Toyota Avalon

Infobox Automobile
name=Toyota Avalon


manufacturer=Toyota
production=1994–present
predecessor=Toyota Cressida
Toyota Vienta (Australia)
successor=Toyota Aurion (for Australian market)
class=Full-size
body_style=4-door sedan
layout=FF layout

The Toyota Avalon is a full-size car produced by Toyota in the United States, and is the flagship sedan of Toyota in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. It was also produced in Australia, up until July 2005, and was later replaced in November 2006 by the Toyota Aurion. It is produced as a front-wheel drive four-door sedan. The first Toyota Avalon rolled off the assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky on February 21 1994 as a 1995 model. A second generation model was released in the United States and Japan in 1999. In 2000, the Toyota Avalon was the first Toyota model to feature a non-touchscreen navigation system.

The Avalon filled the gap left by the cancellation of the Toyota Cressida in the American market in 1992. While the Cressida was an upper-level mid-size, rear-wheel drive car with a straight-6 engine, the Avalon is front-wheel drive and powered by a V6 engine. (The Toyota Camry, which was slotted below the Cressida and Avalon, was initially a compact but later stretched to midsize, hence the reason why the Avalon was introduced as a large car.)

First generation (1995-1999)

Infobox Automobile generation
name=First generation


production=flagicon|United States 1994–1999
flagicon|Australia 2000–2005
engine=3.0 L "1MZ-FE" V6
transmission=4-speed "A541E" automatic
wheelbase= Auto in|107.1|0
length=1995-97: Auto in|190.2|0
1998-99: Auto in|191.9|0
width=1995-97: Auto in|70.3|0
1998-99: Auto in|70.5|0
height=1995-97: Auto in|55.9|0
1998-99: Auto in|56.7|0
fuel_capacity=Convert|18.5|usgal|L impgal|1
assembly=Georgetown, Kentucky
Altona, Victoria, Australia

The 1995 Avalon was a completely new model built in the same plant as the Camry. It was positioned higher than the Camry, making it Toyota's flagship. The Avalon was based on a stretched Camry platform and had a 3.0 litre V6 engine making Convert|192|hp|kW|-1|abbr=on and Auto ft·lbf|210|0 of torque. For 1997, the Avalon's power rating increased to Convert|200|hp|kW|-1|abbr=on, and torque increased to Auto ft·lbf|214|0. Toyota made minor updates to the front and rear fascias in 1998.

The Avalon was available with a front bench seat for full six passenger seating, and its column shifter was the first such feature in an American Toyota car since the 1982 Corona. Side airbags, and seatbelt pre-tensioners were optional, as was traction control. The 1MZ-FE engine with VVT-i was used in the Avalon. Output is 210 hp (156 kW) at 5800 rpm with 222 ft·lbf (328 N·m) of torque at 4400 rpm. Early versions of the VVT-i 1MZ used a dual throttle body, cast aluminum intake manifold, and EGR block off plates on the exhaust manifolds. Later versions used an ABS plastic intake manifold to further weight reduction and decrease cost. These versions may also have drive-by-wire/electronic throttle control.

References

External links

* [http://www.toyota.com/avalon/ Official web site]
* [http://www.my-toyota.com/Toyota_Avalon.html Toyota Avalon Specifications]
* [http://www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au/_scripts/ucsr_search_result.php?IID=14030 Used Car Safety Ratings - Toyota Avalon]