GFerg

Nce review as always.

Agreed. Id have no issues driving a current generation model, however I do find the pre facelift model better looking.

I remember the Avalon Police Car concept when the current gen came out years back. Still pretty sweet!

IS-SV

Having spent plenty of time in both the ES and Avalon, my preference is the ES for reasons including luxury and style. The Avalon has the advantage of huge rear seat area, but the ES back seat has plenty of room for my purposes (I'm not hauling NBA stars).

Ty419

Sometimes people want a "normal" car and not a luxury brand. Sales reps that spend time in the car but don't want to seem showy, real estate agents that drive people around but don't want to look like they are making a fortune off people, older people that want to be more responsible with their money, lawyers that want down-to-earth daily transport, etc. There are myriad different reasons that a person would actually not want a luxury tag on the car. The Avalon has filled that niche for a long time, providing the best "non-luxury" experience on the road.

IS-SV

Good point about "normal cars", I know 3 tech executives that have newer Avalons.

But I know plenty of good real estate agents that insist on only premium brand cars (mostly MB and Lexus, some BMW's and Jags, sedans of course) and they say clients appreciate being driven around in comfort/safety/style. Showing up for a listing appointment in a substandard car is a no-no.

cl400

looks like an SUV or truck interior to me..

only great thing about the avalon is the huge rear leg room.

mmarshall

Thanks.

As I indicated in an earlier post, one does not have to be a geezer to enjoy cars of this type. I had two Buicks before the age of 20....I liked them both.

The advantages of the ES350 over the Avalon, as I see it, go beyond just image. It has better interior materials, rides a little smoother and quieter, has a better warranty, and generally better (but more expensive) customer-service.

Thanks.

The CAR CHAT forum, BTW, is one of my enjoyments.

mmarshall

Thanks.

See what I mean, guys? I'm sure that GFerg is no geezer.....like I said earlier, you don't have to have one foot in the grave to like nice, plush, quiet, smooth-driving cars.

Yeah, neat-looking, but probably not that great a car for cops, though the Avalon does have a nice-sized rear-seat for carrying prisoners and police-dogs. In general, though, (for good reason) cops usually prefer full-frame construction and RWD....hence the Crown Vic's long-standing popularity. It is more forgiving of the punishment cops sometimes have to give their cars, such as in high-speed pursuits, than unibody or FWD.

mmarshall

Maybe slightly off-topic, but does the average house-shopper, riding around with a real-estage agent, really care that much about what brand or model car he or she is riding in? Methinks not. When you are house-shopping, you have far more important things to concern yourself with than looking at auto-nameplates...not the least of whether you'll be able to afford closing costs, the upcoming mortgage or rent-money, and the day-to-day costs of owning a house.

spwolf

a lot of the argument here applies to CT200h vs Prius... smaller and more luxurious vs cheaper and bigger... Prius models also can be more expensive than base/premium CT200h.

Ty419

I was just throwing out some examples more than actually making a case for any of those things. The perceived flaunting of wealth can be a big turn off to any sale, real estate or otherwise.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

To my perceptions, the steering input to car response wasn't quite as "sharp" for the given turn. The perception in size may have me thinking "float" though not like a Town Car float with the solid rear. Granted this is no sporty car but great luxo barge for those long trips in comfort. Perfectly acceptable. Little nits to pick at and with a few typical touches I could see this in our garage. (I do have curiosities with the Equus which I hope to get a test drive at some point.)

As a past Cressida owner, I enjoy the progression-evolution. When the LS400 hit these shores and the RWD Toyota offerings went south, this was a sad day for me. That was the beginnings of the "L" brand and here we are today. As nice as this car is, the overall size platform for a luxury level under the "Toyota" badge would be nice if RWD. It has the size and upscale features and isn't really in the LS or GS territory, well, kinda close to GS range. Some buyers may not desire that jump for the premium perceptions. RWD Avalon would have me thinking, hmm.

The Avalon remains in my mind as an alternate. The ES as a similar family FWD doesn't fully speak to me. This is going to come out awkward, I feel there is sufficient Camry in an ES so I look elsewhere. From the 300, 330 and 350 now, it remains a close connection and while trimmed differently, the underlying "heart" is on that fence. I may need to spend more time with an ES to get past that.

I8ABMR

Another excellent review. Thanks for all of the hard work buddy. I have always liked the Avalon and have always admired the insane rear leg room.

mmarshall

Thanks.

You must be tall, and/or have long legs like mine.