2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid review notes

Toyota’s full-size sedan straddles the line between Lexus LS and Camry

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: The Avalon is part of a dying breed -- the full-size sedan; it's kind of a shame, because some of the best mass-market examples of this traditional body style are on sale today, including the Avalon XLE Hybrid.

Setting aside what already makes the Avalon one of my favorite full-sizers -- interior refinement, space and build quality -- this may also be the first hybrid I've driven that made me wonder why anyone would buy the straight gasoline version. This powertrain is absolutely seamless, uses barely any fuel and, when needed, can deliver gobs of electric torque for a push the V6 Avalon can only dream of. Yes, the regenerative brakes take a bit of mental recalibration, but once you've got a feel for them the car is remarkably satisfying to drive.

This generation of Avalon is blessed with one of Toyota's best interior designs ever -- it's big, bright and airy, and manages to feel as though it belongs in a more expensive car. The touch-sensitive switchgear lives on a corrugated panel that doesn't show fingerprints, and little cutouts demarcate "buttons" to help guide your finger. The effect manages to look just as elegant as Cadillac's CUE or the previous upper trim ranges of MyFord Touch, but it's more intuitive.

Big, comfortable front thrones appear built for 'Murican butts and offer tons of adjustability; limo-like legroom exists for rear passengers even with a 6-foot-plus driver, and the trunk will undoubtedly swallow some focus-group-determined quantity of golf clubs. Basically, whatever you'd expect to be able to use a full-size sedan for, the Avalon will meet your needs and then some.

It's the poor man's Lexus LS, this Avalon XLE Premium. Though, given its luxury amenities, 40-mpg capability and under-$40K price tag, the Avalon hybrid might actually be the smart man's Lexus LS too.

The cabin of the Avalon displays luxury with the leather seats and three spoke wheel. Photo by Toyota

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEN ROSS: The Avalon is amazingly … OK. I don’t mean that in a bad way because there are lots of cars that aren’t good at anything. The exterior is what you would draw if you were asked to pen a semi-upscale midsized sedan. Everything is proportioned properly and there are a few hints of sport in the front fascia. That sharp line behind the running lights gives an impression of motion. It fades out and picks up again behind the front tire, continuing just above the door handles and ending at the point of the wrap-around taillights. On the other hand, my explanation of the line is probably more interesting than the line itself.

The interior continues to be adequate, with a hint of wood-like material along the bottom of the dashboard and a good mix of well-done leather. All of these materials look good together and make a great placeholder for the Toyota. Once again, there are no surprises or disappointments, just business as usual.

I walked away from this car thinking that the discussion in Toyota design was something like, “We can’t make it too upscale or they won’t buy Lexus; OK but we need to make it better than a Camry.”

That’s what the company did and it’s … OK. 

The Avalon Hybrid has a 2.5-liter I4 with permanent magnet AC synchronous motor. Photo by Toyota

Options: Entune premium audio with navigation and app suite includes Entune multimedia bundle including 7-inch high resolution touchscreen with split screen display, AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, nine speakers including amplifier, auxiliary audio jack, USB 2.0 port with iPod connectivity and control, advanced voice recognition, hands-free phone capability, phone book access and music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology, Entune app suite, HD radio, HD predictive traffic and Doppler weather overlay, AM/FM cache radio, SiriusXM radio with three month trial and integrated backup and camera display with projected path ($935); carpeted floor mats/trunk mat ($225)

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Report: Evo Successor Might Be a Hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is set for the chopping block after the 2015 model year, but there's no need for worry since a successor is on its way. Or is it? More on Motortrend.com:2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR First Test Managing director of Mitsubishi U.K. Lance Bradley hinted to Auto Express that the next Evo could come in the form of a high-performance version of the next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander Sport crossover (called the ASX in Europe). Bradley says that a redesigned version of this compact crossover launches next year in both standard gasoline and plug-in hybrid forms, and suggests that a performance variant would be a candidate to continue on the Evolution nameplate. Details are slim at this point, but this hypothetical high-powered crossover would use Mitsubishi's gas-electric hybrid technology and route its power through all four wheels.

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396-hp Golf GTE Sport hybrid concept is a carbon-fiber tease

VW debuts carbon-intensive plug-in hatch at Worthersee as a hint at future tech

Volkswagen has used this year's Worthersee tuning festival in Austria to reveal the latest in the line of GTE hybrid concepts, debuting alongside the positively mental Audi TT packing 600 hp. The Golf GTE Sport concept picks up where the last hybrid concept left off, combining blistering perfomance while retaining a measure of green cred.

The Golf GTE Sport hatch is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine borrowed from the Polo R WRC (World Rally Car) along with two electric motors, one in the front and one in the back. Together, the engine and the two motors churn out 396 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to propel the hatch to 62 mph in just 4.3 seconds when all three powerplants are working together -- kind of like robots from Japanese cartoons that combine to form one large robot. As other GTE family concepts, the Golf can function in all-electric mode with a maximum range of 31 miles, while boasting fuel economy of 141.2 mpg (In the Euro cycle).

And, like other recent GTE concepts, the Golf can function in E-Mode, running completely on electricity after being charged, in hybrid mode which engages regenerative braking to help the battery, and in GTE Mode with all three units working together.

Car Reviews 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTE first drive

What is it?The new VW Golf GTE is the very first series production Volkswagen model to come with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain -- a development that provides it with a 0-62 mph time of 7.6 seconds, ...

The Golf GTE Sport concept can hit 62 mph in just 4.3 seconds with all three motors working together. Photo by Volkswagen

Composed largely of carbon, this concept hatch features doors that open upward like in the production XL1 hatch, while the interior offers two separate areas for the driver and the passenger, as in motorsport cars. The interior contains plenty of other features inspired by racing layouts, including a steering column that extends far into the cocoon-like cockpit. Instrumentation is displayed on three transparent screens which are positioned one behind another, with the smallest being the closest to the driver.

There's no use in calling up your local Volkswagen dealer -- the Golf GTE Sport isn't headed to showrooms anytime soon. But other GTE concepts such as the Sport Coupe GTE that debuted at the Geneva auto show just a couple of months ago, and the C Coupe GTE from the Shanghai auto show stand a much better chance of making it into production, along with most of the hybrid tech if not the carbon bodywork.

Geneva Motor Show Volkswagen Sport Coupe Concept GTE debuts at Geneva auto show

This week Volkswagen unveiled the Sport Coupe Concept GTE at the Geneva motor show. Said to debut a new design language for the brand, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE features a crisp form and repeating ...

The interior is pretty futuristic, to put it mildly. And you won't see it in the Golf anytime soon. Photo by Volkswagen

Besides, there is already a Golf GTE that's a plug-in hybrid (not in the States), though its 0-62 time is nothing to write home about; it majors in fuel economy. But with a starting price of $48,440 across the Atlantic, are we ready for a plug-in hybrid Golf over here?  Perhaps if the production version boasted a 4.3-second sprint to 62 mph it could be worth it. For now, this concept is staying on the drawing board.

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Daily Driver: 2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Daily Driver: 2015 Toyota Avalon HybridSebastian Blanco

Vital StatsEngine:2.5L I4 + 105-kW MotorPower: 268 HP / 248 LB-FTTransmission:6-Speed AutomaticDrivetrain:Front-Wheel DriveEngine Placement:FrontCurb Weight:3,638 LBSSeating:2+3Cargo:14.0 CU-FTMPG:40 City / 39 HWYBase Price:$36,470As Tested Price:$38,455Daily Driver videos are micro-reviews of vehicles in the Autoblog press fleet, featuring impressions from the staffers that drive them every day. Today's Daily Driver features the 2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium, reviewed by Sebastian Blanco.

You can watch the video above or read a transcript below. Watch more Autoblog videos at /videos.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00] Hello everyone. Welcome to another Autoblog Daily Driver. This is Sebastian Blanco coming to you from behind the wheel of a 2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium. This is the silver metallic and light gray version. Comes in at $38,455. It has an Entune Premium audio setup here. It's a Toyota. It's a hybrid, which probably makes you think of a Prius. The Avalon

[00:00:30] and the XLE and the Premium, what we're really dealing with here is a world's plushiest, comfiest bigger Prius. It's a very different kind of car, with the body style, but you've got a lot of similarities if you've spent any time in a Prius. The fuel economy of this Hybrid on the official scale is 40 miles per gallon combined, 40 in the city and 39 on the highway. I've driven it over 400 miles this week and my average was 34.3 miles per gallon.

[00:01:00] Much lower than the numbers would suggest and there's really no excuse for that. I was driving with the cruise control on, mostly on the highway, the weather is fine. This should have been an easy 39, but maybe that's the fault of the cruise control. The sport mode in this car for me has been kind of a joke. When I was interacting with the car in a more discernible manner, I couldn't tell much difference. This isn't the kind of car that you want when you're dealing with sport mode.

[00:01:30] You know what you're getting with this car. It's a little more luxurious, not quite Lexus level, but definitely the higher end for a Toyota. It's nice if you like these sort of cars. This is definitely worth a look, but it's not going to be on my shopping list anytime soon. Perhaps it is on yours. For Autoblog and AutoblogGreen, this is Sebastian Blanco for another Daily Driver.

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