The driver's blog: Georgetown KY's own the All New 2011 Toyota Avalon

Since February 21st, 2004, Toyota's Georgetown, KY plant has been delivering Toyota Avalons to happy customer's all over the United States. Released as a 2005 model, the Avalons have since been known for their luxurious ammenities, safety ratings, and overall reliability. The Avalons are built in the same plant as the Camry, and the Camry has long been one of America's sweethearts. The Avalon is essentially a Camry just stretched out, more luxurious, and a tad bit more sophisticated. So, if you can, just imagine one of the World's most dependable and trusted vehicles with more luxurious styling inside and out, and a much smoother ride. Today's Avalon is a 2011 model dressed in a green metallic paint job and accented beautifully inside with supple gray leather seating surfaces and beautiful wood grain trim. As I make my laps around the 3rd generation Avalon, she seems to be much larger than previous models and definitely looks longer. They have stretched her out from 191.9 inches long to 197.2 inches long and it is definitely noticeable to anyone who is familiar with the previous Avalons. As with every other manufacturer in the World, Toyota has added LED lighting to the front and rear lights which gives it a very stunning and classy look when approaching the front or rear ends. The side of the vehicle is not sculpted much and seems to be pretty much just flat sheet metal, and at a 197.2 inches that's a lot of blank space, but she's still nicely designed. Overall the car is very attractive and well appointed from the outside. Inside the cabin the cockpit almost mimics a base Lexus at every corner. Let's face it Toyota knows how to build and market luxury cars, and they've been doing so with Lexus since 1989. The Avalon is nothing short of a luxury car, and she delivers luxury everywhere you look. The list of features for this 2011 Toyota Avalon is long. It's well equipped with Power All, Rear View Camera, Power Sunroof, Universal Garage Door Openers, Heated Seats, Keyless Access, and one of the largest cabins you'll find in a car. The steering wheel feels way better weighted than the Camry, and the textures used inside are top notch. Once on the road the Avalon drives smooth and brakes well. The Avalon is suprisingly quick and agile for her size though. While meant to be a cruiser the car still has awesome straight ahead power. The 3.5 L V-6 puts out 268 Horsepower and these Avalons can get up and go from a complete stop. The highway ride is extremley cushy, but does give you some bounce on road imperfections and bumps. The cornering wasn't phenomenal and there was some body roll, but this isn't meant to be a sports car. These were built for the long ride and once I'm on the expressway, I'm in complete comfort. The sound system is awesome, the seats are warm, the steering is nice, and the big car doesn't seem so big once you are cruising at 65-70 miles per hour. If my profession called for lots of driving or travelling this would definitely be one of my top picks. I could literally see myself driving this car from one end of the country to the other with no real issues. As far as space goes inside, she has room for 5 adults to sit comfortably and the backseats seem monsterous. Even with the front seats all the way back, there aren't too many folks who wouldn't be comfortable back there. The 5 speed sequential shift transmission that they've mated to V-6 is very calm and well behaved, and I felt little or no lag or shifting as I ran the car up the expressway. All in all the Avalon is a very well built vehicle, built right here in my home state of Kentucky. There really wasn't anything I disliked about the car. It would be way too big for just my daughter and myself, but if you have a growing family and want to stay in a car, this would be a solid pick. I would also recommend the Avalons to anyone who travels several thousand miles a year in a vehicle, or transports clients from one location to another. Toyota has built almost the perfect highway car. Walking away from the car I can't help but think, how awesome it is that a idea that started on a drawing board in Japan, has made it's way all the way to Georgetown, KY to come to fruition. This makes me proud to be an American and a dreamer. It just goes to show anything can and will happen!

2011 Toyota Avalon Limited Specs:

Engine & Performance