A Baby Lexus? or an Overgrown Camry? Toyota's Avalon Has a Little Flavor of Both

Seems to me, I had this discussion once before: just what is the meaning of "luxury automobile"?

Beats me. I've never been much of one for top-of-the-line vehicles; give me a sturdy pickup or a comfy road wagon, and I'm a happy camper, at least if I'm the one paying the freight. You know what I mean? But if it's somebody else's nickel, well, I'll not turn down a chance to see how the other half lives (by that, I mean the half that finds such things important). So, over the past couple of years, I've gladly taken the opportunity to drive an Infiniti I-30, a Cadillac DeVille, a Lincoln Town Car, and a succession of SUVs of various shapes and sizes. At the same time, I've also been sentenced to a week or two in several econoboxes. It's all in the name of research, you know? All the same, though, somehow there just never seems to be a Mercedes or a Bimmer around when I hit the desk at the rental agency!

This time I slipped toward the "luxury" end of the scale, with a car that Ms scmrak dubbed a "baby Lexus." This week's rental was a 2002 Toyota Avalon, the top of the line offering for the brand. Toyota introduced the Avalon in 1995 to replace the Cressida, which had recently been discontinued. Rumor has it they dropped the latter from their lineup because no one could figure out how to pronounce it: CRESS-i-da? cress-EYE-da? cres-SID-a?

While the Ms likened the Avalon to the Toyota clan's rich uncle, I found it sometimes difficult to forget the close relationship to its more proletarian sibling, the Camry. Of course, the fact that my ride was undeniably an
entry-level Avalon had something to do with the latter. The XL trim level (at least in appointments) is much more
similar to such vehicles as Chevy's Impala or the Ford Crown Victoria than to a Lexus of any stripe.


Welcome to Rent-an-Avalon

Enterprise certainly didn't go all out on their Avalon -- for a mere $5K or so above its MSRP of about $26K, They
could have picked up the XLS trim line with all the attendant luxury. Don't get me wrong: the list of standard
features on the XL trim is fairly substantial: AM/FM/Cassette/CD, cruise, tilt, power locks/windows/mirrors, and standard ABS and side air bags. Besides that, the car is beautifully insulated, resulting in a deliciously quiet ride.

Buying the XLS trim adds remote keyless entry, power seats, trip computer, and woodgrain appliquesfor starters. A power sunroof, JBL 6-CD changer, leather seating, and traction control are among available options.

Like all Avalons, my car was a four-door sedan (no other body style is available) equipped with a 3.0L V6 engine. I kept my XL for five days, racking up about 500 miles (400 highway, 100 city). Along the way I made a few notes, which I'm here to share with you.


Styling

Many (including myself) have accused Toyota's Camry of being somwhat blah. It's not that it's boring, it's just that it's not all that different from most others in its class. The Avalon has many of the same general lines as its little brother, but isn't merely a slightly larger version (about three inches longer, to be exact). The difference -- to me, at least -- is most apparent when viewed from the front: the Avalon's hoodline slopes more dramatically, and the windshield appears taller; which lends the Avalon a slightly foreshortened look. When viewed from the side, the Camry and Avalon are both streamlined and sleek, in keeping with Toyota's corporate aversion to cluttered trim or shaped panels.

The interior styling is all clean lines and classic understatement, with simplicity as the watchword. Interior trim materials are well-made and durable. Compartments such as the ash tray and front cup holders are hidden behind doors that open automatically and retract at a touch. Unlike less expensive vehicles, the surfaces are not riddled with "blanks" where switches for optional equipment would be installed in other trim lines.


Passenger/Car Interface

Front seating is roomy and comfortable, including firm lumbar support (this is getting more important as my back gets older!). Seat adjustability is limited to forward/reverse, seat-back tilt, and lumbar panel adjustment. Multi-position memory power adjustment is part of the XLS trim line.

When seated in the cockpit, the driver will find controls and displays as follows (left to right):

* power window and door locks on the armrest
* power mirror adjustment, armrest
* panel and interior lights, below and to the left of the instrument panel
* left steering column stalk: turn signals, headlights, dimmer switch
* steering wheel tilt lever
* right side of steering wheel face: cruise control with on-off and cancel switches
* right steering column stalk: wipers (four-speed intermittent) and windshield washer
* instrument cluster: speedometer, fuel and temperature, tachometer, idiot light panel
* dashboard center, top to bottom: odometer/trip odometer, thermometer, and clock; sound system controls; dual-zone climate controls
* floor-mounted four-speed automatic overdrive shifter (display in instrument cluster)

Controls are comfortably sized and clearly labelled; I found no difficulty in locating or reaching anything except the trip odometer selector/reset, which is beneath the odometer at the center of the dashboard (above the radio). Remote releases for the fuel filler door and trunk can be found at the left rear corner of the driver's foot well.

Amenities include map pockets and a tilt-out compartment suitable for oversized sunglasses in both front doors, a combination ashtray/lighter compartment below the radio controls (the lighter doubles as a 12-volt power port), a medium-sized glove compartment, and a deep console compartment with padded top and a 12-volt power port. Cup holders float out of the front of the console compartment, retracting smoothly. Both sunvisors have lighted mirrors, with small, secondary visors hinged behind them. You'll also find a compartment in the ceiling for sunglasses or a garage-door remote.

Climate controls include a position switch, A/C on-off switch, vent-recirculation switch, and dual temperature-control dials. The air conditioning is automatically engaged when the defroster is in use. The stock sound system features six presets and seek and scan capability; audio mode control is provided in a single knob.

Rear-seat passengers find comfortable seating with plenty of legroom, though the width is still tight for three adults. A fold-down armrest reveals a small, locking pass-through to the trunk, along with cupholders. A cupholder and ash tray are located on the back of the console as well. The trunk is slightly smaller than that of a Camry (15 ft^3 as opposed to 16 for the Camry). A full-sized spare (yesss!!!) is found under the trunk compartment, and there's a standard cargo net as well. The back seat does not fold down, by the way; large cargo will need to fit in the rather small pass-through to the back seat.


Mechanicals

The power train is identical in all Avalons, pairing a 210-hp V6 engine with a four-speed automatic transmission (traction control is an available option). The transmission has an on-off switch for O/D; this is useful if towing or driving in hilly terrain. The drivetrain yields an EPA estimated 21 MPG (city) and 29 MPG (highway); the results from my trip came in at about 26 MPG. Maximum engine torque (220 foot-pounds) falls at 4400 rpm, maximum horsepower at 5800 rpm.

Acceleration for this 3500-pound vehicle is smooth and strong through the driving range, with good reserve power at freeway speeds and in stop-and-go driving. One will not confuse it, however, for a V8 under any circumstances. The transmission seems somewhat inclined to downshift early when punched, though this is a subjective observation. Note: rumor has it that some configurations of Toyota's V6 engine are having persistent problems with engine sludge and may be subject to a recall (real or "silent").

Handling is tight and responsive for a passenger car of this size. There's little or no dip when cornering, and the vehicle tracks smoothly through turns at freeway speeds (I took one of Texas' rare cloverleaf ramps at a solid 40 mph, accelerating out of the bottom for an easy merge with traffic). The driver has a good feel for the road, yet the ride is still cushy.

The interior sound level is superb: almost no engine noise, even under hard acceleration; no wind noise, and road noise only arising from the coarsest of road surfaces. I feel that the ride and the vehicle's interior noise level are the factors for the Avalon that most nearly approach luxury-car status. Body fit and finish, on my sample of one, were also superb.


Safety

All Avalons come with the following safety equipment standard:

* anti-lock brakes
* dual front passenger airbags
* front passenger side airbags
* daytime running lights
* shoulder belts for all five seating positions
* LATCH points for three child safety seats

Traction control is optional. There is no headrest for the rear seat center position, by the way.


The Good, the Bad, and the Indifferent

Now comes the moment to go through the last of for notes and generate a list of pros and cons:

The Good, selling points the salesman is sure to want to repeat:
+ an interior nearly as quiet as a tomb
+ excellent fuel economy for its class
+ excellent handling and ride
+ high quality fit and finish
+ headlight auto-off capability
+ back seat room
+ construction and materials for interior appointments
+ did I say it's quiet?

The Indifferent, features that are good but not out of the ordinary:
= dual climate control
= average or slightly better sound
= acceleration and power

The Bad -- nothing that's a deal breaker, though:
- dual climate controls awkward
- location of odometer in the center of the dashboard
- not very "luxurious" for the price, e.g., no power seats or keyless entry
- cheesy -looking and -working trunk and fuel filler releases


Overall

This one's a keeper: luxurious ride and a cabin that's serenely quiet; solid construction and excellent finish. It's said by many to be as close to a Lexus as you can get without actually paying the full price. But... Considering the price ($26K), you're getting a pretty bare-bones car: no leather, no sunroof, no keyless remote entry, no power seats.

Still and all, though it's a pretty impressive car for those among us who are more interested in quality construction than creature comforts.