Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2013 Toyota Avalon; Day 1

[wing]

Living near the QC our cops are a little less paranoid about it.  But they will stop you.  It's not the first press car I have missing the front plate.  I've got the bracket and plate in the trunk though if I get stopped I say, look you figure it out LOL

[wing]

Note on that front grill.

The license plate is in the trunk, it seems like they couldn't figure out how to put it on the car   I couldn't either, so I tossed it back into the trunk.  Here's to hoping I don't get stopped.

Put it on the dash.

They HATE that, it's like a magnet for them.  The law clearly states it must be at the front most point of the vehicle, not on the dash.

[ArticSteve]

In ordinary circumstances ya.  On a brand new test vehicle that's owned by "Toyota", I would find the dash better than the trunk. 

[wing]

zip ties would work if I can find some lieing around lol

[Frontier1]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

[rrocket]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

Come on...you drive a Juke.  You aren't allowed to be critical of ANY car design.   

[mixmanmash]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

Come on...you drive a Juke.  You aren't allowed to be critical of ANY car design.   

LOL.  So true.

[Fobroader]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

Hello pot, my name is kettle 

[Frontier1]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

Come on...you drive a Juke.  You aren't allowed to be critical of ANY car design.   

LOL...was waiting for that response...so you win!!!

I'll repeat myself once more, the Juke's front was meant to look like a dune buggy!...get it?  Furthermore we are not exactly looking at the same category of vehicle.

In this category for me the Impala is the clear winner, far classier.

[rrocket]

Well I like appreciate different, non-mainstream designs, so I like the Avalon, CTS, TL, etc....and even the Juke.

[Fobroader]

I still say this is a much better alternative to the Avalon 

[mixmanmash]

Side and rear look way way better than the previous model, but that front end look   The I/P is equally a mess.

Come on...you drive a Juke.  You aren't allowed to be critical of ANY car design.   

LOL...was waiting for that response...so you win!!!

I'll repeat myself once more, the Juke's front was meant to look like a dune buggy!...get it?  Furthermore we are not exactly looking at the same category of vehicle.

In this category for me the Impala is the clear winner, far classier.

It reminds me more of a frog or a reptile.

[mixmanmash]

I still say this is a much better alternative to the Avalon 

Agreed.  I wish they would drop that new 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel in the 300 as well.  Call it the 300D or 300TD (unless Mercedes Benz still has a trademark on the names).

[Fobroader]

I know its not as refined as the Avalon, but they make me smile every time one burbles by me. I think the SRT8 sedans and Jeep are a cool alternative to the boring japanese stuff......reliability....well, if one is willing to roll the dice on an FGC, I think one of these wont be worse or better.

[canbra]

Having never driven an Avalon (or competing "large" FWD car), what is the benefit over a comparable loaded midsize car?  For example:
Avalon vs V6 Camry
Taurus vs 2.0T Fusion
Azera vs 2.0T Sonata
Impala vs 2.0T Malibu
Are the gains in room/features/refinement significant over the midsize version?  These large FWD cars seem somewhat redundant to me now that midsize sedans are so large/powerful/feature-laden.  But since I haven't driven them, I could be missing something.  The only "large" FWD sedan I've driven is the Maxima, and while it is marginally more sporty/luxurious than a loaded V6 Altima, the difference to me wasn't all that significant.

Coming from a developing country, where a Camry or Accord is large size sedan and somewhat upscale (yeah, laugh all you want but it's true! ), first time I saw in person(*) a 'full-size' car by North-American standards was when my dad came to visit and got a Taurus from the rental as they did not have any mid-size available.

Man, that thing was big. My sister came along and claimed 'one could play soccer inside' given the amount of legroom available!  And I had to agree with her: I had never seen anything like it.

Now, I can only wonder what an extended wheelbase version of S-Class/7-series/A8/LS has to offer...


(*) Oh! Not quite. I once got a rental 2007-ish Impala in a business trip to US. Although I did not pay any attention to the legroom in the back as I was riding alone, I did pay attention to the bench-type front seat of that Impala trim that allowed 3 people to sit in front. I was laughing out of nothing for a good while, remembering old US car barges from the 50s and 60s that I only knew from photos and Hollywood movies...

[Rupert]

I like the Avalon. I find the dash fine except for my usual reservations. It needs that divided bench seat and no central plastic barrier to mount the stick on. Looks like a Ford/Aston grille but does not blend in well here, still might grow on the senses...supprised no one saw that.

[Snowman]

I know its not as refined as the Avalon, but they make me smile every time one burbles by me. I think the SRT8 sedans and Jeep are a cool alternative to the boring japanese stuff......reliability....well, if one is willing to roll the dice on an FGC, I think one of these wont be worse or better.

I would roll the dice on and FGC vs. an unrefined Chrysler product anytime. The 300 is well past its best before date.

[Fobroader]

I know its not as refined as the Avalon, but they make me smile every time one burbles by me. I think the SRT8 sedans and Jeep are a cool alternative to the boring japanese stuff......reliability....well, if one is willing to roll the dice on an FGC, I think one of these wont be worse or better.

I would roll the dice on and FGC vs. an unrefined Chrysler product anytime. The 300 is well past its best before date.

Ill take a little bit of a plasticky interior and 470 hp......

[EV-Light]

I dont care about the handling feel of this car, the front end is horrid and the dash looks bad, all sharp and straight. Yeah, will this car cover many miles of straight plains highway beautifully and it will be as reliable as a granite boulder, but I couldnt look at it everyday.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Ford's Focus and Fusion then....

[rrocket]

I dont care about the handling feel of this car, the front end is horrid and the dash looks bad, all sharp and straight. Yeah, will this car cover many miles of straight plains highway beautifully and it will be as reliable as a granite boulder, but I couldnt look at it everyday.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Ford's Focus and Fusion then....

I was going to ask...Fobroader has driven the all new Avalon??