2019 Avalon Hybrid

Also, the Avalon will be a lower volume seller than Camry. Might as well use the NiMH battery for lower cost.

 

I understand it's PriusChat and not AvalonChat but I thought the Avalon had several nice features in its design. Granted, we haven't had a full size car this sporty since the Bonneville SSEI.

Mechanical:

• 3.5 litre 2GR-FKS engine with D4S and VVTi-W. That means port + direct injection and Otto + Atkinson cycle
• 2.5 litre A25A-FXS Dynamic Force engine with VVT-iE
  
• NiMH battery under the rear seat
• 8-speed Direct Shift AT (Same as Sienna, Highlander and Camry)
• PSD on Hybrid models. 6-speed virtual gears on XSE Hybrid with Paddle Shifters
  
• 3 modes (5 on Touring models including a Sport+ and Custom setting)
• Adaptive Variable Suspension (from Lexus) on Touring models
• Intake Sound Generator (ISG) on Touring. Older crowd won't care. Younger crowd will like the sound

Exterior:

• LED Vision Tech DRLs on Limited and Touring models... Looks like the Lamborghini "Y" shaped lights.
• Dynamic cornering lights and sequential turn signals on Limited and Touring models
• Switchblade design machine-finished alloy wheels on Touring with help from Five-Axis custom builders
• Aero-fin taillights
• A really sculptured trunklid with concavity
• Quad exhausts on XSE and Touring models
• A really cool use of environmental lighting with the lower door sculpting that gives a darker lower body, visually lowering the height of the car
• Air curtains for the front wheels
• Honestly, the front of the car reminds me of the Toyota Crown, which in parts of Asia, is the model that says "you made it". (although the newer generation might think it's the Lexus LS rather than the Crown)

Interior:

• Apple CarPlay is standard
• Alexa-in-the-Car is standard
• 9" MID with physical buttons & knobs
• 7" LCD Instrument Panel with analogue speedometer
• 10" Full Colour Head-Up Display with speed, audio, navigation, phone and warning/alert displays
• Real Yamaha-sourced wood or real aluminium trim
• Quilted leather door panel inserts on Limited
• Perforated ultrasuede door panel inserts on Touring
• Heated/Cooled front seats
• Heated rear seats
• Heated steering wheel

 

Yup. It used to be that the ES was the mini-LS.... now it's looking like the Avalon will take over that role (at least until the 2019 ES is revealed).

I believe the headlights are LED not laser. You may be thinking about the "LED Vision Tech" DRLs... something about light being able to penetrate the metal design that they have? I'll have to read up on that. But the LED DRLs on the Touring and Limited models look like the "Y" lights on Lamborghinis.

As for HVAC, they'd rather have buttons than a touchscreen interface. The buttons may be small, but at least there are buttons. (Also, the European cars have tiny buttons anyway so... someone coming from a BMW or MB may not notice it).

 

We're not talking 20 year olds lol.

Younger being 40/50 as opposed to 60/70.

Say, someone that already has a family with teenage or adult children that want something different than a "common" Camry and perhaps already have an SUV or needs to replace the minivan that they've used for the past 10-15 years for something nicer to drive.

 

No, that's on the Touring V6 only.

 

There's a gap in the front bumper that allows air to flow through the bumper and over the front wheels, creating a "curtain" of air to reduce turbulent flow around the front wheels - similar to what our aerodynamic wheel covers do but using vents in the bumper rather than a plastic wheel cover.

The Clarity has it for the front and rear wheels. I think the feature is also on Ford products... Mustang and F-150?