The Toyota Avalon is a midsize car built from 1995 to 2022 over 3 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 99.8% of those on record. Between 1995 and 2023 it grew 15 cm longer and gained 164 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Avalon is
The Toyota Avalon is a midsize car that Toyota built from 1995 to 2022 — 28 model years. Our measurements put it at 3 generations, the current one starting in 2019. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Toyota range: Camry, Prius, Crown.
Where the Avalon is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 2,903 Avalons on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 4T1, 4TB | 1995-2022 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Toyota VIN decide which of these 3 lines your Avalon belongs to. What every character in a Avalon VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Toyota Avalon adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Avalon generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Avalon's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Avalon that gives 3 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-2004 | 483 cm | 272 cm | 1490 kg | - | - |
| 2005-2018 | 498 cm | 279 cm | 1553 kg | +15 cm | +63 kg |
| 2019-2023 | 498 cm | 287 cm | 1654 kg | +0 cm | +101 kg |
Between 1995 and 2023 the Avalon gained 15 cm in length (+3.1%) and 164 kg in weight (+11.0%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Avalon that is 164 kg against 15 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Toyota Avalon tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Avalon owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Toyota Avalon have? Power & range
The Toyota Avalon is offered with 3 powertrains — 3.5L 6-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 3 for the Toyota Avalon, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.5L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.5L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | Regular |
| Hybrid | 2.5L · 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Avalon by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Toyota Avalon. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Avalon | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 83 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 2,046 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,428/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 936 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Toyota Avalon?
The Avalon is a midsize car, built from 1995 to 2022 across 3 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6.
Where is the Toyota Avalon made?
Across 2,903 cars in our records the split is: the United States (99.8%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Avalon have?
3 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2019. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Avalon grew 15 cm longer and gained 164 kg.
What is the Toyota Avalon warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Avalon reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Avalon?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Toyota
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 1983–2026 | 162 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1996–2026 | 168 | 78 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Corolla | 1981–2026 | 222 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1995–2026 | 197 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2001–2026 | 110 | 36 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota 4-Runner | 1984–2026 | 172 | 23 mpg | 4.0/5 |