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It's not that current Toyota Avalon buyers are old. It's just that a median age of 64 makes them really, really old. Avalon owners don't always trade in their old sedans on new ones; more often the cars they leave behind are sold at estate sales. Given this, the mission of the new 2013 Toyota Avalon is to knock a decade off the median age of the owner body by bringing in some fresh — but still mature — blood to the pool of potential buyers.
So the new Avalon is aimed at boomers born in the early 1950s to the early '60s, an age notoriously obsessed with perpetual youth and its own sense of hipness. You know, people like Madonna, George Clooney, Dan Marino and, of course, LeVar Burton. It's a generation that would never have looked twice at the original 1995 Toyota Avalon with its front bench seat and column-mounted shifter. After all, it never would have imagined itself maturing to the point of owning what has been Toyota's version of a Buick.
But here the boomers are, well into their 50s and still resisting activation of their AARP cards. And here's the sleeker, vastly better 2013 Toyota Avalon and 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid aimed straight at them. It's better-looking than any Toyota has a right to be. Most of all, it's not a Buick.
Think of the new Avalon as the Champagne Edition of the Toyota Camry. It's everything that's right with the newly redesigned 2012 Camry — its easygoing chassis, slick drivetrain and robust build quality — only in a package with more interior room. Plus it has that champagne bubble thing when it comes to the styling.
Champagne Wishes
When the first Toyota Avalon was introduced in early 1994 as a 1995 model, it was basically a Camry stretched over a 4-inch-longer wheelbase. It was even built alongside the Camry at Toyota's plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. So we shouldn't be surprised that the new Avalon is still a stretched Camry, only this time the wheelbase has been stretched 1.7 inches to 111 inches. The suspension, most of the structural stampings and both the available drivetrains have been brought over from the Camry to the Avalon. And the Avalon is still made at the Georgetown plant on the same assembly line that churns out Camrys. Philosophically at least, the basic idea of the Avalon hasn't changed much.
The outgoing 2012 Avalon also rode on a 111-inch wheelbase, but now the new car's overall length is actually 2.4 inches shorter. Total EPA rated interior volume has dropped a bit from 106.9 cubic feet to 103.6 cubic feet, while trunk volume rises slightly from 14.4 cubic feet to 16 cubic feet.
As you walk around the new Avalon, you'll note that while the upper grille on the new car looks Camry-esque, the larger lower grille has some Ford Fusion in it. The most visually compelling aspect of the car can be seen in profile, as the C-pillar has been pulled back almost completely over the trunk, making the car look longer and more impressive. The silhouette reminds us of the Cadillac XTS or Jaguar XJ.
On the whole, the Avalon looks elegant and modern, not to mention more attractive than some of the sedans for sale over at Lexus. Which one looks better, Toyota Avalon or Lexus ES 350? To us, the ES 350 looks like the garment bag that the tailored Avalon was delivered in.
Champagne Engineering
Aside from a different exhaust system, the 3.5-liter V6 featured in the front-wheel-drive 2013 Toyota Avalon is identical to the optional V6 offered on the Camry. It's rated at 268 horsepower and lashed to the same six-speed automatic transaxle used in the Camry with the same gear ratios. To enhance fuel economy, 5th gear is an overdrive ratio and 6th gear is such a tall overdrive that it's tough for the V6 to pull a thread on a sweater. The Avalon is also geared taller overall than the Camry, with a 3.238:1 ratio compared to the Camry V6's 3.458:1. So we're saying mpg is more important here than mph, right?
All-wheel drive is not available, though several of the Avalon's direct competitors offer it. Toyota argues that few buyers actually opt for the all-wheel-drive option, and offering it in the Avalon would have entailed engineering a whole new floor pan and rear suspension. So it wasn't worth the hassle and expense.
Thanks to the additional acoustic insulation carried by the Avalon compared to the Camry, it practically takes a stethoscope to detect when the Avalon's V6 is running. With about 3,500 pounds to shove around, each of the 268 horses needs to pull hard, and the Avalon's ponies deliver, despite the transmission's tall gearing. The Avalon V6 never feels strained, and we're guessing the car runs to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds. Maybe even a tick quicker.
Hybrid Champagne
In addition to the conventional Avalon, Toyota also now offers a new hybrid version. Given the way the car has been engineered, you'd expect the powertrain to be the gas-electric package from the Camry. And since Toyota has never shied away from doing exactly as expected, the Avalon Hybrid's powertrain does indeed come from the Camry Hybrid.
As in the Camry, the heart of the Avalon Hybrid is a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine that puts out 156 hp. The electric motor that accompanies it is rated at 105 kilowatts, and the juice comes from a pack of nickel-metal hydride batteries. The combined 200 hp is channeled through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the front wheels. Let's guess that the car will get to 60 mph in 9.0 seconds. Maybe a tick more.
While the new Avalon V6 is EPA-rated at 21 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway, the Avalon Hybrid hits a big 40 mpg in both the city and highway tests. And the hybrid drivetrain can be matched to any Avalon trim level except the base XLE.
Caviar Dreams
Yes, the outside of the Avalon is going to attract a new generation of buyers, but it's the inside that's going to have them taking out reverse mortgages and telling their kids to settle for affordable, third-tier colleges. Thanks to the use of multidimensional panel designs somewhat like the Camry, the 2013 Toyota Avalon's interior is simply great.
Slouch into the driver's flat front bucket seat and what faces you are two electroluminescent dials floating up under their own veranda. Chrome wings spear off from the instrumentation and contain air vents. Just below is a black panel that seems to float over the center of the dash and which contains the sound system and HVAC controls. Beneath that is a center console containing the shifter and oversize cupholders.
Even in the plain XLE, the Avalon's cockpit is gorgeously detailed, roomy and shockingly comfortable. The rear seat even has some shape to it that should keep it comfortable over long cruises. This is a clear move up from the old Avalon and a move up in general for Toyota. Surprisingly, the Avalon has abandoned its use of matte finish for the fake wood trim and gone back to a glossy finish for the fake wood accents on the dash. "It's more dazzling," the Avalon's chief engineer explained to us. "And dazzling is good."
Champagne and Caviar Drive
If you drive the new Avalon out the back of a C-130 cargo plane flying at 10,000 feet, we can promise you that you'll have the most serene 90 seconds or so of your life before you smash into the ground. The new Avalon is so comfortable that it's almost as if you're still in freefall after driving out of the Hercules. This is a car that can drain the excitement out of almost any situation. (Get into your 50s and this sort of thing starts to sound pretty good.)
With the V6 doing business under the hood, the 2013 Toyota Avalon is confident and poised, with its wheels broadly apart on the pavement. There's weight in the nose and you can feel it leading you down the highway. This isn't a car that goes out hunting corners; it's the car driven by the guy who hires other guys to hunt for him. The transmission changes gears so smoothly that the machinery might well be lubricated with ambrosia, and there's enough acoustic insulation to effectively hush any tire noise.
There's not a lot of communication from the steering, but what it's not telling you is stuff the Avalon driver doesn't want to know anyway. The ride is soft but controlled, while the nose dips only slightly when you get on the brakes.
Except for a slight whine from the regenerative braking system, the Avalon Hybrid drives fully as confidently as the conventional V6 version. That's not a surprise. After all, every part in the package has been well proven in the Camry Hybrid.
Single-Malt Prices
Prices for the 2013 Toyota Avalon start at $31,750 for the XLE including a $760 destination charge. Adding a moonroof, back-up camera, garage door opener and smart key system turns that car into a $33,955 XLE Premium. Throw in a nav system, blind spot monitor and 18-inch wheels and suddenly it's a $36,260 XLE Touring. At the top of the line is the $40,410 Limited which includes HID headlights, a color HVAC system monitor and practically everything else imaginable.
There is also a fifth model available that's aimed at the livery trade. It's based on the XLE but includes features like rear-seat climate controls. Apparently Toyota is taking aim at the market left open by the demise of the Lincoln Town Car. No word yet on whether to expect another Avalon optimized for conversion into stretched limousines, hearses and flower cars.
The 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium starts at $36,315 ($2,360 more than the V6), while the line tops out at $42,160 for the Limited (a $1,750 bump up from the V6). This seems to represent a reasonable premium to pay for a hybrid system at a time when gas prices are stuck above $4 per gallon.
By the time you're in your 50s you ought to know what kind of person you are. And not everyone that age needs a Mercedes AMG blitzwagen or BMW M car. Some of us want to drive something different. Unpretentious but elegant. Comfortable, but not showy. Reliable, but not generic.
The 2013 Toyota Avalon is for those of us who can admit our maturity and want to grow really, really old in style.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Used 2013 Toyota Avalon listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2013 Toyota Avalons for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 418 used and CPO 2013 Avalons listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 14,750 and mileage as low as 6,962. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2013 Toyota Avalon. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 300 on a used or CPO 2013 Avalon available from one of 2,630 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2013 Toyota Avalon ?
Save up to $300 on one of 46 used 2013 Toyota Avalons for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $14955 as of Apr 26, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 30 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 3.8 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2013 Toyota Avalon trim styles:
The used 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE is priced around $15429 with average odometer reading of 55367 miles.
The used 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Touring is priced around $18650 with average odometer reading of 47356 miles.
The used 2013 Toyota Avalon Limited is priced around $18158 with average odometer reading of 55324 miles.
The used 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Premium is priced around $17013 with average odometer reading of 47216 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2013 Toyota Avalon?
Available Toyota Avalon 2013 Submodel Types: Sedan
Available Toyota Avalon 2013 Trims: XLS, XL, Touring, Limited, Base, XLE Touring, XLE Premium, XLE Touring SE, XLE, XLE Plus
Exterior Colors: Celestial Silver Metallic, Creme Brulee Mica, Midnight Black Metallic, Cosmic Gray Mica, Ooh La La Rouge Mica, Black, Parisian Night Pearl, Attitude Black Metallic, Classic Silver Metallic, Blizzard Pearl, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Sizzling Crimson Mica, Cassis Pearl, Desert Sand Mica, Silver Pine Mica, Blue Mirage Metallic, Champagne Mica, Silver Spruce Metallic, Titanium Metallic, Phantom Gray Pearl, Sandy Beach Metallic, Cypress Pearl, Lunar Mist Metallic, Moulin Rouge Mica, Nautical Blue Metallic, Cocoa Bean Metallic, Constellation Blue Pearl, Deep Red Mica Metallic, Diamond White Pearl, Super White, Zephyr Blue Metallic
Interior Colors: Ivory cloth, Black premium leather, Black leather, Ivory leather, Ivory premium leather, Graphite cloth, Light Gray premium leather, Ivory, Almond premium leather, Light Gray leather, Almond leather, Black, Black Bordeaux premium leather, Dark Charcoal leather, Graphite, Stone
Popular Features: Keyless Entry/Start, Lane Departure Warning, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Auto Climate Control, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, Back-up camera, Sunroof/Moonroof, Blind Spot Monitoring, Navigation, Cooled Seats, Post-collision safety system, Upgraded Headlights, Upgraded Stereo, Remote Start, Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-collision safety system
Engine/Mechanics: 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: regular unleaded, premium unleaded (required)
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2013 Toyota Avalon Overview
The used 2013 Toyota Avalon is offered in the following submodels: Sedan. Available styles include XLE Touring 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A), Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A), and XLE Premium 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Avalon models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2013 Avalon comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.
