Toyota Avalon

Price Paid:  $25500.00 from Fred Anderson Toyota

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 toyota avalon xl

Summary:
I have owned more than 20 cars.I now have a 2007 Toyota Avalon.It ia as nice a car as I have ever owned.

Strengths:
All but 1 of its characteristics are good but one.

Weaknesses:
i purchased the Avalon XL with cloth upholstery. It appears to be of very poor quality. I don't think it will sustain long use. I should have taken the leather option Of the cars I have owned this cloth is the worst I have had. I hope I am wrong.

Price Paid:  $35500.00 from Harrelson Toyota Roc

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Toyota Avalon Limited

Summary:
This is a roomy and comfortable car.

Strengths:
Handling and saftey features

Weaknesses:
Transmission does not shift smoothly and jerks into gear at low speeds.
Acceleration is poor.

Similar Products Used:
Volve S80

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Price Paid:  $36000.00 from Billion Auto, Sioux

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Toyota Avalon LTD

Summary:
I totally agree with a reviewer that stated. “Good car, but the transmission and other negatives make me not wanting to buy again. And I have the top of the line.”
If Toyota really stands behind their cars they can pick this one up anytime!
I have never, driven a car with such a bad package between the engine and the wheels. The car does have some very nice features, but they are all compromised by the jerky sensation every two seconds when you maintain a constant speed, on the level, between 30 – 45 miles per hour. There is also uncomfortable lag and lunge in the transmission/torque converter linkage.
I laid down over $36,000 for the top of the line 2007 Toyota Avalon LTD and I would walk away from it this very moment if it were feasible.
Two different dealers say all the new Avalons act this way. The dealer I purchased it from (Billion Toyota in Sioux Falls, SD) installed a transmission software upgrade. Save your time, that was a real joke. Now when I take my foot off the accelerator it feels like I have applied the brakes. The tech said to drive it for a while and let the car “learn how you drive.” Well, that was over 13,000 miles ago and it has not learned anything yet.
I took it to another dealer, Art Silva in Sioux City, IA, they confirmed the software upgrade but said there was nothing else they could do. “They all drive like that.”
I talked to Toyota in California. They politely listened but told me that “The car drives within their specs.” In other words, “Buyer Beware.”
If this is within their specs you don’t want to own one. If the president of Toyota drove this, heads would roll.
Toyota, if you are listening. Come and get it. It is not a positive driving experience.

Strengths:
Great headlights.

Weaknesses:
Transmission

Price Paid:  $37500.00 from Caldwell Toyota

Year / Model Reviewed:
2007 Avalon Limited

Summary:
Watch out for the transmission.Toyota is stone walling the fact they have serious shifting problems with the Avalon transmission. I am working with the dealer who is trying to get it right but without Toyota they are dead

Weaknesses:
Transmission

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
3.29 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $36000.00 from Palm Beach Toyota

Year / Model Reviewed:
2006 Toyota Avalon Limited

Summary:
2006 Toyota Avalon
Great Car, Substandard Electronics

This car delivers a great ride and is a fantastic value. However, I purchased fully loaded Avalon Limited and immediately noticed the GPS and the Satellite Radio had problems. I addressed these issues with the dealer and over a period of three weeks was continually escalated from one Toyota Tech to another...having to completely start over from the beginning. Very time consuming process. They agreed that the GPS was defective and did not have a fix. Simply stated, it did not perform many of the functions listed in its instruction manual. They were dumbfounded and did nothing to correct the situation. The GPS is manufactured by Nippon Denso and they would not put me in touch with a product manager or tech support. It was a like it or lump it situation. Not only was the routing process cumbersome, it was inaccurate and the "Quickest" route was often the longest route in both time and distance. The Points of Interest Feature is basically useless. It would not automatically dim the screen when the headlights were activated as designed...meaning that while it was okay during daylight, it was dangerously bright at night. It was similar to driving with the interior lights on at night...making it difficult to see the road. The satellite antenna was interior mounted behind the shaded sun screen in the front window. Not only did it block the passenger view and was an eyesore, due to it's location behind the shaded sunscreen, it suffered constant dropouts even on the open road. The satellite tuner and software only allowed for limited text displays...meaning it was a cripled retrofit. Both the GPS and Satellite Radio were FACTORY options...not dealer installs. The worst part was, Toyota would call me every evening at 8pm and keep me on the phone for more than an hour at a time asking the same questions over and over and over. They got a test car and it did the exact same thing as mine did and it appeared the product managers never tested the GPS before purchasing it from Nippon Denso for the inclusion in the Avalon. Yes, I knew it was not a touch screen, but didn't know that the rocker switch used to enter the data was so poorly designed that it would stick and jump...making entry very tiresome and tedious. Even when Toyota confirmed the defects, there was nothing they could do to fix the problem. The salespeople at the dealer were so poorly trained that they knew virtually nothing about the options on this vehicle. 15 minutes on Toyota's website gave me more information than the salesperson. Caveat Emptor!

Strengths:
Comfort, Ride and Value.

Weaknesses:
Electronics: GPS is high priced and worthless. Satellite Radio delivered poor quality due to the inefficient indoor antenna and the poor tuner. This inside mounted antenna was designed for convertibles...not sedans. It should have been mounted on the roof to get an unobstructed view of the skies.