Used 2020 Toyota Avalon XSE for sale 

The new Avalon comes in 3 trims, the entry-level XLE, XSE, Limited and the top of the line Touring trim with the prices ranging from $35,800 to $42,500. All trims are powered by a 3.5 liter V6 that comes paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 4 trims- XLE, XSE, and Limited, come with 3 driving modes while there is an extra Sport S+ mode in the Touring trim.

Which trim do we recommend?

With the XSE trim, consumers will have the best blend of features and cost-effectiveness from the Avalon range. You get premium features like powered and heated mirrors, 19” alloys, auto-dimming rear-view mirrors as standard with the Avalon and a decently loaded 9” touchscreen infotainment system.

All trims of the 2020 Avalon are powered by the 3.5 liter V6, which produces a class-leading 301 hp and maximum torque of 267 lbs.-ft. at 4700 rpm. The engine is quite silent and fuel-efficient and performs the way it is supposed to be. It has good refinement levels and the engine feels at home while doing city speeds. Toyota has decided to go with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive for all trims.

The gear shifts are fairly smooth and the transmission will not give you room for any excuse. The engine feels eager to overtake out on the Motorway and the 8-speed automatic is quick enough to respond to the Driver’s demands.

Speaking of rivals, the Avalon is the most powerful of the lot and beats both the Maxima and the Chrysler by the power of a single pony. The Bimmer is the least powerful of the lot here but makes up with the best torque figures here.

How fast is it?

Apart from the new sporty look, the new Toyota Avalon also comes with a more powerful engine than the 2018 version that results in faster acceleration. It has a 0-60 mph timing of 6 seconds, which is pretty impressive for a family sedan. That means, overtaking other cars in the city won't be a headache and you can zip past the traffic lights in no time at all.

Out on the motorways, you have enough grunt to reach 3 digit figures and you can easily maintain cruising speeds with no hassles. There is enough power to overtake other cars on the motorway or in the city. However, if spirited driving is what you're after, the Avalon may not exactly suit the bill that well.

Despite having the most powerful engine of the lot, the Avalon is slowest in terms of acceleration figures, albeit by a very small margin. All the other sedans here manage to do the 60MPH runs in under 6 seconds, with the Chrysler doing the quarter-mile in under 14 seconds.

How well does it stop?

The Avalon is a confident performer as far as braking goes. The pedals offer decent feel and feedback on the operation and don’t feel squishy or spongy at an occasion. The Avalon manages to remain stable under heavy braking but showcases noticeable nosedive.

The Chrysler again surprises with its braking performance as it’s the quickest to stop from 60MPH. The Bimmer stays true to its dynamics by being the next best here, followed by Toyota and the Nissan respectively.

How well does it handle?

The 2020 Avalon is an absolute joy to ride, courtesy of the New TNGA architecture that Toyota has employed in the Avalon. The steering is extremely responsive and taking sharp turns are easy. It also feels fairly grippy, thanks to its improved aerodynamics and the new rear spoiler which adds to its sportier look. The brakes are also very responsive and make you feel safe. The suspension absorbs the worst that the road has to throw at the Avalon with authority. The road noise is well contained and you do feel that the sedan remains plated and composed, even at high speeds.

The Eco mode is specifically built for fuel efficiency that maintains a good balance between power and performance. If you are taking your Avalon on a long drive, switch to the Sports mode and you will instantly feel the extra power. There’s also the Sport S+ mode that’s exclusive to the Touring trim enhances the engine performance to max while also adjusting the suspension to match the engine’s performance. The effortless transmission of the 8-speed automatic gearbox along with the new suspension system only adds to the experience.

With the rising fuel costs and rapidly depleting resources, customers are now focused on MPG figures more than ever before. Thankfully, the 2020 Toyota Avalon, doesn’t disappoint in this respect as it manages to return a healthy 26MPG overall, courtesy of a lightweight chassis and an efficient motor. Out on the highway, the Avalon manages an amazing 32MPG and on the city, you can expect around 22 MPG. The 14.5-gallon fuel tank, however, reduces the overall driving range when compared to the Avalon’s rivals.

The Bimmer manages to score big on the MPG front as it manages to make good use of its Turbocharged motor. It offers the best MPG figures in this comparison and is followed by the Toyota, Nissan and the Chrysler respectively.

Toyota has made quite a few changes with the interiors as well. The all-black interiors look premium. There is also the optional dual-tone interiors comprising of black and brown, which looks equally good. The dashboard is minimal and uninterpreted.

The infotainment console dominates the central part of the cabin. It is raised and closer to the eye level so that the driver can easily look at the console if needed without completely taking his eyes off the road. Infotainment and driving controls are also mounted on the steering wheel for the convenience of the driver.

There is also no shortage of storing options. Apart from the standard glove box, there is another additional space underneath the driver's hand rest. The Avalon can easily fit in five passengers. The cabin is very spacious with ample head and leg space. Seats are perforated which accounts for good ventilation. Heating only makes the seats more comfortable for long rides during the winter.

What creature comforts are on offer?

Toyota's don't usually disappoint in terms of the features they offer in their vehicles. Talking about the Avalon, you surely won't be disappointed with the kind of features that you'd find in it. Here goes a list of a few notable features on offer on the inside

• Dual Zone Auto AC with Air Filters
• 8 Way Front Power adjust seats with 2-way power lumbar support
• Leather-Trimmed Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
• 60/40 Split-Folding Rear Seats
• Heated Tilt/Telescopic Leather Wrapped Multi-Function Steering Wheel with memory Function
• Ambient Lighting
• 4 Door Auto Up/Down Power Windows
• Frameless Auto-Dimming RVM with HomeLink

What's there to keep you entertained?

In terms of the Infotainment, Toyota is bundling all that you would want from a sedan of this category. The Infotainment system itself feels slick enough and responsive to touch inputs. However, it may get laggy at some points but that's not a big thing to worry about. Sunlight legibility is good as well and reading data and information from the massive touchscreen, won't be much of an issue.

One gripe that we have with the Avalon, is the lack of Android Auto connectivity, considering the considerable size of the audience that owns Android-powered devices. The other notable features on offer include

• Qi Charging Wireless Charging Pad
• Integrated Backup Camera with Dynamic Guidelines
• 7” TFT MID with Customizable Settings
• 10” Customizable HUD
• 9” Touchscreen Infotainment System with Apple Car Play, Amazon Alexa connectivity, and Dynamic Navigation
• 1200W JBL 14 Speaker Audio System with Sub-woofers
• SiriusXM/HD Radio with Bluetooth and USB 2.0 Connectivity

How much cargo can it store?

The Avalon makes good use of its size and manages to offer a good 16.1 cu.ft. of storage capacity in the trunk. Inside the cabin, you have a decent amount of cubby holes that can contain a lot of your stuff, including phones, keys or even watches or any other nifty stuff. The 60/40 split-folding seats, manage to increase the cargo capacity of the Avalon by a decent margin as well.

Comparing the Avalon to its rivals and you'll find that the massive proportions of the Toyota, give it a heads-up in the cargo space department. Surprisingly, the Bimmer offers a similar amount of storage space on offer as the Avalon. The Maxima, contrary to its name, offers the least amount of space in the cargo area but rewards with a spacious interior for passengers.

The bold new front grille, which comes in chrome parallel lines or black interweaved patterns along with the large faux air intakes are the ones that define the look of the new Avalon. Redesigned bumpers and spoilers make it more aerodynamic.

The new Avalon is longer and wider than the 2018 version and looks quite large than it actually is. The dimension and weight are on par with the other cars in the segment.

What are the Exterior highlights?

The 2020 addition has quite a few additions that distinguish it from its predecessor and they are quite impressive.

• LED reflector headlights
• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) with auto on/off feature.
• LED taillights.
• Front chrome grille surrounds with dark gray insert.
• Color-keyed heated power outside mirrors with turn signal and blind-spot warning indicators.
• Aerodynamic front tangential venting.
• Power tilt/slide moonroof with sliding sunshade.
• Painted alloy wheels.
• Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers.
• Acoustic noise-reducing windshield and driver and front passenger side windows.
• High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass.
• Dual exhaust with quad chrome tips.

Toyota takes the safety of its cars very seriously and comes loaded with lots of active as well as passive safety features. The safety features are not trim specific and come standard across all trims.

• Cross-traffic alert (rear)
• Ten airbags
• Lane departure warning activates the steering
• 3-point seat belts for all seating positions
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) includes lower anchors on outboard rear seats
• Child-protector rear door locks and power window lockout control
• Energy-absorbing collapsible steering column
• Front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Collision warning system activates at low speed
• Electronic traction control
• Electronic brake distribution
• Head-up display
• Surround-view camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear cross-traffic braking

The 2020 Avalon Hybrid received a five-out-of-five overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it the highest rating of Good in all crash tests and named it a Top Safety Pick.

Toyota Avalon vs. Chrysler 300

Both the Avalon and the Chrysler 300 are stalwarts in the Sedan segment for a lot of reasons. With similar pricing, both of these cars have different customer bases. If you like a heavy car with raw power and speed, the Chrysler 300 is the car for you. But if you are one of those folks who like a balanced family car with great fuel efficiency and great safety, Toyota Avalon is the car for you. The Avalon feels a bit sturdier as well and it is sure to command a better resale value than the Chrysler.

Toyota Avalon vs. Nissan Maxima

It's very hard to differentiate between Avalon and Maxima. Both of these Japanese sedans offer great value for money. They are quite spacious with excellent fuel efficiency. They also offer excellent ride quality and perfectly suited for everyday commutation. However, Nissan recommends unleaded premium fuel for the maxima while you can fill up the Avalon with regular unleaded fuel. It ultimately boils down to your personal preference and both of these cars are quite remarkable.

Toyota Avalon vs. BMW 330i

The BMW 330i ranks among one of the Best Driving Cars in the World and has been a benchmark in the segment, in terms of driving manners. The Bimmer is impeccably built, offers plenty of features on the inside and comes with the legendary BMW badge on the front. The Avalon may feel a tad bit inferior in terms of driving feel but you can’t rule it out entirely. The Avalon offers mostly everything, that the Bimmer has to offer at a far lower asking price. It has a superb build as well and will be a much more reliable machine to own in the long term when compared to the Bimmer as well.

Despite amassing big sales numbers with their cars globally, the Avalon has been able to make a mark on the minds of people, here in the US. The 2020 Avalon, still manages to capture the imagination of the masses with its superb styling, efficient and powerful motor, comfortable ride quality and Toyota build.  The cabin is very spacious which can comfortably seat 5 passengers. The 2020 Avalon, checks a lot of boxes as far as meeting the demands of the buyer of a sedan of this segment goes and hence is a no-nonsense buy. Sure, the Avalon may not drive as well as the BMW 330i but Toyota has addressed that issue as well, with the introduction of the all-new 2020 Avalon TRD, which is the first time the Avalon name gets the TRD treatment.