The Toyota Group seems hell bent to change the image of its more unadventurous models as after the world premiere of the new 2013 Lexus ES on Wednesday, the Japanese company unleashed the brand new 2013 Toyota Avalon at the New York International Auto Show.
And like the Lexus model, the 2013 Avalon sports more stimulating and dynamic exterior and interior designs than the vehicle it replaces.
The re-imagined Avalon was penned at Toyota’s Calty Design facilities in Southern California and Michigan, while the car’s engineering took place at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Avalon is slightly smaller in all dimensions at 195.3 inches (4,960mm) long, 72.2 inches (1,835mm) wide, and 57.5 inches tall (1,460mm) tall), though it keeps the same 111 inch (2,820mm) wheelbase as the outgoing model.
Key styling elements include the crispier lines on the body, the sloping roofline and a rather large lower front grille that brings to mind creations from Ford and older Peugeots. The Avalon rides on 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels, depending on the model, and also features LED combination tail lamps.
The interior was designed from scratch and bears no resemblance whatsoever to the outgoing model. Toyota says that aside from the modern look and higher-grade materials, the new Avalon also offers more space for the front and rear passengers as well as a larger boot capacity at 16.0 cubic feet (+1.6 cubic feet).
Available features include three-color display screens that support the multi-information display, the audio/navigation interface, and the climate control panel, dynamic radar cruise control, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, and a three-zone air conditioning system.
Toyota said that it has made numerous structural and chassis improvements to the new Avalon to improve the ride quality, straight-line stability and handling. The sedan model also offers three distinct drive modes (Normal, Eco and Sport) that change throttle response, A/C power usage and steering settings.
The Japanese automaker did not provide any details on the available powertrains.
The 2013 Avalon will be produced at Toyota’s plant Georgetown, Ky. and will roll out in dealerships towards the end of the year.
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