The 2019 Toyota Avalon Hybrid replaced the previous generation’s 2.5-liter hybrid system with Toyota’s newer Dynamic Force hybrid, and it arrived as part of the Avalon’s move to the fifth generation and the TNGA GA-K platform. The car went on sale in the United States in May 2018 for the 2019 model year.
Hybrid Engine Specs
The 2019 Avalon Hybrid paired a 2.5-liter A25A-FXS four-cylinder Dynamic Force engine, rated at 176 horsepower, with a 118-horsepower electric motor. Combined system output was 215 horsepower through Toyota’s Hybrid System II (THS II). Drive went to the front wheels via an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT). Toyota used a nickel-metal hydride battery pack in the 2019 model, switching to a more compact lithium-ion pack for 2021.
| Engine | 2.5 L A25A-FXS I4, Dynamic Force |
| Engine output | 176 hp |
| Electric motor | 118 hp |
| Combined output | 215 hp |
| Transmission | eCVT |
| Battery (2019) | Nickel-metal hydride |
| EPA combined | 43 mpg |
| Fuel | Regular unleaded |
| Seats | 5 |
Fuel Economy
Toyota estimated the 2019 Avalon Hybrid would improve on its predecessor’s 40 mpg combined by about 10 percent. The EPA rated the car at 43 mpg city, 43 mpg highway and 43 mpg combined. That made it one of the most efficient large sedans on sale: the V6 Avalon of the same year was rated at 22 mpg city and 31 to 32 mpg highway. Toyota also noted the Avalon Hybrid was the only full hybrid in its segment.
Price and Trims
The 2019 Avalon Hybrid came in three trims. The Hybrid XLE started at $36,650, the Hybrid XSE sat in the middle, and the Hybrid Limited topped the range at $42,950. By comparison, the gasoline Avalon started at $35,500 for the XLE V6. The hybrid carried a small premium over the equivalent V6 while delivering roughly 18 mpg more on the combined cycle.
The hybrid was a meaningful part of Avalon sales. Toyota sold 27,767 Avalons in the United States in 2019, of which 6,552 were hybrids, and 33,580 in 2018, of which 8,009 were hybrids. That made the hybrid roughly a quarter of the model’s U.S. volume.
Standard Equipment and Safety
Every 2019 Avalon Hybrid came standard with Toyota Safety Sense P. That package included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams and full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control. A blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, an integrated backup camera and a 9-inch Entune 3.0 touchscreen with Apple CarPlay were also standard. Available features included a 14-speaker JBL audio system, a 10-inch color head-up display and a wireless charging pad. The instrument cluster added a hybrid system indicator, and the multi-information display included an energy monitor.
Dimensions
The hybrid shared the fifth-generation Avalon body: a 113.0-inch wheelbase, 195.9 inches of overall length, 72.8 inches of width and 56.5 inches of height. It seated five, with 16.1 cubic feet of trunk space. The body used the same TNGA GA-K platform as the gasoline model, and the hybrid added no exterior distinction beyond its trim-specific wheels and badging. The related Avalon Hybrid launch and Avalon Limited pages cover the rest of the lineup.
The 2019 Avalon Hybrid shared its body and platform with the gasoline Avalon, which itself shared the GA-K architecture with the Camry and the Lexus ES. Its main differences were the powertrain, the instrument cluster’s hybrid energy display and the battery packaging beneath the rear seat.
Later Changes
The Avalon Hybrid continued through the 2022 model year. Toyota gave the hybrid a lithium-ion battery for 2021 and added a gasoline all-wheel-drive option the same year. In August 2021 Toyota confirmed it would end U.S. Avalon production after 2022 and replace the nameplate with the Crown crossover. The Avalon remains in production for China.
For 2020 Toyota added an Avalon TRD, using the V6 rather than the hybrid. The 2021 hybrid gained the lithium-ion battery and an updated infotainment system with standard Android Auto. The nameplate ended in North America after 2022, leaving the Crown as its successor.
How It Compared With the V6
The Avalon Hybrid traded power for efficiency. The V6 Avalon made 301 horsepower and was rated at 25 mpg combined, while the hybrid made 215 horsepower and returned 43 mpg combined. Both drove the front wheels, but the V6 used an eight-speed automatic and the hybrid an eCVT. Toyota noted that in 2019 the Avalon Hybrid was the only full hybrid in its segment, with rivals such as the Chevrolet Impala, Nissan Maxima, Kia Cadenza and Buick LaCrosse relying on conventional gasoline powertrains.
The Previous Avalon Hybrid
The hybrid was not new to the Avalon. The fourth generation, sold from 2013 to 2018, offered a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system rated at a combined 200 horsepower and EPA-estimated at 40 mpg combined. The 2019 car improved both figures, to 215 horsepower and 43 mpg combined, and it moved to the stiffer TNGA platform. The battery also changed during the generation’s life: nickel-metal hydride at launch, lithium-ion from the 2021 model year.
The 2019 Avalon Hybrid was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which gave it Good ratings in the crashworthiness categories and a Superior rating for front crash prevention. Ten airbags and Toyota’s Star Safety System were standard, along with a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and a backup camera.
