry is a very nice car but is not even close to being on the same level as the Avalon, IMO if you spend that much on a Camry & DON"T spend the extra few dollars for the Avalon then you are the one getting screwed.

06 Limited & wouldn't change but one thing that I think might come with the new 07 Camry.. Touch screens !

I have an '04 avalon and recently drove an 07 camry and I would change mine, Avalon is bigger inside and quieter.

 

I drove the Camry first and was not impressed with the acceleration. It seemed to slowly accelerate when I got on it. Lots of front leg room, no leg room in the rear for people behind me, at 6'3 I have the seat as far back as it will go. The Avalon was very nice, same front leg room and seemed more spacious and wider. The rear had a lot more legroom that the Camry, I could put the seat where I was comfortable and sit in the back with 3"-4" of legroom before my knees hit the front seat. I also thought it rode a bit better, probably due to a little more weight.

All in all they are both very nice cars. We did not need, or see the purpose of all of the fancy do dads that the limited and XLS had (although nice, we just didn't want to pay for it . We went for the XL and had the dealer install leather interior into it. They had a Camry that they put leather in and it was VERY nice. Looked the same quality to factory except for different stitching design, we get it back tomorrow :clap:.

A bit off topic:

I will more than likely go with 18" wheels, add an amp and sub (to the factory location), Toyota rear lip spoiler and I'd like to find some factory fog/driving lights. As soon as I get it back tomorrow, it goes in for tint.

Mike