2014 Toyota Avalon Review
2014 Toyota Avalon Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Quiet and upscale interior with roomy seating front and rear
- large trunk
- above-average fuel economy.
Cons
- Ride quality might be too firm for traditional Avalon buyers
- cumbersome setup process for Entune.
What’s new
For 2014, the Toyota Avalon sees no changes other than a minor shuffling of standard and optional features.
Edmunds says
With its combination of style, comfort, overall quality and high fuel economy, the 2014 Toyota Avalon is a smart choice for a full-size sedan.
Notably, we picked the 2014 Toyota Avalon as one of Edmunds' Best Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2014 Toyota Avalon XLE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$172/mo for Avalon XLE
Avalon XLE
vs
$181/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Vehicle overview
For last year's complete redesign of the Avalon, Toyota maintained the qualities the Avalon has long been known for: a high level of comfort, plenty of room and a reputation for quality. At the same time, the automaker significantly improved the car's handling qualities, added higher-quality cabin materials and wrapped it all up in a truly stylish body. The result is a more complete and desirable car. Indeed, the 2014 Toyota Avalon is closer to being an entry-level luxury car than a mainstream full-size sedan.
Classifications aside, we're pretty sure you'll like the Toyota Avalon. Whether you're just commuting by yourself to work or taking a group of friends to lunch, the Avalon will impress with its low levels of noise and roomy front and rear seating. You'll likely be fond of the car's coddling features such as supportive seats, large armrests and optional premium features like adaptive cruise control and heated and ventilated seats. Effortless performance is furnished by Toyota's impressively smooth 3.5-liter V6 engine, which cranks out a respectable 268 horsepower while still earning a 25 mpg combined EPA fuel economy rating.
Picking an affordable, large sedan for 2014 isn't easy, considering the vastly improved 2014 Chevrolet Impala as well as the 2014 Chrysler 300. The 2014 Hyundai Azera and Kia Cadenza also deserve a good, long look. All of these are smart choices, and in some cases they're less expensive as well. But we have no problem saying the Avalon has more than enough merits to warrant a place in your garage.
Performance & mpg
The 2014 Toyota Avalon comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates 268 hp and 248 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
At Edmunds.com's test track, an Avalon XLE sprinted to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, one of the quicker times for this segment. EPA estimated fuel economy stands at 25 mpg combined (21 mpg city/31 mpg highway) for the XLE and XLE Premium. The Touring and Limited have a slightly lower 24 mpg combined estimate.
Safety
Standard safety features for the Avalon include traction and stability control, antilock disc brakes, front- and rear-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, front knee airbags and a rearview camera. The Limited comes with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts (optional on the Touring). Also standard on the Limited is Toyota's Safety Connect service, which includes roadside assistance, stolen vehicle location and automatic collision notification. The Limited's optional Technology package includes a frontal collision warning system.
At the track, an Avalon XLE came to a stop from 60 mph in 127 feet, a few feet longer than the class average.
In government crash tests, the Avalon received a rating of five stars out of five for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal-impact protection and five stars for side-impact protection. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Avalon scored a rating of "Good" -- the highest possible -- in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof-strength crash tests. The Avalon's seat/head restraint design was also rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts.
Driving
Your first thought when driving the 2014 Toyota Avalon might be one of mild surprise, as the big sedan feels more responsive and sure-footed than you'd expect. The steering feels reassuringly taut, while the brakes are nicely tuned to match the increased responsiveness of the drivetrain. Overall, the Avalon is just easy to drive. One thing to note, however, is that the latest car rides more firmly than Avalons of old. If you're expecting traditional Avalon softness, make sure you give this new car a thorough test-drive.
The V6 engine is smooth and powerful and should provide more than enough acceleration to please most drivers. Furthermore, that performance is delivered in a very quiet, unruffled manner, which adds to the Toyota's appeal as an effortless open highway cruiser. Overall, the Avalon provides an impressive blend of comfort, performance and efficiency.
Interior
The Avalon's interior is spacious and elegant, with high-quality materials throughout. The front seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable, with plenty of side bolstering and lumbar support for both the driver and the front passenger. As you'd expect for this class of car, the Avalon's rear seats are quite roomy.
The Avalon Touring and Limited come standard with Entune, a suite of smartphone-connected services that includes features like the Bing search engine, Pandora streaming radio, real-time traffic and sports and stock information. Getting started with Entune is a hassle, since you have to install an app on your phone and register for an account; plus, you always need an active data connection to use it. In addition, the car has to be parked to access many of the apps (many of which you probably already have installed on your smartphone). Finally, the touchscreen interface has straightforward menus, but it's sometimes unresponsive to user touch.
Storage compartments provide ample room for drinks and personal effects. The lower section of the center console provides a convenient "eBin" with power cords passing through a sliding panel for two cell phones and auxiliary and USB connections. A large center armrest provides more storage space and additional connectivity and charging for cell phones. The generous trunk offers 16 cubic feet of space, and its wide opening and low liftover height make it easy to load heavy bags.
2014 Toyota Avalon models
The 2014 Toyota Avalon is a full-size sedan offered in four trim levels: XLE, XLE Premium, XLE Touring and Limited. The Avalon Hybrid is covered in a separate review.
The XLE comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery, an eight-way power driver seat with power lumbar support, a four-way power front passenger seat and heated front seats. Electronic features include keyless ignition and entry, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a 6.1-inch central touchscreen display and an eight-speaker audio system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB/iPod interface.
The Avalon XLE Premium adds upgraded keyless ignition/entry (additional functionality for rear doors and trunk), a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a remote garage door opener.
The Touring has 18-inch wheels, foglights, paddle shifters, an eight-way power driver seat (with power lumbar), a four-way power front passenger seat, a navigation system, a nine-speaker audio system with satellite and HD radio and Toyota's Entune smartphone app integration system.
Going with the Avalon Limited gets you all of the above plus xenon headlights, auto-dimming side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, ambient cabin lighting, tri-zone automatic climate control, upgraded leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a rear power sunshade, a 7-inch touchscreen display, a hard-drive-based navigation system and an 11-speaker JBL premium sound system.
Some of the upper trims' features are available as options for the lower trims, while the Limited also offers the available Technology package which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlight control and a pre-collision system.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#1 out of 13 among Fullsize Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Toyota Avalon from 2008-2022.$371/yr
vs. $474/yr
for Average Fullsize Car
for Average Fullsize Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).0.67x/yr
vs. 0.97x/yr
for Average Fullsize Car
for Average Fullsize Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).9.6%
vs. 13.4%
for Average Fullsize Car
for Average Fullsize Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2014 Toyota Avalon.
5 star(33%)
4 star(33%)
3 star(13%)
2 star(17%)
1 star(4%)
48 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3 out of 5 stars
Rides like a truck. poor engineered struts.
gordon grier, 04/01/2015
2014 Toyota Avalon XLE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
I had a 2005 toytoa avalon that had a very comfortable ride. This 2014 Toyota Avalon rides like a truck. Poor engineering . Toyota fixed the poor ride problem on their 2016 Avalon … models. So on 06/01/16 , I bought new front 2016 Avalon coil Springs part #48131-07120 , #48132-07030 & new front 2016 Avalon shock absorbers part #48520- 8z156 , #48510- 8z299 for my 2014 Avalon. After installing them on my 2014 Avalon , I am now very happy with the improvment in the ride quality. The cost for the springs & shocks was around $400.00. All 2016 shocks & springs fit on 2014 with no problem. The very uncomfortable ride was driving me nuts. This change was a lot cheaper than buying a new car with a more comfortable ride. Hope this helps others with the same problem I had .
4 out of 5 stars
Give this an extended test drive before buying!
Arslan T, 03/30/2016
2014 Toyota Avalon XLE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
I drive about 26k miles a year and about 80 miles a day here in Houston and was looking for a used road warrior. My biggest factor in purchasing our 3rd car here is road comfort (to avoid road fatigue) and efficiency/mpg. I have two friends that have the older Avalon models and rave about its comfort and ride, and currently having an ES 350 and seeing its reliability and comfort, the new … Avalon was an obvious choice for me. We had the opportunity to purchase a 2015 Avalon XLE but the week that I was to purchase the car I had an opportunity to rent the same car. 200-300 miles later and I am absolutely set on never buying this current Avalon!
The exterior has great looks and the interior took a bit to get use to. As others have reviewed, the ride is firm on the highway to the extent that you will feel most bumps, causing road fatigue much earlier (about 25 mins for me). Secondly the seat does not have adequate lumbar support, making the ride much worse.
Please do test drive the car before buying this as Toyota has changed the Avalon to make it appeal to younger buyers. As a 30 year old, I really should care about the fun to drive factor - which is def there! - but I just can't get over how uncomfortable the ride is on the highway.
Test drove an Accord and a Camry today as well and surprisingly even the camry - which was my last resort car! - even has a better ride in terms of comfort than the avalon
4 out of 5 stars
Loving my Es, Um I mean Avalon!
New Southerner, 08/30/2017
2014 Toyota Avalon XLE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
If you like a touch of class, style, performance and panache from an automobile, this is the one for you. Several weeks ago I purchased a used 2014 Toyota Avalon. Having recently moved south from the Midwest, I wanted to shed my 4-wheel drive veh for something smaller. Initially I went looking for a gently used Lexus ES350. My reasons were simple: I’m getting closer to 40 and my … automobile needs are starting to bend more toward function and less form. This meant arguing my ego down from the thought that I needed to ‘sit high’ or that I need 3 rows for the few times a year we use the 3rd one.
So on to the car; I initially drove 3 or 4 ES’s and on one return test drive I ended up parking next to an Avalon. “What’s this?” I asked the salesman. He responded ‘the Avalon’ and proceeded to tell me of how the car rides a variation of the same platform as the ES. Really? Also that the engine and powertrain were virtually Identical. Really?? So I gave this car –which I had never even glanced at, much less considered before- a good once over. Lowered front end profile w/quadra-beam headlights, Aston-Marton inspired lower intake grill flanked by chrome enveloped fog lamps. A clean and handsome profile with a slightly ‘windswept’ greenhouse profile and a beautiful tail end w/LED lights and dual, trapezoidal exhaust…. “Hmm, will you get the keys for this”??? I asked. Got inside. ‘Whoa, seriously, nice!’ A 6 inch touch screen w/digital readouts for the HVAC just below. Mine has the lighter interior w/contrasting taupe, brown and black color scheme. It’s a very rich look accented by liberal swaths of chrome. On to the drive. The ride was the final deal cincher. The engine is buttery-smooth with plenty of power for passing. In fact, I had to learn how to properly finesse the engine when I am passing because stepping down to hard gives way more power than you probably were looking for. I want to address the ride quality itself though. Many have written that the car thunks or crashes over bumps. Honestly, I hadn’t noticed it at all. I think the ride is quite appropriate honestly and I have to believe those that don’t care for it are not the younger buyers Toyota had in mind with this departure from the traditional Avalon. The only places I have to give the car less than stellar marks are the sound system and touch screen. The base unit’s graphics seem a generation behind the two vehicles I have most recently owned and it suffers mightily from sun glare. You literally cannot see a thing it certain situations and that is with dealer placed tint on all windows. . Also, the basic sound system sounds very tinny and has very little bass. They are merely adequate and I have been accustomed to far better utility. (the unit in the base XLE doesn’t even show album artwork for ipod songs)
All told, this car is a serious sleeper for most. For some, the prestige of that L in the Lexus nameplate is worth the extra money for what is in many important respects the same car. After spending days if not weeks looking for the perfect gently used Lexus ES, I finally found it. Just so happened that it wears a Toyota badge and prefers to be called Avalon.
2 out of 5 stars
We Call It "The Turnip"
Dave Kopczynski, 08/26/2015
2014 Toyota Avalon Limited 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
After owning nothing but Camrys since 1989, and being completely satisfied with them, we decided to "upgrade" to the Toyota "Flagship", assuming that it would be nicer than the Camrys. This was the biggest car buying mistake of my life! Our 2014 Avalon Limited has the harshest ride and the most road noise of any car we have ever owned. We refer to it as "The Turnip" because we feel … the ride and noise would be what you would expect from a turnip truck used on a farm to transport vegetables. The seats are about as comfortable as sitting on a sheet of plywood.
Understand that we think the deep metallic red Avalon is one of the prettiest cars on the road. We get a lot of compliments on the appearance of the car, and I always try to sell it to the people making the compliment.
However, when new people ride in the car, the comment is something like, "What were you thinking? Did you even drive this thing before you bought it?" Regrettably, I didn't drive the car; I went entirely on Toyota's reputation for quality and the terrific Avalon reputation for a quiet, almost luxury car ride, in an affordable vehicle.
Toyota says they redefined the ride to appeal to a younger (40-ish) group of potential buyers. I really don't see where a "neck-snapping" noisy ride would appeal to people in any age group.
A few other complaints: 1. Navigation system is already out of date; 2. Analog and digital speed indications are different; 3. Rattles are starting to appear; 4. Sound system is very unimpressive compared to systems in our other cars.
I have tried several times to trade this car for something (almost anything) else. Car dealers KNOW the Avalon's new reputation, and the trade-in value is below the low end of the Kelly Blue Book range of values. The saddest event was when I test drove a Ford F-150 pickup truck and the ride quality and lack of road noise was FAR superior to the Avalon.
Summary: If you feel you simply MUST consider this car, take it for an EXTENDED test drive before signing the paperwork!! Drive down a highway at 60 MPH and just listen to the road noise!! There doesn't seem to be adequate sound insulation in the body. READ READ READ the reviews!!!
Better yet, buy something else.
Update: After trying several times, we have not been able to get rid of this car. Dealers know that this is not the quiet comfortable car that Avalon used to be. The car has very low mileage and is in absolutely flawless condition, but we have not been able to get within $2000 of KBB or NADA trade in value. This car was a very poor choice.
Update 2/17: We still own this car because we have been unable to get any kind of a reasonable trade-in on the vehicle. We keep the car as a spare when someone in the family needs a car when their car is in the shop, etc.. This is not a problem since we have four cars for two drivers. We purchased a new all-wheel-drive SUV last November. Sadly, the SUV rides far better than the Avalon and, unbelievably, is quieter. The most annoying thing about this Avalon is that it could have been a wonderful car if they had only left it alone and kept the fantastic quiet comfortable ride for which Avalon was know up to the 2013 model. I enjoy reading other Avalon reviews where the Avalon is compared to "the Flintstone's car with granite wheels". At least I get a couple laughs out of the $35000 I threw away on this car.
Update 2/18:
Because we refuse to take a financial beating on "The Turnip", we still own it. We just couldn't find a dealer, including Toyota, who would even give us the "trade in" value toward list price on another car. We have two SUV's that ride much better than the Avalon, and are much quieter. The Avalon needed a complete 4-wheel brake job, including rotors, at 31,000 miles! Never had a car before that required a brake job at such a low mileage (usually, we get 60,000 or more miles out of brakes).
Again I will state that this could have been a wonderful car if Toyota maintained the quiet and excellent ride quality that it was known for before the 2013 model. BTW, I bought a Subaru Outback for about 70% of the cost of the Avalon. The Outback is a pure joy to own: better, quieter ride than the Avalon! Shame on you, Toyota!!
Update 2/19:
As mentioned above, we didn't get rid of this car because of the very poor sale/trade in value. After 40.000 miles, we don't hate the car quite as much because we have experienced no problems requiring repairs. Routine maintenance has been all that has been required. The car still rides and sounds like a truck, but we have given up on that. What bothers us the most is that this could have been such a great car, had it been designed with a little more sound insulation and a better ride. I guess Toyota makes the same basic car that is quiet and has a great ride: it's called a Lexus!!
Update 8/19:
Car is still a noisy, rough-riding, uncomfortable, and very reliable and trouble-free car. We'll be stuck with this for years.
2014 Avalon Highlights
XLE
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $31,590 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 25 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $172/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 16.0 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Avalon include:
- Back-up camera
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
NHTSA Overall Rating
5 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover10.7%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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