Acceleration
"Matches some costlier V8 cars for pep and polish. Test XLS dispatched 0-60 mph in just 6.2 sec. Turbine-smooth V6 teams with responsive, buttery-shifting automatic transmission for ample passing power."

Value
"Avalon no longer leads its class in refinement, room, or interior ambience, yet remains a no-brainer Best Buy. Among its many assets are a benchmark V6 powertrain, solid feel, composed ride, and surprisingly adept handling, plus Toyota's strong track record for quality, reliability, and resale value."

Ride
"Plush feel, yet no float or wallow except over largest high-speed dips and crests. Nicely smothers small bumps, ruts, expansion joints, though firm-suspension Touring registers some blemishes that other models don't."

Economy
"One test XLS logged an impressive 28.0 mpg in mostly highway driving, but a second averaged only 18.4 in a city/highway mix with gas-eating performance tests. Toyota recommends 91-octane fuel."

Noise
"Tranquil, though some rivals like Buick LaCrosse are nearly as hushed. Only mild tire rumble on coarse pavement. V6 sounds rich, is always subdued. Some highway wind rush around door mirrors, but little otherwise."

Comfort - Front
"Large-adult roomy. Comfortable, supportive seats, enhanced on Limited by power in/out thigh bolsters. Visibility a bit pinched to right-rear, fine otherwise."

Comfort - Rear
"Wide, flat-floor cabin allows true 3-abreast comfort on smartly contoured bench seat. Manual reclining seatbacks a luxury-class touch. Good leg and head room, but less expansive than in Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego--and toe space is tight. As in front, large door openings allow fuss-free entry/exit."

Controls
"Legible gauges glow crisply at night. Standard steering-wheel controls a convenience plus, but main functions--and several accessories--operate from look-alike buttons in central dashboard. Navigation switches nicely organized on tilt-out panel, but programming can frustrate--a potential distraction. Elegant cabin decor, but assembly and materials no longer easily outpace those of like-priced rivals."

Cargo Room
"Trunk has space enough for most family excursions, but packing complicated by intrusion from wheel housings and trunklid hinges. Ample cabin storage includes dedicated cell phone holder."