2014 Toyota Avalon

The 2014 Toyota Avalon is offered in four trim levels and starts at an MSRP of $31,590. The base XLE trim comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, keyless ignition, 6.1-inch Entune touchscreen display, 8 speaker audio system, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver seat with power lumbar support, and leather upholstery.

The upgrade to the XLE Premium gives you access to an upgraded keyless fob, sunroof, remote control garage opener, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The higher Touring trim gets bigger 18-inch wheels, paddle shifters, and upgrades to the infotainment system. The top Limited trim gets the best of what the Avalan has to offer. It also gets a bigger 7-inch touchscreen display and other convenience features.

We recommend

The 2014 Toyota Avalon offers a great package and being in the entry-level luxury sedan segment, it offers a good list of features even with the base trim. We recommend going for the Touring trim, as the upgrade from XLE Premium to Touring is not that much. It gets you many advanced features and makes it the best value in Avalon’s lineup. 

The 2014 Toyota Avalon is powered by a 3.5 L V6 engine that produces a peak power of 268 horsepower and a peak torque of 248 lb-ft. The engine sends power to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. The engine feels fairly responsive to the inputs and it is very smooth in its operation. It will not give you a push back on your seats, instead, it delivers power in a more relaxed manner. The Avalon takes 6.8 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph while the quarter-mile run takes 15 seconds.

The 2014 Chrysler 300 is the fastest sedan in the 0 to 60 mph run and the quarter-mile run. The Hyundai Azera is also slightly better than the Toyota Avalon in terms of acceleration and completes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.1 seconds. The Avalon is a better option for relaxed driving and it feels at ease doing that. The NBH levels are also well controlled to give a better experience inside the cabin.

The slow acceleration pays back really well in terms of the fuel economy. The Toyota Avalon delivers 21 mpg in the city conditions, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg of combined fuel economy. The fuel economy is very good for a V6 engine that doesn’t compromise much on the performance. However, the Toyota Avalon comes with a relatively small 17-gallon fuel tank. The highway range remains on par with the competition because of the fuel-efficient engine.

The Toyota Avalon outperforms all the competitors in terms of fuel economy. The closest rival is the Hyundai Azera which delivers 19 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and combined fuel efficiency of 24 mpg. The Buick LaCrosse Premium and Chrysler 300 offer very similar fuel efficiency. All the sedans offer a very identical range on the highway.

The Toyota Avalon has always been one of the spacious sedans in the segment and the 2014 model is no exception. The front row is very spacious and the seats are also very comfortable. You get plenty of adjustment options for the seats and the support. Everything is easy to control and the controls for the drivers are also easy to reach. The seating position is also very comfortable for a sedan. The cabin feels very ambient and you will not feel bored even after a long drive.

Space is not an issue even in the second row. The rear seats are also very comfortable and can accommodate three passengers in the rear seats. But for better comfort levels, we recommend only two passengers in the back. The quality of the materials used inside the cabin is also high-quality. The 2014 model comes with even more premium materials than the previous year’s model.

The Toyota Avalon offers very good space for the segment and is on par with the other rivals. The Hyundai Azera offers the best legroom for the front passenger and the driver while lacking in legroom for rear-seat passengers compared to the competition. The Buick LaCrosse Premium offers the best legroom for rear-seat passengers but has the smallest cargo area in the competition. The Toyota Avalon manages to deliver a good balance of everything. Standout interior features:

• Leather upholstery
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
• 8-way power driver seat with power lumbar support
• 4-way power front passenger seat
• Heated front seats

How intuitive is the infotainment system of the 2014 Toyota Avalon?

The 2014 Toyota Avalon comes with a standard 6.1-inch Entune touchscreen infotainment display. The top-of-the-line Limited trim gets a bigger 7-inch touchscreen display with some added features. The standard stereo system gets a CD player, auxiliary audio jack, USB/iPod interface, and an 8-speaker audio system. There are many more features for the infotainment that comes with the higher trims. The higher trims also get an upgraded 11-speaker JBL premium sound system for a better music experience. Standout infotainment features:

• The 6.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Navigation system
• Toyota's Entune smartphone app integration system
• 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system

The 2014 Toyota Avalon comes with a large grille on the front which helps it stand out from the crowd and makes it easier to identify it on the road. Above the front grille, it gets Toyota badging in the middle of a chrome strip. On both sides, it gets very sleek-looking headlights with daytime running lights. The standard wheel size is 17-inch and looks just fine but for better proportions, you can go for the Touring trim which gets bigger 18-inch alloy wheels.

The side of the 2014 Toyota Avalon remains very simple and looks like a typical sedan in its overall styling. On the rear end, it gets very long and sleek taillamps that merge with the chrome strip passing through the tailgates. The Toyota badge sits right above the chrome strip on the tailgate.

The Chrysler remains the longest sedan in the competition but is also the narrowest with the least overall width. The wheelbase is also the longest for the Chrysler. The Hyundai Azera is the widest sedan followed by the Buick LaCrosse Premium. The Toyota Avalon has the shortest wheelbase in the competition. Standout exterior features:

• 18” alloy wheels
• Xenon headlights 
• Automatic high beam headlight
• Sunroof
• Rearview camera
• Heated mirrors

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has rated the 2014 Toyota Avalon an impressive five out of five stars in their crash test rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also gave it their ‘Good’ safety pick in four of their five crash test results. 

The scores show that the Toyota Avalon has taken the safety aspect very seriously and makes it one of the better picks in terms of safety for the segment. The Avalon comes with standard safety features like traction control, stability control, emergency braking assist, emergency interior trunk release, and many more. The safety features include:

• Daytime Running Lights
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Emergency Interior Trunk Release

The Toyota Avalon has always been a great contender in the entry-level luxury sedan for space and comfort that it offers. The reliability of Toyota is an important factor why people consider it over the competitors. With the 2014 update, it gets an even more premium cabin and handling dynamics. The fuel economy is also a strong point in the favor of the Toyota Avalon. All these factors make the 2014 Toyota Avalon a compelling buy over the competition.