Sleek Sedan with Sophisticated Styling

For those of us who remember growing up in the seventies and eighties, family vehicles were decidedly…boxy, for lack of a better word. Toting us around in boxes of the station wagon and minivan variety, our parents marveled at the spacious interiors of those cars. They weren’t particularly concerned with the style of that beloved family vehicle, or the gas mileage for that matter.  All parents used to care about was that the car did the job faithfully, carting their kids from soccer practice and ballet rehearsals.

Thinking back upon those vehicles, aren’t you glad we live in “the future” now?  Consumers have demanded the best of everything, and we have received it with vehicles like the 2014 Toyota Avalon.  This family car lords it over its boxy, gas-guzzling predecessors with style. Speaking of style, the Avalon comes standard with leather upholstery, which critics can’t help but mention in almost every review. Seating five, the Toyota Avalon is fully equipped to take its place as one of the most popular cars on the market. Toyota has created a vehicle that appeals to both parents and kids alike.

In addition, the base model—the XLE—boasts a plethora of features that do not come standard in most family cars. The engine, a 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic, provides the pep that parents want in an automobile. For those concerned with safety features, it would take approximately six months to cover all of the Avalon’s safety features in great detail. Well, maybe not six months, but definitely a long time! Here’s a quick overview of the braking system alone, complete with acronyms.

Brakes:

• Traction Control (TRAC)
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
• Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)
• Smart Stop Technology (SST)
• Brake Assist (BA)

Feel safe? You should. The Avalon also boasts a whopping ten airbags, as well as nifty features such as whiplash-reducing seats, a back-up camera, and Daytime Running Lights.

With so many parents and kids concerned about the environment nowadays, it’s worthwhile to note that the Toyota Avalon turns out a decent mpg of 21(city) and 31(hwy). The hybrid model does even better, with 40(city) and 39(highway), but of course the 2.5L 4-cylinder hybrid engine is smaller than the XLE’s.

For such a versatile vehicle, the Avalon is also well-priced. The models and starting MSRP are as follows:

• XLE: $31,340
• XLE Premium: $33,195
• XLE Touring: $35,000
• Limited: $39,650
• Hybrid XLE Premium: $35,555
• Hybrid XLE Touring: $36,750
• Hybrid Limited: $41,400

Now for the important question: what’s in it for the kids?

Our children are as discriminating as we are when it comes to entertainment. Luckily for them, even the base model comes complete with the Entune App Suite, in addition to a touchscreen CD player. A free ninety-day trial of Sirius Satellite Radio also comes with the vehicle. Kids will enjoy the roomy interior, the futuristic Entune display, and the fact that Mom and Dad are driving a cool car. The quiet cabin of the Avalon will almost certainly lull them to sleep, which provides a nice break for parents who have grown weary from the familiar refrain of “Are we there yet?”  We drove the Avalon on a wonderfully peaceful 5 hour road trip (10 hours total) during our week long test-drive of the Avalon and didn’t hear a single complaint from the two eight year old’s in the back seat.  Granted, they slept over half of the drive… need I say more?

For the adults, the hands-free options make life easier when commuting. The 17-inch alloy wheels also complement the car, adding to the sleek factor.

There are some really impressive features built into the 2014 Toyota Avalon, but none of them rival the standout performance of the well-crafted engines, in conjunction with the well-tuned suspension and the ability to stop on a dime. This family vehicle is one that performs its job exceedingly well while maintaining a high level of safety. What more could one ask for in a family car?

The Avalon leads the pack of new vehicles that suggest to us that maybe we can have it all!  If you’re looking for a smaller hybrid, check out our review of the Toyota Prius C, a hybrid hatchback.