X

Toyota Avalon improves its looks and luxe (pictures)

The largest Toyota sedan offers amenities and tech rivaling its Lexus-badged cousins, but with a smaller price tag.

antuan-roadshow-headshots-jpegs-1893-007.jpg
antuan-roadshow-headshots-jpegs-1893-007.jpg
Antuan Goodwin
2014toyotaavalon04.jpg
1 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2014 Toyota Avalon Limited

Previous generations of the Toyota Avalon had, at least in my mind, a reputation as an old person's car.

2014toyotaavalon32.jpg
2 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2014 Toyota Avalon Limited

Toyota has injected the fourth-generation Toyota Avalon sedan with a youth serum in a bid to attract younger buyers.

2014toyotaavalon25.jpg
3 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Streamlined

The 2014 model features a slicker profile and a more streamlined version of the automaker's corporate grill.

2014toyotaavalon22.jpg
4 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Headlamps

Quad HID headlamps and LED daytime runners accent and illuminate. Active high-beam tech prevents drivers from dazzling oncoming traffic.

2014toyotaavalon30.jpg
5 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Full-size

The Toyota Avalon is a full-size sedan that is significantly larger than the Toyota Camry.

2014toyotaavalon24.jpg
6 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Front-wheel drive

However, the front-wheel drive configuration and underpinnings will be familiar to anyone who's looked at a Toyota spec sheet.

2014toyotaavalon20.jpg
7 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Engine bay

Lift the hood and you'll be met with a heavily padded engine cover, which contributes to the Avalon's quiet performance.

2014toyotaavalon21.jpg
8 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2GR-FE engine

Under that cover is the automaker's 2GR-FE engine, which outputs 268 horsepower.

2014toyotaavalon11.jpg
9 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Six-speed automatic

That engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that features sport and manual shift programs.

2014toyotaavalon07.jpg
10 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Drive modes

The power train also features Sport and Eco drive modes that adjust the character of the performance.

2014toyotaavalon31.jpg
11 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Safety tech

The Avalon Limited comes with a respectable level of standard safety features.

2014toyotaavalon05.jpg
12 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Rear camera

The standard rear camera's feed is sharp and bright.

2014toyotaavalon27.jpg
13 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Dynamic guides

The view out of the back also features dynamic guide lines that steer with the front wheels.

2014toyotaavalon19.jpg
14 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Interior

The Avalon's interior uses a good blend of materials, shapes, and textures.

2014toyotaavalon01.jpg
15 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Entune navigation

Entune navigation, standard here but optional at lower trim levels, features crisply rendered 2D maps and logical routing software.

2014toyotaavalon28.jpg
16 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Capacitive buttons

I'm not a fan of capacitive buttons on the dashboard, but the Avalon's touch points feature nicely machined cutouts.

2014toyotaavalon17.jpg
17 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

JBL Synthesis

The 11-speaker JBL Synthesis stereo is surprisingly bass-friendly.

2014toyotaavalon13.jpg
18 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Entune apps

Via a paired smartphone or over the satellite radio connection, Entune apps enhance the cabin tech experience.

2014toyotaavalon08.jpg
19 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Qi wireless charging

At the base of the center stack, our test model was equipped with an optional Qi wireless charger.

2014toyotaavalon10.jpg
20 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Playing with power

Dropping a compatible phone on this pad charges its battery without connecting cables.

2014toyotaavalon09.jpg
21 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Connections bay

In a pocket, you'll find the conventional 12-volt power port, auxiliary and USB inputs, and the power switch for the Qi charge pad.

2014toyotaavalon12.jpg
22 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Blind-spot monitoring

Blind-spot monitoring and multiple levels of stability control round out the safety tech.

2014toyotaavalon15.jpg
23 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Adaptive cruise

An optional Tech Package adds Adaptive Cruise Control and a Forward Pre-Collision alert system.

2014toyotaavalon29.jpg
24 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Push to start

Easy access seats, smart key entry, and push-button start are nice convenience features.

2014toyotaavalon16.jpg
25 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Instrument cluster

Instrumentation is simple and clear.

2014toyotaavalon14.jpg
26 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Multi-info display

Between the gauges is a small information display that can be cycled through a wide range of data.

2014toyotaavalon23.jpg
27 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Wing mirrors

Strakes along the bottom edge of the wing mirrors reduce wind noise at speed.

2014toyotaavalon06.jpg
28 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Rear climate controls

The spacious rear seats have their own third climate control zone and independently controlled, heated surfaces.

2014toyotaavalon03.jpg
29 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Easy rider

The Avalon's ride was smooth and comfortable, but not so soft that it felt messy.

2014toyotaavalon02.jpg
30 of 30 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Check out the full review

With luxury rivaling its Lexus cousins, there's a lot to like about the 2014 Toyota Avalon Limited.

More Galleries

Go Inside the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: See How the New iPhones Look and Work
iphone 15 in different color from an angled view

Go Inside the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: See How the New iPhones Look and Work

21 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone

18 Photos
Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners Reveal Our Stunning Universe
andromeda

Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners Reveal Our Stunning Universe

16 Photos
Check Out the iPhone 15's New Camera in Action
A photo of a silhouette of buildings on the water taken on the iPhone 15

Check Out the iPhone 15's New Camera in Action

12 Photos
I Got an Early Look at Intel's Glass Packaging Tech for Faster Chips
Rahul Manepalli, right, Intel's module engineering leader, shows a glass substrate panel before it's sliced into the small rectangles that will be bonded to the undersides of hundreds of test processors. The technology, shown here at Intel's CH8 facility in Chandler, Arizona, stands to improve performance and power consumption of advanced processors arriving later this decade. Glass substrates should permit physically larger processors comprised of several small "chiplets" for AI and data center work, but Intel expects they'll trickle down to PCs, too.

I Got an Early Look at Intel's Glass Packaging Tech for Faster Chips

20 Photos
Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)
yamaha01.jpg

Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures)

16 Photos
CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)
dia-de-los-muertos-3318-001.jpg

CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures)

9 Photos