The 2019 Toyota Avalon was the first year of the model’s fifth generation. It debuted in January 2018 at the Detroit auto show and went on sale in the United States that May. The most important change was underneath: the Avalon moved to Toyota’s New Global Architecture, swapping its old platform for the GA-K underpinnings shared with the Lexus ES and Camry, and gaining a new V6 and an eight-speed automatic.
Engine and Transmission
The gasoline 2019 Avalon used a 3.5-liter 2GR-FKS V6 with dual injection (D-4S), VVT-iW on the intake side and VVT-i on the exhaust. It produced 301 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 267 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm. Power went to the front wheels through a Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode. The hybrid version of the same car used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder eCVT powertrain rated at a combined 215 horsepower.
Fuel Economy
EPA estimates for the V6 depended on trim. The XLE was rated at 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined, while the XSE, Limited and Touring were rated at 22/31/25 mpg. All used regular gasoline. The Avalon Hybrid was rated at 43 mpg city, 43 mpg highway and 43 mpg combined.
Trims and Price
The 2019 Avalon was sold in four gasoline trims, XLE, XSE, Touring and Limited, plus three hybrid trims, Hybrid XLE, Hybrid XSE and Hybrid Limited. Toyota quoted a starting MSRP of $35,500 for the XLE V6 (CarGurus lists the range as $35,650 to $42,350), with the Hybrid XLE starting at $36,650 and the Hybrid Limited at $42,950.
Dimensions and Interior
The 2019 Avalon rode on a 113.0-inch wheelbase and measured 195.9 inches long, 72.8 inches wide and 56.5 inches tall, with a drag coefficient of 0.27. Curb weight ranged from 3,560 pounds for the XLE to 3,704 pounds for the Touring. EPA passenger volume was 102.9 to 104.3 cubic feet, and the trunk held 16.1 cubic feet. The cabin seated five, with 42.1 inches of front legroom and 40.3 inches in the second row.
Features
Standard equipment across the range included Toyota Safety Sense P, a suite of 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 and a backup camera were also standard. Toyota’s Entune 3.0 ran through a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, HD Radio and satellite radio, while a 14-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL system and a 10-inch color head-up display were available. The Touring grade added an Adaptive Variable Suspension and a 4-mode drive selector.
Wheels ranged from 17-inch alloys on the XLE to 18-inch on the Limited and 19-inch on the XSE and Touring. The Touring used a four-mode drive selector (Eco, Normal or Custom, Sport and Sport+) along with engine sound enhancement, while the XSE and Touring also wore a piano black rear spoiler and quad exhaust tips.
How the Generation Ended
The fifth-generation Avalon stayed on sale through the 2022 model year. Toyota added an all-wheel-drive four-cylinder option for 2021 and gave the hybrid a lithium-ion battery that year. In August 2021 Toyota announced it would stop building the Avalon in the United States after 2022, replacing it with the Crown crossover. Buyers comparing the Avalon Limited with the Avalon Hybrid had two distinct characters to choose from: a 301-hp V6 or a 215-hp hybrid that returned 43 mpg.
The line changed little after launch. Toyota added a TRD version for 2020 that used the same V6 with sportier suspension tuning, then for 2021 brought a four-cylinder all-wheel-drive option, standard Android Auto and an XSE Nightshade edition. For the final 2022 model year the TRD, the XSE Nightshade and the XLE and Limited all-wheel-drive models were dropped.
Safety and Driver Assistance
Toyota Safety Sense P was standard on every 2019 Avalon. The suite combined 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 and an integrated backup camera with dynamic gridlines were also standard. Toyota offered an Advanced Safety Package on the Limited and Touring that added a Bird’s Eye View Camera with a 360-degree overhead view, Intelligent Clearance Sonar and Rear Cross-Traffic Braking. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2019 Avalon its Top Safety Pick+ award, with Good ratings in the crash tests and a Superior rating for front crash prevention.
Cabin and Comfort
Inside, the Avalon offered 42.1 inches of front legroom and 40.3 inches in the second row, with 102.9 to 104.3 cubic feet of passenger volume depending on whether a moonroof was fitted. Front seats were heated, and higher trims added ventilation and a four-way power lumbar support for the driver. A 7-inch TFT display sat in the instrument cluster, and a 10-inch color head-up display was available. The trunk measured 16.1 cubic feet and the rear seats folded in a 60/40 split. A 14-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL system with Clari-Fi was offered above the standard 8-speaker Entune 3.0 setup.
The Avalon had been Toyota’s largest front-wheel-drive sedan in North America since the first generation arrived for 1995, and from 2013 it shared its extended platform with the Lexus ES. The 2019 model continued that relationship on the new GA-K architecture, which was also under the Camry and the ES. For buyers who wanted the same body with electric assistance, the hybrid version delivered 215 horsepower and 43 mpg combined instead of the V6’s 301 horsepower and 25 mpg combined.
