I bought a brand new 2022 Avalon Limited in May. I love the car. It’s very comfortable and it rides like a luxury car. It feels like riding on a magic carpet. I also purchased a brand new 2022 Lexus ES350 in June. The ES350 is just as luxurious as the Avalon Limited. Both vehicles have the same 3.5 liter 302 horsepower gasoline engine. The ES is also very luxurious and it has a very soft and luxurious ride. I love both cars. I don’t have any regrets buying the 2022 Avalon Limited and the 2022 Lexus ES350.

 

Hello. I know this is an old old thread however since it is the Internet, these things last forever. If you have the time I have a question. I have owned two Avalon second generation and third generation I am considering buying a used fifth generation the last one 2019 through 22. I cannot decide if I should go with a hybrid or go with the six cylinder in this generation which is the 302 hp any thoughts thank you.

 

I gave a review of the Avalon along with its flaws, I personally don't have any regrets but I also purchased pre-Covid when they were discounting Avalon's by $10k, if I had paid full retail, I might be less satisfied, especially with its build quality. Ride quality is very good typical of a long wheelbase vehicle, wheel size may be a factor to consider. Would I get an Avalon over the Camry with the price difference? Yes, this is an Avalon forum after all . In regards to Lexus, I have a 2017 Lexus RX450h and though the build quality of TMMC (Canada) is much better than TMMK (Kentucky), it is afflicted by the unusually bad trackpad control, also there is no AC on/off switch, just some foibles to consider (thankfully Lexus is killing off the trackpad control in newer models). Another factor that may merit consideration is the Aisin automatic tranny's, although in the Avalon's case, the power difference is significant between the hybrid and non-hybrid. Hope this helps.

 

Bought a '21 Avalon hybrid XSE after my Corolla was totaled, and I couldn't get a Camry with the options I wanted.
Absolutely no regrets.

 

What Camry did you want? DId you get everything you wanted in that Camry in the Avy?

 

I had a 2000 Avalon. Loved it. No problems and maintenance was low. But I wanted a newer car with newer technology and the 2019 was the first new model year. Bought the Limited. Love it. Minor things I might like different. No sunglasses holder due to moon roof taking up room. But that's just minor. Great car. Lexus not worth any difference in price. Expect to keep it 15 years minimum.

 

I had a 2000 Avalon. Loved it. No problems and maintenance was low. But I wanted a newer car with newer technology and the 2019 was the first new model year. Bought the Limited. Love it. Minor things I might like different. No sunglasses holder due to moon roof taking up room. But that's just minor. Great car. Lexus not worth any difference in price. Expect to keep it 15 years minimum.

I've been very happy with my 2019 Hybrid Limited so far; great ride, very comfortable interior and the as promised 43 mpg is real. My only real gripe is the above mentioned lack of a sunglass holder, sounds petty but I got so damned used to them in past few cars lol.

 

I wear wraps and OEM sunglass holders have never worked well for them. I wore Aviators or Clubmans in the 90s and they would have been fine, but none of my 90s cars had holders.
I just use a hard Oakley case and stow it in the door pocket.

 

Avalon is discontinued after the 2022 model.

 

My best friend was looking for a 'New Car' back in 2016.
Since he owned a 2007 Camry Hybrid he was thinking of getting another Camry.

I talked him out of it. He is tall (with a bad back) so I suggested an Avalon for his height and overall comfort.
He settled on a 2014 Avalon Hybrid. Yes it was used but in very good condition with under 30K miles.
He also purchased it from our local Toyota dealership.
They have always taken good care of me and my friend.
He still owns the 2014 Avalon and loves it.
It fits him better then his Camry.

I used to want to get an Avalon when the kids were still at home.
However, our 2007 Camry XLE is still a great car for my wife so we never 'needed' to get an Avalon.

 

I cannot say I have "regrets" (that's a strong word,
kind of like "hate"). But there are things I certainly
do not like. 2022 Touring, picked up in May 2022.

Headroom. I still clobber the noggin while getting in.
I'm 5'8".

Door: Opens much too wide to reach while seated.

Out/Off-Gassing: Not model-specific, but the windows
require frequent cleaning, leading to...

Rear Window: Not possible to clean properly, rear
seats up or down. My arms are less in length than
the distance to bottom. Paddle-style cleaner has
been useless if not maddening.

"Regrets"? No. Pains in ass? Yes.

PLENTY of things I do like. Overall satisfied.

 

I'll agree with you on the door reach issue.
My Corolla and wife's '15 Rav had grab handles up in front of the window controls that were very convenient.
I suspect they were removed because people would rest their hand inside the hoop and suffer hand/wrist injuries in frontal impacts.

The rear window is a pain, but there are tools that help....

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2021 Avalon Limited Hybrid. Moved up from the Camry as there is simply no substitute for full size sedan roominess. Legroom, headroom, wide console, quiet, smooth on the highway and way big trunk made for traveling. Put ~ 7k on in 4 months and haven't looked back. Camry is my commuter, the Avalon is get-away in style vehicle. Considered a LS300H but no comparison when value, practicality, features is the deciding factor. Comparable Lex is ~ 13K more for basically same car and the aesthetics BluePrint with Cognac leather, wide grill has definitely grown appeal. Easy to clean the wide mouth grill too. Thanks and Good Luck.

 

The Avalon is the king of the full size Toyota sedans. There’s nothing better than the Avalon.

 

I have a 2021 Avalon XLE Hybrid. No complaints at all about this car. It has softex seats that are very comfortable. Car rides great.

 

I have 1 thought / slight regret on this topic.

We've always been Android phone users, and never had a vehicle with Android Auto in it, so I just assumed the 2019 Limited V6 without it, would be no big deal.

I mean we have the factory NAV right?

Well after experiencing how Android Auto functions in my wife's little Hyundai Kona, I REALLY want Android Auto in our next highway cruiser. The Hyundai interface is really smooth, and incredibly accurate, even with voice commands.

This is literally the only regret I have about the 2019 Avalon Limited V6 (although automatic power folding rear view mirrors would have been nice too)..

 

I have 1 thought / slight regret on this topic.

We've always been Android phone users, and never had a vehicle with Android Auto in it, so I just assumed the 2019 Limited V6 without it, would be no big deal.

I mean we have the factory NAV right?

Well after experiencing how Android Auto functions in my wife's little Hyundai Kona, I REALLY want Android Auto in our next highway cruiser. The Hyundai interface is really smooth, and incredibly accurate, even with voice commands.

This is literally the only regret I have about the 2019 Avalon Limited V6 (although automatic power folding rear view mirrors would have been nice too)..

Ya, Avalon (and many other models) didn't get it until 2021/2022.
Toyota's excuse in 2018 was "privacy issues"
Of course, you have an Android phone, you have no privacy on that phone that you would not also have on an AA head unit.
I suspect that the "privacy issue" was Toyota not wanting Google to have access to vehicle performance and CANBUS data, which is proprietary.

 

The only thing I regret about purchasing my Avalon is that it is difficult for me to get into it. I am tall and have arthritis in my hips, lower back and knees. The only way I can comfortably get into the car is by backing into it, sitting on the seat as I move my legs in. I have to duck down and cover my head as I sit; otherwise I bump it. I can get into my Prius Prime easier.

 

I'm getting rid of mine soon, my main complaint is that its laggy when accelerating. The gas pedal is not very responsive, its probably Toyota tuning it that way. Also, the transmission takes too long to "think" which gear it needs to be in when you need quickly accelerate.

On the stuff I do like is that its pretty luxurious, leather seats are great, it has all the nice tech and safety features I need and handles pretty well for a big sedan. Do I regret buying this? Kind of.

 

I'm getting rid of mine soon, my main complaint is that its laggy when accelerating. The gas pedal is not very responsive, its probably Toyota tuning it that way. Also, the transmission takes too long to "think" which gear it needs to be in when you need quickly accelerate.

On the stuff I do like is that its pretty luxurious, leather seats are great, it has all the nice tech and safety features I need and handles pretty well for a big sedan. Do I regret buying this? Kind of.

This is similar to my mom's Lexus RX350 2017. It drives super smooth and is very quiet, but the throttle response is really delayed, especially when you need to accelerate to beat oncoming traffic.

 

I am right there with you, @cp44 in the “kinda regret” category. The 8-speed transmission around town is maddening with the frustrating hesitation and downshift delays.

In less than 10 thousand miles, I also have a bunch of annoying rattles, the forever out-gassing fog on the interior windows, and the JBL sound system is generally disappointing. The Surround Sound setting is laughable.

And my extra-cost Wind Chill Pearl paint doesn’t even match (the bumpers are more tan in color than the body panels). I didn’t notice that until I drove off the lot, but now I can’t unsee it.

On paper and on the test drive, the Avalon is great. And it’s still a good car, but, winding the clock back, I wouldn’t have purchased it.

 

Going on 32,000 miles no issues car has been reliable and trouble free, would have considered another if they would have kept producing them. Does it check all the boxes-no, but I knew what I was buying, and it has met my expectations.

 

^ more gears = more lag and better MPG.

 

Then give me less gears!

My old G37 had a seven-speed and much worse MPG. But the transmission was flawless. It was always in the right gear, never any hunting or hesitation, and the car was always ready to take off. It was surprisingly reliable too. I bought the car brand new and kept it for 10 years.

I’d take that power train back any day! Just not the car itself. It’s way too small and cramped for my needs now.

 

I spend a lot of time on the highway and the Avalon has plenty of punch from 65-95 and pulls well past 100. In the city, I too wish for an update so it would downshift faster and be in the right gear more of the time. But the interstate is where the Avalon shines anyway.

 

I had (actually still have) one of the very first CVT transmissions used widely in the USA, in my 2003 Nissan Murano. Overall, it was pretty decent, until the day it died, and cost me over $5k to replace it. Now in all fairness, we still have the Murano and it has ~250,000 miles on it, but the body is rusting really fast now. It's headed for the scrap heap on it's next mechanical failure that cost more than about $250 because that's all my son is willing to invest in it at this point.

Even with my experience, I wouldn't for a second hesitate to buy a Toyota or Lexus with the ECVT (P610, or P710, or P810) . It's my opinion trhat they are just about the best in the business for reliability and efficency.

 

Are we at the point now where production has ended for the Avalon? RIP.

 

Production will stop in August, but I don't know exactly what date

 

Absolutely love our loaded 2022 Limited hybrid... no regrets!

 

Personally, both are relatively bullet proof. I'd choose based on availability, condition, verifiable service history and mileage.

I'd also PERSONALLY be wary of purchasing vehicles manufactured during the COVID supply chain issues. It seems to me there have been a lot more "recalls" of all brands of vehicles built in this window.

 

Hello. I know this is an old old thread however since it is the Internet, these things last forever. If you have the time I have a question. I have owned two Avalon second generation and third generation I am considering buying a used fifth generation the last one 2019 through 22. I cannot decide if I should go with a hybrid or go with the six cylinder in this generation which is the 302 hp any thoughts thank you.
[/QUOTE

Personally, both are relatively bullet proof. I'd choose based on availability, condition, verifiable service history and mileage.

I'd also PERSONALLY be wary of purchasing vehicles manufactured during the COVID supply chain issues. It seems to me there have been a lot more "recalls" of all brands of vehicles built in this window.

]
My 2022 Avalon was built the last month (July) they produced the Avalon and during Covid. No recalls or warranty work needed thus far. I wanted a V6 naturally aspirated ICE with both port and direct fuel injection without turbos. That was my last chance and I pulled the trigger.

 

Bought a used '22 XLE V6 in '24. Great car, lots of power, quiet inside, lots of leg room especially in the back, decent mpg for a V6, excellent seats, electronics work really well (BSM, etc).

Things that are annoying: Car is about an 1" too low as it sometimes grazes the cement blocks/stops in parking spaces. No memory seating positions for XLE. Paint is very soft so hood is already chipped and primer is visible in well over a dozen spots. '22 Camry bug shield/deflector fits on the hood which helps with reducing chips on hood. Suspension is a bit soft compared to our older Camry SE - very noticeable when you have to brake hard. Metal is very soft/thin - you'll see it bend when you push in gently on roof or hood or trunk. I've seen quite a few 5th gen Avalons with dings on the decklid. Roof rack is doable but the thin metal worries me, so I decided to skip it. Turn off "eco" mode for better shifting. Rear heaters have to be turned on (activated?) via the menu system on the main display (why?). Even then, rear heat is anemic.

Overall, much nice car than our Camry.