2019 Toyota Avalon Debuts in Detroit

Even redesigned, the Toyota Avalon still isn’t the sexiest car on the road. But the 2019 model does look better, packs more power, and comes with some nice modern technologies. Your grandparents are gonna love this thing, trust me.

First off, the front fascia isn’t so garish, which is a big plus. The rest of the exterior has a sleekness to it, which might fool some unknowledgeable souls into thinking this is some sort of performance vehicle. On the inside, you get the feeling of a cushy living room on wheels, although not quite like an old Buick, but still.

Just like the new Camry, you can get the 301-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6, if you want to get to your bridge games in a hurry. For those more interested in saving fuel, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid is a wise choice, albeit weak with only 203 horsepower. Both engines work with an 8-speed automatic.

So, Toyota’s really trying to play the new Avalon up as some sort of four-door muscle car. It keeps throwing out terms like “athleticism” and “hustle” in the press release, which is kind of sad and funny. But I digress.

More importantly, you can get a bunch of advanced onboard technologies, like Apple CarPlay (which you can get on pretty much every car these days), a nice JBL performance sound system, wireless device charging, LED lights, etc. From the look and sound of things, you can expect the Avalon to continue offering a luxury car experience, without the inflated price tag. I suppose that’s a reason to buy this thing.

Of course, pricing hasn’t yet been announced. The car will launch later this year, but Toyota hasn’t given a timetable.