FIT FOR A KING-as good as Lexus.
Pros:
ROOMY! Lexus like quality.
Cons:
Not very crisp handling
The Bottom Line:
This car is roomy and quiet. Its a bit of a boaty ride, but almost as nice as Lexus.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Avalon XL, XLS
Avalon is named after a mystical island where the legendary King Aurthur was ferried to by the mysterious "Lady in the Lake", it was to be his final resting place where he could slumber until the land again faced a peril only he could vanquish. Given that history behind the name, the car is well named as it is a great place to slumber for eons-this car is huge! Think of it like the Japanese version of the Buick. Its no Cadillac or Town Car, but it has more than enough interior room for even the widest girths.
Impressions:
Did I mention that this is a big car? It is not to be confused with a sports sedan, like a Maxima, TL, BMW, Saab or others. This is definitely a luxury cruiser. Its ideal for long car rides. Its ideal for taking a nap. Its not so ideal for twisty country roads or parallel parking.
Exterior:
Not much to cheer about here. Bland is the word that springs to mind. Its looks like a bloated Camry that failed Jenny Craig. Exterior lighting is a bit insufficient, they should add Xenon HID lights.
Interior:
This is where the car shines. Its like driving a living room couch around. The dashboard is a bit on the cheap side. The electronic compass seems not very useful, and yet its huge, taking up a lot of dash board real estate. The stereo is superb. 200 Watts of the best JBL can make, which is probably worth about 100 watts of the best Bose can make. I am a bit biased to Bose audio as they make excellent systems compared.
Performance:
Dont expect the car to handle like a sports car. Its a big ponderous and boaty ride. In its favor, its also smooth and luxurious. You will not feel any bumps or dips in the road. Its like riding on a cloud. The vehicle also has skid control, which can be very handy in adverse weather. The skid control modulates the ABS system to keep you from sliding.
This car is basically a Lexus without the Lexus badge. Why pay more for the badge? The car starts at around $26K, but can get expensive fast with options.
Summary:
If you want a big luxurious car, with high reliability and not too outrageous a price tag, this is your car! Think of it like a Buick that wont break down all the time.
While I enjoyed the car a lot, I got so much more driving pleasure from the Acura TL, for a similar price and also it adds HID lights, GPS navigation and other great features. Test drive both before buying either.
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