LexBob2

Last year we bought a new 2010 ES350 (trading in an '07 ES). We checked out the Avalon, among other cars (G37, A4, LaCrosse etc.) and a couple of CUV's (RX and Q5).

We chose the ES350 over the Avalon because we preferred both the interior and exterior styling as well as the overall quality of the interior.

In Limited trim the Avalon is priced close to an ES350 which makes for a tough decision and probably why it doesn't sell better than it does.

mmarshall

Sure...anytime.

Not quite as library-quiet as the ES, and lacking some interior material-quality, but, in general, correct.


The Avalon generally appeals to an older demographic than the Camry, but, as I pointed out above, there's no reason that younger people can't drive it.


Yes...29 MPG on the highway is not bad at all.

RX_330

Price points being equal, I would take the equivalent Avalon over the ES350. I would take the ES350 UL over the Avalon Limited, but I would take the Avalon Limited over any other level ES350.

The Avalon is a good buy new or used. So many options and features that you get for a reasonable price.

rdgdawg

IMO, yeah, I felt like it was mostly identical, the Avalon bigger yet with an equally solid feel... while it's been a while since I rode in an ES, and even though I'm not really one for "larger" sedans, out of the two, I'd still go with the Avalon

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Great review Mike! Definitely take care of your health first and foremost

TripleL

Excellent point, I agree.

I wish you continued good health.

CleanSC

I think an excellent job was done here as far as differentiating the Avalon with the ES.

The pricing may be the similar, but they are different enough where prospective buyers are pretty confident about which one is for them.

Avalon for people that want the room, ride, and not too concerned with luxury or keeping up with any Joneses.

ES for people that prefer the style and prefer the nicer things in life if they don't mind the poor rear visibility or other ES shortcomings.

If I wanted a nice big luxobarge without wanting to stand out, I'd be all over the Avalon. It's perfect for those wanting the "Japanese Buick". I'm not aware of any other Japanese companies doing anything like this so to Toyota for doing it.

Miraculously they still offer the Sports Edition option for those wanting a more aggressive package. Ground effects, spoiler, 18" BBS wheels, badging and tinted windows.

I'd rock one for sure.

Alucard

Just checked the Toyota website. Are they really not offering the "black bourdeaux" color interior anymore?

That was a great color that should have made it over to Lexus models too.

mmarshall

Compared to the ES350, the Avalon might be a better-buy used. Its lower-demand means higher depreciation.

mmarshall

There are three leather colors for the current Avalon interior...one of them simply a "Black" Leather. Whether that is the same shade as the "Black Bordeuax" you are referring to, I can't say. I will say, though, that I was not impressed with the grainy, cheap-feeling leather in the current Avalon. The ES350's hides, IMO, are much nicer.

mmarshall

Thanks. I knew that the ES350 was the car that many shoppers immediately compare the Avalon to, so I tried to be as accurate as possible.

You made a nice comparison here, yourself.

mmarshall

Thanks, guys. My health is doing OK. I do a 20-30 minute treadmill (a fast-walk) for excercise almost every morning, and the incisions all healed up long ago. Can't get back yet to the daily swimming, though, because of the breast-bone healing...that will still take a while yet.

RX_330

Rest and recover well!

The new Black Bordeaux was really nice, IMO. I wasn't aware that they didn't offer it anymore. I've only seen one in person and I've only seen one example of it online. But the interior is black, but the leather part of the door panels and seat coverings are a deep bordeaux color. It was a really nice, sophisticated two tone look.

I agree about the leather in the Avalon (and Toyota in general). It's grainy and dry. Feels cheap. I have found that regular care with quality leather conditioners work to soften it up pretty well over time. The only Toyota leather I've really liked from the factory was the Land Cruiser, but then the Land Cruiser is almost twice as expensive as the Avalon.

EDIT: Found a Black Bordeaux interior.

mmarshall

Thanks. I'm doing fine with the surgery recovery. I'm back to a totally normal life except for some upper-body stress (have been for awhile). But doing reviews every couple of days (they are time-consuming) impacts on my needed time for other things, too. I'll just take a review-breather for a couple of weeks, that's all.

Sounds like a limited-production model. Toyota marketers (probably) determined that the Avalon's sales were too low to justify special models and trim-packages. In fact, even the former Avalon Touring model has also been dropped.

Yes, the Land Cruiser, though expensive to buy and run, is superb in many ways........so much so that I actually recommend it over the even more-expensive Lexus LX570.

Blackraven

Great review mike

However, the exterior of this car looks just as boring as the GX460. Both of those cars look like Toyota's version of funeral homes on wheels.

That and I don't mean any offense but this car really looks like it's catered for senior citizens (like those old-era Buick cars). I wouldn't be caught driving such........unless I reach pension probably

I would take an ES350 anyday over it. The reason is that, even if the ES350 is just a glorified Asian Camry, I see more dynamism and sophistication in the ES whereas this Avalon is just a sea of boredom.

So much so that you'd be surprised that even with the presence of the Asian Camry, the ES350 is the second or third most bought Lexus vehicle in the country (according to Lexus Manila).

So yeah, I maybe caught driving an ES350.......but the chances of seeing me dead or in a bodybag are way higher than that of ever seeing me driving a boring car such as this one


P.S.
@mmarshall

Yo dude, it's all good. You don't have to worry too much about stuff. Just take care of yourself and enjoy the other things in life.

We wish the best for you always