Review: Avalon XLS behind its rivals

[ByTheLake]

Interior issues put Avalon XLS behind its rivals

BY MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
March 24, 2005
Pieces are not supposed to fall off new cars.

Particularly not new Toyotas.

That's the reason people buy Toyotas. The company's mission statement is practically "the pieces stay where we put them."

Mission not accomplished.

The all-new $34,629 2005 Toyota Avalon XLS full-size sedan I recently tested had a roomy, attractive interior and a powerful engine, but several quality defects -- including a dial that fell out and left a hole in the dashboard -- leave it trailing the competition.

The Avalon is the largest car Toyota sells in the United States. It marked the company's first direct assault on the traditional six-passenger full-size market when the first model of the car debuted in 1995.

The front-wheel-drive car shares its basic structure and many of its major systems with the smaller midsize Camry, and it's built alongside the Camry at Toyota's assembly plant in Georgetown, Ky.

Toyota sold 36,460 Avalons in 2004, down from 50,911 in 2003.

Avalon prices range from $26,350 for the base XL model to $30,800 for the top-of-the-line XLS. All prices exclude destination charges. The Avalon is Toyota's most expensive car.

The well-equipped XLS model I tested had a long list of standard features, including rear seats that recline up to 10 degrees, seven air bags, a power sunroof and antilock brakes. Options included a voice-activated DVD navigation system, a 360-watt JBL stereo with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and traction and stability control.

The interior is roomy and lovely, 106.9 cubic feet of leather-wrapped passenger space trimmed with the most attractive ersatz wood I've ever seen, a honey-blond plastic that mimics the finest bird's-eye grain.

By comparison, the Buick LeSabre has 107.6 cubic feet of passenger room, the Chevrolet Impala has 104.5, the Chrysler 300C 106.6 and the Ford Five Hundred 107.5.

In addition to its wide-open spaces and reclining rear seat, the Avalon has a flat floor in the rear, making the car much more comfortable for middle-seat passengers.

Toyota built a six-seat version of the previous Avalon, but that model accounted for only about 8 percent of sales. The all-new 2005 comes only with front bucket and rear bench seats.

Unfortunately, the interior's many virtues were undone by several quality problems.

The dial to adjust the brightness of the instrument panel lights fell out of the dashboard the first time I touched it. The result was a hole the size of your index finger and the certainty of a visit to the service department.

Any quality defect is shocking in a Toyota, but the Avalon had a few more surprises in store for me.

The ceiling-mounted buttons for the front dome lights squeaked, and they were made of what felt like the thinnest, cheapest plastic I can ever recall in a Toyota.

The spring-loaded drawer that holds the controls for the navigation system never came all the way open on its own, and several pieces of colored trim on the dash and doors did not quite align.

Full Article Here

[mgescuro]

Aaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww.... Toooo bad!!!
My heart bleeds for 'em....

NOT!!!

[giagastormer]

I must be dreaming because nothing ever goes wrong with a Toyota.

[SonicAerio]

Like everything in the world......."What goes up...must come down" Theyve established brand loyalty now they just want to sell as many cars as possible, using cheaper parts. I've heard there are some quality issues with alot of their mainstream cars.

[HEMI300C]

I thought the Limited was the top of the line Avalon. Perhaps he's a bit confused.

[BigAls87Z28]

There was poor fitting pannels inside the Avalon, as well as the "metalic" trim felt very cheap and hollow.
I was very confused how people can think that Toyota's are better then anything else.

[AdmiralViscen]

Let's see if Toyota has all of these problems fixed by 2006.

Aren't Avalon sales already rapidly approaching Five Hundred sales?

[86fleet]

toyota, not perfect?
what's going on here?

[johnd89]

aaaaah!
talk about a perfect day!

very well written article!


uh, I just became n/a 3.2 from 3.8 s/c...??!?

[86fleet]

Originally Posted by AdmiralViscen

Let's see if Toyota has all of these problems fixed by 2006.

Aren't Avalon sales already rapidly approaching Five Hundred sales?

I've seen 5 times as many Avalons than 500s, and I not even looking for ethier of them. If I was a Ford fan, I'd be seriously depressed. As is, I'm not happy about it. I just hope that the Lucerene-Avalon ratio is better

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by AdmiralViscen

Aren't Avalon sales already rapidly approaching Five Hundred sales?

Well, I haven't seen one single 500 or Montego.
I have only seen one new Avalon and one new Lacrosse.

[HEMI300C]

I've seen at least a dozen LaCrosses in NYC...no Avalons yet.

It was funny, I NEVER saw another Chrysler 300 in Manhattan. Then last weekend I saw about 15 of them in one night.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by GMCSonoma

Wow, I see all kinds of 500's, Montegos, LaCrosses, GP's, more so than an Avalon. There are a number of Camry and Accords though, sadly. But as far as me seeing so many of these medium sized sedans, this state/area is a stronghold for GM & Ford.

I live in California... where 3 out of every 5 cars is an import.
Ironically enough, I see more and more CTS's on the road. In fact, I saw a traditional Pink CTS yesterday. Funny... but it actually looked good.

[Mike The Canadian]

YES!!!!!YESSS!!!! I am going to celebrate
Beer for all!
Now I want the Lucerne to run over this toyota. And the LeSabre as more passenger room! Excellent!

[nsap]

Where are GMI's Toyota-lovers???? I am disappointed that they haven't chimed in on this thread. I would love to see their excuse for the poor trim quality in the pic that Big-Al posted.

When I first saw the Avalon's interior I thought it was funny that they just covered all the switchgear to hide it because it actually looks cheap. Smooth move Yoda.