Large car; Built in USA
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $13,000 – $17,000*


2013 Toyota Avalon XLE


2013 Toyota Avalon XLE


2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid


2013 Toyota Avalon XLE

Pros:
  • Acceleration (V6 engine)
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Quietness
Cons:
  • Audio and Climate controls
  • Steering/handling

After its redesign for 2013, the Avalon remains a big, comfortable car that gives large, expensive luxury cars a run for their money. The availability of a dedicated hybrid powertrain is unique in this class and works in the Avalon’s favor as well. The distracting control scheme is a mark against it, but the rest of the package is quite refined and comfortable. Though it lacks the cache of a high-end brand, owners who can do without those aspects will find the Avalon a quite suitable and accommodating vehicle.

Overview

The 2013 Toyota Avalon was redesigned, and the traditional gas-powered models were joined by a gas/electric Avalon Hybrid model.

For 2013, the conventionally powered Avalon was available in XLE, XLE Premium, XLE Touring, and Limited guises. XLE models came equipped with keyless entry/engine start, leather upholstery, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch wheels, LED taillights, and a touchscreen radio. XLE Premium added a rearview camera and power sunroof. The XLE Touring included blind-spot alert, rear-cross-traffic alert, 18-inch wheels, a drive-mode button with Sport and Eco modes, paddle shifters on the steering wheel, a memory system for the driver seat and mirrors, and a touchscreen audio system with navigation. The Limited added xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.

Adaptive cruise control was optional on the Limited.

Avalon Hybrid was offered in three trim levels: XLE Premium, XLE Touring, and Limited. Hybrid XLE Premium included unique-design 17-inch wheels, a touchscreen audio system, and a drive-mode button with Sport, Eco, and EV modes. Hybrid XLE Touring added a memory system for seats and mirrors, a touchscreen infotainment system, and wide-angle fog lamps. Hybrid Limited included different 17-inch wheels, a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.

Adaptive cruise control with pre-collision braking was optional on the Limited.

The conventional Avalon used a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Avalon Hybrid paired a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor and battery pack for 200 horsepower total. It employed a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that functions much like an automatic. All models were front-wheel drive.

V6-equipped Avalons were rated by the EPA to get 21 mpg city/31 mpg highway. EPA estimated fuel economy for the 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid is 40 mpg city/39 mpg highway. All Avalons used regular-grade gasoline.

Yearly Updates

2014 Avalon
Changes for the 2014 Toyota Avalon were modest, but useful. All models now included a standard backup camera and a three-blink turn signal mode for lane changes. The Limited model also picked up ambient lighting on the dashboard.
2015 Avalon
For 2015, Toyota’s luxurious large car got upgraded Entune multimedia systems and a Touring Sport Edition with exclusive 18-inch wheels and special trim. A blind-spot monitor was made standard on Touring models, and paddle shifters are were standard on non-hybrid models.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

The conventional Avalon uses a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Avalon Hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor and battery pack for 200 horsepower total. It employs a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that functions much like an automatic. All Avalon variants are front-wheel drive.

dohc I4/electric1
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.5/153
Engine HP 200
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 156
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
CVT automatic 40/39
dohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.5/211
Engine HP 268
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 248
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed automatic 21/31

1. Combined gas/electric torque NA.

Road Test

The conventional Avalon’s V6 engine has plenty of power for off-the-line acceleration and worry-free highway passing and merging. The transmission shifts smoothly. The Hybrid, though less powerful than the conventional Avalon, still has enough gumption to provide driving confidence. This model also offers an “EV” setting that allows the car to cruise around at parking-lot speeds using only its electric drive motor and battery. This mode is very sensitive; with anything more than gentle throttle application, the gas engine will kick on at a fairly low threshold.

In Consumer Guide testing, a Limited V6 averaged 21.3 mpg. No opportunity to measure an Avalon Hybrid. EPA ratings of 40 city/39 highway put it among the most fuel-efficient non-compact-cars on the market. All Avalons use regular-grade gas.

Any Avalon’s ride is smooth and comfortable overall. Its soft-sprung suspension filters out most pavement imperfections nicely. Larger potholes are felt and heard, but are never jarring.

For 2013, Toyota gave the Avalon a bit more steering feel for a slightly sporty demeanor. It’s no sports car, but the steering feels good and returns better-than-expected road feedback. Models with 18-inch wheels exhibit more at-the-limit grip and tighter-feeling steering. Avalon leans in turns, but it is well controlled for a large, luxury-oriented vehicle. The brakes are strong and pedal feel is OK. Emergency-panic-stop tests induced a large amount of nosedive, but the car feels well-controlled otherwise.

The Avalon V6 is very quiet in around-town and highway cruising. The only time the engine is heard is during full-throttle acceleration. The noise it makes is not as refined as we would like, but it’s far from obtrusive. Avalon Hybrid is church-quiet in most every situation. During acceleration, the 4-cylinder engine is vocal but not unrefined. Wind and road noise are non-starters.

The gauges are large and easy to read. In mid- and high-end trim levels, the central control panel has two screens stacked vertically: one for infotainment functions, and one for temperature settings. The dashboard has very few traditional buttons; instead, many functions are controlled by touch-sensitive “buttons.” They are demarcated by sunken detents around the bottom of each button, but these tactile markings would be more useful if they were raised. By the time one feels those markings, the user has already likely touched an adjacent button, triggering its function. To find the right button (on both the dashboard or touchscreen), the user must take their eyes off the road, find the button, and touch it. This can prove distracting. Of particularly interesting note, the climate control’s fan speed is controlled by a long, horizontal touch-sensitive panel that allows the user to either touch and slide their finger, touch the left or right ends of the panel, or simply touch a spot on the length of the panel to dial in a fan speed.

The cabin presents well. Even on entry-level models, the Avalon’s interior is well-assembled of high-quality materials. Limited versions boast an ambiance that one could easily confuse for a Lexus.

There is plenty of headroom and legroom in the front seat for six-foot drivers. The front seats are wide, deep, well-padded, and comfortable during quick trips and extended drives. Seat and steering wheel adjustments allow the driver to dial in a suitable driving position. The view out of the car is good in all directions. Entry and exit are easy.

The rear seats are wide, soft, and very comfortable. Headroom is adequate for six-footers, and legroom is plentiful for those long-of-leg, even sitting behind like-size front-seat occupants. The rear seat nearly rivals those found in many large luxury cars from a room-and-comfort standpoint. Entry and exit are simple thanks to large door openings.

The trunk is relatively tall, deep, and wide in the V6 versions, but the Hybrid’s battery and its ordinary service battery steal space behind the back seat and on the passenger side. As a result, total cargo capacity in the hybrid shrinks to 14.0 cubic feet from the conventional Avalon’s 17.0. The trunk lid’s sickle-style hinges are covered to ease loading and prevent damage to cargo.

Ratings

Model Tested: XLE Premium, V6

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 7
70%
Fuel Economy - 6
60%
Ride Quality - 8
80%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 8
80%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 8
80%
Room/Comfort Rear - 8
80%
Cargo Room - 6
60%

Other

Value - 9
90%

Total: 71

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
111.0 195.2 72.2 57.5 3461
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
16.0 17.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.5 37.9 42.1 39.2
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2013 Avalon 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Rear Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Trouble Spots

Seat
Description: On certain 2013 and 2014 Toyota Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles, the seatback boards on both of the front seats may come loose and fall off of the seats. (2013-14)
Seat
Description: Certain 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid models have sensors for the operation of the vehicles supplemental restraint system (SRS) which may incorrectly interpret certain seat usages or road conditions as a rear collision and disable the passenger’s side front air bag. (2013)
Software problems
Description: Certain 2014 Toyota Avalon and Avalon Hybrid models may have an issue that causes the Safety Connect System to become disabled. Dealers need to initialize the system to ensure proper operation. (2014)

Recall History

2013 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid
Description: A short in the windshield wiper switch may cause inoperative windshield wipers.
2013 Avalon
Description: The air conditioning condenser’s drain hose may become clogged allowing water to collect in the unit’s housing. The collected water may leak and get the air bag control module wet which may lead to a short circuit. This can result in inoperative airbags or inadvertent air bag deployment.
2013-15 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid
Description: The optional Pre-Collision System may detect a steel plate or joint in the road as a object and unexpectedly activate applying the brakes.
2014 Avalon
Description: On certain 2014 Toyota Avalon vehicles equipped with 16- or 17-inch wheels, the lower suspension arm on the left side of the vehicle may have been incorrectly manufactured. The lower arm may not have sufficient surface area to hold one of the bolts that secures the suspension arm to the lower ball joint.
2014 Avalon
Description: Fuel may leak from one of the fuel delivery pipes, possibly causing a fire in the engine compartment.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

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