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Observations After Shopping Camry & Avalon Hybrids

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by car compulsive, May 16, 2014.

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  1. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    I made the jump from the Prius to an Accord EX, 4 cyl CVT yesterday. I intended to choose between a Camry Hybrid SE and Accord Sport. (Accord hybrid was ruled out due to tiny trunk, no spare tire, and new hybrid system. Plus, some owners are seeing highway miles in the upper 30s with the 4 cyl / CVT Accord.) The final decision was between the Accord EX and Avalon hybrid XLE Premium. Observations:

    - Camry hybrid SE had OK fabric / pleather seats. I felt the rough ride quality would be hated by my wife.

    - Camry hybrid LE and XLE had horrible feeling cloth interiors. Ride quality and power were good. Trunk space was good plus had a small pass-through.

    - Camry hybrid XLE with leather was OK, but the hard plastic center console and switch area on the armrest felt really cheap. The lower door cards were all plastic and the door pocket felt flimsy. I generally felt the interior was lacking compared to the Accord. I also preferred the Accord exterior styling.

    - Avalon Hybrid had a very comfy interior - loved the seats even though the leather wasn't cooled, but it still had lots of flimsy parts like door pocket, and hard headliner. I also felt the ride quality was a bit harsher than the Camry hybrid XLE. I disliked the new Avalon styling even more than the Camry. It was also about 10K more than an Accord EX.

    The final decision came down to the Accord EX CVT v. Avalon hybrid XLE premium. After trade-in and allocating a small amount of money to pay off my Ridgeline, the monthly payment was the same with the Accord at .9% for 36 months and the Avalon at 0% for 60 months. I felt the Accord EX (silver/gray BTW) best met my needs, preferences, and overall cost.
     
    #1 car compulsive, May 16, 2014
  2. hybridbear

    hybridbear Member

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    What about the Fusion Hybrid/C-Max Hybrid?
     
    #2 hybridbear, May 16, 2014
  3. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    Enjoy the car, but I hope you do a lot of highway driving. I went the other way, preferring the combo of real world gas mileage and comfort. Did I waste money vs the Accord, probably, but I'm in my seventies so this is probably my last new car, finally time to splurge.
     
    #3 Munpot42, May 16, 2014
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    we'll miss you cc, all the best!(y)
     
    #4 bisco, May 16, 2014
  5. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    Wow, I truly cannot imagine anyone having such negative impressions of the Camry Hybrid LE or XLE or the Avalon (any version). I must be missing something, is the Accords interior materials that much better? Do they use a different kind of plastic? The Avalon is twice the vehicle as any Accord and city mpg will bear that out. I agree, hwy miles in the upper 30's in the Accord, I can see that but city mpg in the 20's. My TCH LE easily nets 40+ mpg's in the city and the Avalon would likely net similar results (but in luxury). I'm guessing (I haven't researched it) that both TCH and Avalon Hybrid have more torque, more hp and faster 0-60 times than the Accord EX. I can't imagine the Accord driving any smoother or quieter than the Camry or the Avalon.
     
    #5 usnavystgc, May 16, 2014
    hybridbear likes this.
  6. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    I'm not saying the Accord was smoother or quieter than the Hycam XLE or Avalon, but I felt it was comparable and handled better without being harsh. I was targeting a cloth interior and felt both of the Honda interiors, Sport and EX, were superior to the Hycam cloth. (I was willing to make an exception to the cloth rule given the Avalon's soft and comfy leather seats.)

    My goal was a non-premium (under $30K) midsize sedan from Honda or Toyota with good MPGs that I could live with for the next 10 years years. (Yeah, like I'm really gonna keep a car that long.)

    Oh, and I didn't notice whether the Hycam steering wheel was offset or not.
     
    #6 car compulsive, May 16, 2014
    usnavystgc likes this.
  7. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Camry hybrid with Clazzio leather seat covers? ;)

    SCH-I535
     
    #7 xliderider, May 16, 2014
  8. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    My son in law has a new Accord EX, I have the Avalon, to my old ears the interior noise levels were far far different, but if you always play the sound system loud, the EX would seem ok.
     
    #8 Munpot42, May 16, 2014
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  9. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    My thinking is the same as your's. I'm thinking about a 2014 Avalon Hybrid XLE Touring. What type of Avalon did you get? Just curious and how are you liking it? I'm in my 70's as well and if I buy one it will be the same reason you bought your's.
     
    #9 Okinawa, May 17, 2014
  10. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    Mine is a 2013, which I bought in December. It is also an Avalon Hybrid XLE Touring, I wanted to splurge on the Limited, but I couldn't see the added value and as it was, this car cost more than my first house.
     
    #10 Munpot42, May 18, 2014
  11. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    How many mpg are you getting on your Avalon?
     
    #11 Okinawa, May 18, 2014
  12. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    Doesn't my Fuelly tag show on my post?
     
    #12 Munpot42, May 18, 2014
  13. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    Yes it does. Just checking. I figured it would be higher than 36.1.
     
    #13 Okinawa, May 18, 2014
  14. JPTuck

    JPTuck Member

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    How does one get ones Fuelly tag to post as I see many do here?
     
    #14 JPTuck, May 18, 2014
  15. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #15 xliderider, May 18, 2014
  16. JPTuck

    JPTuck Member

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    I saw that but have been unable to find here what one uses to link it - a signature feature or the bbcode or html etc - got stuck at that part - thx.
     
    #16 JPTuck, May 19, 2014
  17. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    In fairness to the car, I'm sure the MPG would be better if I overinflated the tires, used pulse and glide and slowed down, but I choose not to do any of the above, still get a better combined average mpg than almost every car on the road Prii excepted.
     
    #17 Munpot42, May 19, 2014
  18. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    Yes you do. A neighbor of mine has a Buick Lucerne. She said she gets 18 MPG in town. You get twice that amount without trying. I would like to have the exact same car as you have and I can afford it but so far I have been to one Toyota dealer and they would only give me $13,000 trade in for my 2011 Prius Two that is in showroom condition. That is almost giving it away and rather than do that I'll drive it until the wheels falls off it. Disgusting trying to trade cars.
     
    #18 Okinawa, May 19, 2014
  19. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Hover on your user name at the top, and a drop down menu appears. There is a link for signature there.
     
    #19 Trollbait, May 19, 2014
  20. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    I was offered 12k for my 2011 Prius 2, sold it to a private party for 14k, it was a good car but I wanted comfort!
     
    #20 Munpot42, May 20, 2014
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