Excellent standard V6; hyper-efficient hybrid model; luxurious cabin; standard safety tech; abundant passenger room
Ride is firmer than it used to be; fancier models get luxury-grade pricing
The Avalon carries over unchanged for 2018.See the 2018 Toyota Avalon models for sale near you
The best 2018 Avalon is an XLE Premium, which offers all the features you'd want without breaking the bank. It also boasts available hybrid or V6 powertrains, which means you can get excellent fuel economy or a surprising amount of off-the-line oomph.
The 2018 Toyota Avalon is offered in five trim levels: XLE, XLE Plus, XLE Premium, Touring and Limited. The Avalon Hybrid is only available in XLE Plus, XLE Premium and Limited guise.
Things start off with the base-level Avalon XLE ($33,500), which is offered only with the sedan's V6 engine. Standard features include automatic headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, power front seats, heated front seats, keyless access for the front doors and trunk, push-button start, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a USB port and a 7-in touchscreen with Toyota's Entune infotainment interface. Also standard is Toyota's Safety Sense package that includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning and automatic braking, lane-departure warning with steering assist and automatic high beams.
Next up is the XLE Plus ($35,300 V6, $37,500 hybrid), which adds keyless access for the rear doors, an auto-dimming mirror and a power sunroof.
Then there's the XLE Premium ($36,700 V6, $39,000 hybrid). It adds a blind spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, driver memory for the seat and mirrors, an improved version of Toyota's Entune infotainment system with navigation and app functionality, a wireless device charger and a 9-speaker sound system.
After that comes the Touring ($37,900), which is only offered with the V6. It adds sportier suspension tuning, steering-wheel paddle shifters, 18-in alloy wheels and LED headlights.
Topping the sedan's range is the Limited ($41,300 V6, $42,800 hybrid). It reverts to the standard suspension and adds xenon headlights, auto-dimming side mirrors, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, additional front seat power adjustments, a power rear sunshade, an 11-speaker JBL sound system and Toyota's Safety Connect system, which offers roadside assistance, automatic collision notification and more.
| Sedan | Original MSRP / Price | Engine | Horsepower | City MPG / Hwy MPG | Transmission | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon Hybrid Limited (Natl) | $42,800 / $38,520 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 200 | 40 / 39 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon Hybrid XLE Plus (Natl) | $37,500 / $33,751 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 200 | 40 / 39 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium (Natl) | $38,950 / $35,056 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 200 | 40 / 39 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon Limited (Natl) | $41,300 / $37,171 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 268 | 21 / 30 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon Touring (Natl) | $37,900 / $34,111 | 6 Cylinder | 268 | 21 / 30 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon XLE (Natl) | $33,500 / $30,151 | 6 Cylinder | 268 | 21 / 30 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon XLE Plus (Natl) | $35,250 / $31,726 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 268 | 21 / 30 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Avalon XLE Premium (Natl) | $36,700 / $33,032 | 6 Cylinder / Hybrid | 268 | 21 / 30 | Continuously Variable Automatic / 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
The 2018 Toyota Avalon comes standard with anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, 10 standard airbags, a backup camera, forward-collision warning and automatic braking, lane-departure warning and intervention and automatic high beams. These advanced driver aids are optional on the Avalon's competitors. The XLE Premium trim and higher includes rear cross-traffic alert and a blind spot monitoring system.
In government crash tests, the Avalon earned a 5-star overall rating. That score consisted of a 5-star side-impact rating and 4-star ratings in frontal and rollover assessments. The nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Avalon an excellent Top Safety Pick score due to its top performance in all crash tests and its Superior-rated front-crash prevention system.
| Basic | 3 Years/36,000 Miles |
| Drivetrain | 5 Years/60,000 Miles |
| Corrosion | 5 Years/Unlimited Miles |
| Roadside Assistance | 2 Years/Unlimited Miles |
| Maintenance | 2 Years/25,000 Miles |
2018 Buick LaCrosse -- The LaCrosse challenges the Avalon for refinement, comfort and luxury while bettering it in terms of performance. Many will probably prefer its styling, as well. It gains a mild hybrid base model for 2018.
2018 Kia Cadenza -- The value-rich Cadenza is stylish, refined and draws heavily from the Avalon's full-size sedan playbook. You may not have heard of it before, but the Cadenza is worth a look.
2018 Chrysler 300 -- Offering rear- or all-wheel drive, the 300 is a champ on the highway. It also boasts the excellent Uconnect interface, along with optional HEMI V8 power.
Used Lexus ES -- If you're looking for a more upscale experience than the Avalon offers, consider a used ES. Mechanically very similar to the Avalon, the ES boasts a higher-end cabin and, quite obviously, a higher-end badge.
Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles occupy a lot of spots on this list.