2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Expeditiously powering the front wheels of the 2021 Avalon Hybrid is a 2.5-liter inline-4 gas engine that's been strapped with two electric motors, resulting in overall outputs of 215 hp and 163 lb-ft. From off the line to urban-setting speeds, power is plentiful for the Avalon and the CVT does its work admirably despite offering absolutely no engagement. It's only at highway speeds where the powertrain can feel a little lackluster, particularly when overtaking.

As a semi-premium, eco-friendly executive sedan, the 2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid is a properly impressive car. Aesthetically, the Avalon sedan looks rather cool with its sporty and imposing design, but it's distinctly calm and conservationist in the performance that it delivers, and that's exactly what one wants from an eco-friendly-purposed car. This year, Toyota augmented the Avalon's appeal by adding Android Auto smartphone integration to the standard infotainment system functions and installing a newer and more environmentally friendly lithium-ion battery in place of the outmoded nickel-hydride unit. Though this is still the first-generation Avalon Hybrid sedan, Toyota debuted it with a comprehensive selection of modern creature comforts, conveniences, and advanced driver assists and safety systems. A consummate safety review of the 2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid from both the NHTSA and the IIHS solidifies the sedan's reputation as a pragmatic family runabout. More and more eco-friendly vehicles are hitting the US market as demand grows, and while the Avalon may not be the best out there, owing to its price and the lack of AWD, it is still a very fulfilling and rational buy.

At $37,000, the entry price of the 2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid sedan is relatively high in relation to its direct competitors. For that reason, along with the fact that moving beyond the entry-spec trim sees only the addition of more luxury specifications, we recommend going for the base-model XLE. It comes with loads of high-tech features including a nine-inch infotainment touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, heated front seats with power-adjustability, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The infotainment system also comes standard with full smartphone integration and driver assists are plentiful, including automatic high beams, pre-collision detection with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, and lane departure alert with steering assist all coming inclusive.