The Toyota Avalon is a part of what seems to be a dying breed: the full-size sedan. Many other brands of cars have discontinued their full-size sedan models, as people seem to be less and less interested in these types of vehicles. Toyota has persisted by continuing on with the Toyota Avalon, and they have begun to offer some interesting and unconventional options that consumers can choose from when purchasing one. 

Let’s take a closer look at the 2021 Toyota Avalon as a whole, what is under the hood, and why the all-wheel-drive Toyota Avalon may be disappointing for some. 

2021 Toyota Avalon overview

Although public interest has shifted from full-size sedans toward crossovers, Toyota still set out to make a quality option for those who still want a larger sedan. On the outside, the 2021 Toyota Avalon looks great. Its narrow, swooping headlights look nice right above the stylish and modern grille. As expected, the front is huge compared to other sedans, though that doesn’t take away from its attractive design. The rear is much smaller, and it features a tail light bar that looks both classy and expensive. 

Inside the car, the standard 2021 Toyota Avalon is a bit lackluster. It’s missing some kind of wow factor, as it just feels downright boring. You can customize the interior to your liking with upgrades that will definitely enhance the look, but you have to be willing to shell out more money to accomplish this.

The seats feel low to the ground, yet Car and Driver notes that the seats are quite comfortable and roomy. The base model comes equipped with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as well as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa capability, and a WiFi hotspot. 

Under the hood

The car may have pros and cons to how it looks inside and out, and the same is true about the engines available for the 2021 Toyota Avalon. Buyers can choose between gas and hybrid powertrains. The all-gas engine can get up to 32 MPG on the highway, and the hybrid version can get up to 44 MPG.

The 2021 Toyota Avalon comes standard with a 301-hp 3.5-liter V6 engine that can produce 267 lb-ft of torque. One can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.0 seconds with this engine, which isn’t bad for a car of this size. The hybrid option comes with two electric motors and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that can get up to 215 hp. 

Both of these engine options are relatively good, especially for individuals that just want a standard and reliable full-size sedan. If you’re looking for a full-size sedan that also has all-wheel drive, you can get that too, though it does come with some downfalls. 

Drawbacks of the all-wheel-drive 2021 Toyota Avalon

All-wheel drive is a fantastic feature for drivers to have when the weather gets rough, or they’re living in a particularly hilly or mountainous region. As a result, all-wheel-drive vehicles are almost always in demand. To keep up with those demands, Toyota decided to add all-wheel drive to its 2021 Toyota Avalon. This sounds like great news, but don’t get too excited just yet. 

The all-wheel-drive 2021 Toyota Avalon only comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine capable of producing 202-hp. Car and Driver laments that there is no option to get both all-wheel drive and the V6 engine that comes standard. This may leave many disappointed, as it seems only natural that one would want an all-while drive full-size sedan with at least a mediocre engine instead of a clearly unsatisfying one. 

The 2021 Toyota Avalon has a base price of $36,420, though you can pay $43,270 for the all-wheel-drive version.