What Happened to the Toyota Avalon?

Toyota has confirmed that 2022 is the Avalon's last year of production. Toyota has also made changes to available equipment by eliminating the optional all-wheel-drive system and discontinuing the TRD trim level. Sales numbers are WAY down as well; both in the US and Canada. If you're in the market for a large sedan, the Toyota Avalon is highly recommended but fewer and fewer people have been buying them. The question is, why?!

[jsfranks]

I have a 2018 Avalon and really love it. I think sales are falling because people want SUV's and Trucks rather than a sedan. Nothing wrong with it, just customer changing preferences.

[LyleFrancisDelp]

Shopping for a new car in 1995, we looked at the Camry. By the time we added all the options we wanted, including the V6, turned out that the base Avalon, complete with all the options we wanted as standard, was only $1k more in price! As it had much more room in the back seat for our soon to arrive baby's carseat, we went with that. It was a no brainer. One of the best cars I ever owned.

[viktorwarhola]

I own a 2005 Avalon. This car was state of the art when it came out, offering features not seen until a decade later, too many to list. If it was imagined in 2005, it had it….Push button start with passive entry, Navigation, cooled seats, power rear sunshade, Massive back seat, extremely comfortable car with lots of power. One of the more reliable cars ever made. Problem is, the Camry was prioritized and sedan sales as a whole are going down. Nothing wrong with this car.

[leonardoramirez]

I have a 2016 Avalon and now with 136, 000 miles on it, I’ve only spent 13 oil changes one time up and $140 in two part that needed replacement . Same brakes same computer modules same every thing and it runs like new. So for my vote, it’s the best car I’ve owned and would buy a second Toyota Avalon 🎊🧬🎉

[csharpe]

Bought a 2022 Avalon XLE this year. Love it. Bought it for 4 main reasons: Comfort, Safety, Drivability, Reliability. We forget the main purpose of a car is to provide safe, comfortable, reliable transportation- which the Avalon has in spades. It may be that car manufacturers can’t make enough money on a car that lasts 20 years and never breaks down with very low maintenance.

[akeithwill]

I use to work at Kroger as a teenager. Everytime I was pushing carts I would see old people and they drove avalons. My perception of avalon was that they were old people cars. Now I'm 34 and I test drove a used Avalon and it was so comfortable for the driver and I sat in the backseat and the passenger seat was comfortable as well. After that they I understand now why old people love them. Comfortable, and low maintenance compared to another old people car brand Cadillac.

[robertbaxter]

I think the reason for the Avalon's decline in sales is for a host of reasons. 1) the decline of sedans in general 2) the Camry is such a great car for several thousand less 3) Lexus ES models 4) maybe a bit of old foggy car vibe. Personally I think it is a great car (I do not own one) and will be sorry to see it go.

[jfox]

My 05 avalon has over 200K on it and it runs and feels like a car with 50K on it.

[jemo]

I really like the Avalon. It made it onto the list of one of the best used cars to buy. I had family and friends that owned them and liked them. I think they were just too bland and I mostly remember seeing senior citizens drive them. I feel this car just wasn't marketed correctly. Toyota can still revive it in a few years like they did with the Supra.

[sootsrichmore]

I still have my 98 Originally my mom's car.... Had it for 7 yrs so 300k miles and still rides!!! Love this car.... And will continue to drive it until it cant no more!!!!

[timenloe]

I own a 2014 Avalon Limited and love it. I plan on getting the final generation touring when all is said and done and will keep the 2014. Regarding the Avalon's cancellation, I believe the follow factors contributed. 1. Competing with the Lexus ES350 (same car minus a few simple refinements), 2. The Camry is cheaper 3. Turbos / Hybrids and MPG - The V6 In this car is fantastic. It will last so much longer than the former, but society today is so "push button." Very few think long term which Toyota is known for CURRENTLY. Some think a two year old car is "old". The Crown will not have the following nor longevity of the Avalon. The new Tundra has shown how horrible Turbos are; even for Toyota. 4. Zero advertising for the Avalon. Bottom line; the Avalon is a trooper - old reliable in the tool bag. However, so many forget why we purchase an automobile in the first place - quite simply, reliable transportation. Toyota is going the wrong direction on so many fronts in my view.

[deaconmichaeljoens]

I bought an Avalon XLE earlier this year. I love it! Compared to the Camry XLE that I had before, the Avalon is in a whole different league of car. So much better! If you consider that I got the Avalon for exactly MSRP (a good deal these days), the fact that Camry V6 are non-existent (except as TRD), and there is typically a $3000 dealer markup on the 4-cylinder Camry XLE, the Avalon was not really that much more expensive for how much better it is. Arguably, a base Lexus ES350 is not much more than the Avalon, but you cannot actually get those; they always come with factory-installed options that cannot be negotiated away, which makes them about $8k more expensive. The argument that the Avalon is an "old people car" is fine with me because I am, in fact, 64 years old. Perfect car for me.

[Louis]

I bought a Toyota Avalon Touring edition. And I am delighted with it. The Generation 5 Avalon I purchased was considered the Flagship for Toyota. I love the style and performance. I feel the tech is up to date. The Gen 5 was totally updated in 2019 and noway would consider it your grandfather's car. When Toyota would show their lineup Avalon was often left out. I don't think the car was promoted enough. sure the price might be considered high, but it's built on the Lexus ES300 platform which is about $3000 more. Also, I think the higher-priced car usually don't do as well as the lower-priced cars.

[aradam]

bought a used 2018 Lexus ES last year we really wanted a Avalon but there was a clear night and day difference in ride comfort, seat comfort and road noise after test driving 3 different ES and 3 different Avalons, and chose the ES and we even got an fully loaded ES for $7000 less with same mileage and condition

[wrinkleneckbass]

I bought a new 2006 Avalon and put 100k miles on it. It was such a great car with absolutely zero problems. I assume it's being replaced by the Crown.

[bobweiram]

Avalon is incredibly popular. Good luck getting your hands on a new or used one. Inside Toyota there was an internal battle leading to its demise. Some execs fought to keep the Avalon in order to keep Toyota from being seen as a value brand. Others, however, saw that it was eating into Toyota's more lucrative Lexus sales. The latter won out. Toyota slowly killed the Avalon by cutting production and by increasing its sticker price.

[LilDiabloRob]

We all know. When I recently worked at a Toyota dealership, they have TRD Avalon and TRD CAMRY parked next to each other on the show pads out front. Same size, same options, same price. When the Camry became the same size of the Avalon is what killed it. 😓😢

[martinfigliulo]

im in the process of buying one, It is expense but I understand its pretty fast, and like all Toyota products it should hold up

[mrmyco]

The Avalon didn’t come out in 2005 in the US. I drive a 2000 Avalon. They came out in 1995 according to Wikipedia. I would add an annotation in your video to correct your statement around 0:50.

[georgepedro]

I have a 2020 XSE Hybrid and love a full size car that gets 40 mpg and I love the sporty ride. My 3rd Avalon and I will keep this one for a long time since they’re not making them anymore. Truly under appreciated car.