Car Auto Magazine

Satisfying, soothing, superbly detailed.
Interior
Climbing inside reveals an elegant cabin, remarkably clean and uncluttered, and very roomy. Choose the leather upholstery and it feels quite luxurious. The leather used for the seat and door trim is first class, with attractive stitching to tie it all together. Wood trim is tasteful and beautiful, and it warms up the cabin.

The front seats are firm but not hard and relatively flat. They're quite comfortable and feature power adjustments and optional memory functions. In addition to heated front seats, the Limited model features a fan in the seat cushion and seatback that blows cabin air through the perforated leather trim to improve comfort. Knobs for seat heating and cooling are conveniently located on the center console. The front of the driver's seat bottom is power adjustable, offering improved thigh support. And the steering column tilts and telescopes. In short, these seats will not permit any form of discomfort, no matter what the conditions. They provide an apt analogy for the entire car, a vehicle possessed of small comforts that add up to a satisfying environment to soothe the driver.

The Optitron instruments are elegant and technically appealing displays, round in shape but unmistakably advanced. Retracting lids hide controls for audio and navigation, reducing clutter. The action of the retracting covers is slow and measured, with the look and satisfying feel of high-end audio equipment. These covers and panels are silver-painted plastic, following a trend started by Lincoln, Nissan and others. We wonder how good they'll look in five years. And some other trim pieces, such as the housing for the steering column, show this isn't an expensive luxury car. In the Limited model, however, this is offset by a handsome steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather. Overall, Avalon's interior feels upmarket and high quality. Wood accents, particularly on the Limited, are attractive and judiciously placed. The chrome door scuff plates on the Touring grade, particularly, are notably attractive and distinctive.

The navigation system is excellent and we recommend it. The controls to operate it are behind a panel that folds out like an ashtray in front of the shifter. It's an unconventional design, but it works and the controls are fairly easy to reach. The buttons used to control navigation, climate and audio are superb, big, clearly marked, illuminated and easy to operate.

The roominess of the cabin extends to the back seats. Rear-seat legroom is particularly generous, with three-across seating facilitated by the totally flat floor. We rode in the rear seat, directly behind a six-foot driver, with legroom to spare. In fact, there's enough room that we could imagine the Avalon as a taxi. The rear seat is comfortable, and offers 10 degrees of adjustment to create five sitting positions. Reclining the backrest effectively increases headroom, so people of varying heights and sizes can find comfort.

The trunk is family sized, with a pass-through door to the rear seat for long gear such as skis.

The Limited model comes with a Smart Key that eliminates the need to pull it out of your pocket or purse. To use it, just walk up to the car. At a touch, all four doors unlock. Climb in. Foot on the brake, touch the Start button and the car hums to life. No fumbling with keys.