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MSRP: $32,245-35,485
Invoice: $28,695-31,575

2011 Toyota Avalon news, pictures, and information

2011 Toyota Sienna and Avalon Earn Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick' Award

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that the all-new Toyota Sienna van and redesigned 2011 Avalon full-size sedan have each earned 'Top Safety Pick' awards.

The 'Top Safety Pick' is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of 'good' in the IIHS' front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped wîth electronic stability control. The IIHS testing was made more stringent in 2010 wîth the addition of the rollover test.

The new Sienna is the first, and currently the only minivan to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick since the rollover test was added to the criteria.

To earn a 'good' rollover rating, a roof must be able to support the equivalent of four times the vehicle's weight compared wîth the current federal standard of 1.5. In the IIHS testing, the Sienna roof withstood a force equal to 4.12 times its vehicle weight. The Avalon's weight withstood 4.07 times its vehicle weight.

The IIHS is an independent non-profit research and communications organization funded by auto insurance companies.

All Toyota models meet or exceed the safety requirements of the federal government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Source - Toyota
At times compared to a Lexus, from the outside the Toyota Avalon might be a bland looking four-door, but on the inside the combination of luxurious roominess, safety, ride comfort and value you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere. The Avalon emerged as one of the 10 best cars sold in North American in terms of problem-free operation in a recent J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. Originally based on the platform of the then-current Toyota Camry, the Toyota Avalon is a full-size car that was produced by Toyota in the U.S. and Australia. The Avalon was produced as a front wheel drive four-door sedan.

When the Toyotta Cressida was deleted from the American car market in 1992 and the Toyota Avalon was designed to fill the gap left by that vehicle. Though the Cressida was a midsize, rear wheel drive vehicle, the all new Avalon was a full size, rear wheel drive car and had Toyota's 1MZ-FE V6 engine, compared to the Cressida's 7M-GE I6 engine.

On February 21, 1994, the first Avalon rolled off the assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky as a 1995 model. In 1999, a second-generation model was released in the U.S. and Japan. Built in the same plant as the Camry, the 1995 Avalon was a completely new model that was placed higher than the Camry, making it Toyota's flagship.

Larger in almost every aspect, the second generation Avalon was introduced in 2004. Based on a stretched Camry platform, the Avalon featured a 3.0 L V6 engine that produced 192 hp and 210 ft – lb of torque. Minor updates to the front and rear fascias were underwent in 1998, along with the power rating being upped to 200 hp and increase of torque to 214 lb – ft. Basically the same size as the Camry, the second generation Avalon was US made and was exported to Japan's domestic market where it was labeled as the Toyota Pronard.

The original, first-generation Avalon still continues to be built in Australia in the Melbourne suburb of Altona. The original model is produced in both right hand drive for New Zealand, Australia and various parts of Asia, and left hand drive for the Middle East. Toyota was now in what it called its ‘Mark III' phase with the Australian Avalon. Though based on the same car launched in the US in 1995, the Australian Avalon had a slight facelift for the 2004 model year. In July of 2005 Toyota Australia ended production of the Avalon. Toyota of Australia was now concentrating on producing a vehicle much larger than the Avalon in late 2006 that will compete with the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon. Introduced at the 2006 Melbourne International Motorshow, the all new Aurion was unveiled and will go on sale in November of 2006.

A complete redesign from previous generations, the '05 Avalon is Toyota's largest, most luxurious, and most costly model sold under its own nameplate. Inside the Avalon was a 3.5 L 280 hp V6 engine along with a host of advanced technological features. Produced to compete with the Chevy Impala, the Buick LaCrosse, Nissan Maxima and the Ford Five Hundred, the new Avalon was unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. Featuring much more distinctive styling than previous generations, the third generation Avalon did have power dropped to 268 hp due to new SAE specifications along with torque dropping to 248 ft-lb. For 2005 stability control was expanded to the XL and Touring models and a keyless remote start became standard for Limited models.

By Jessica Donaldson
For more information and related vehicles, click here

2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Awarded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK+
Cypress, California, May 16, 2013 -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is honored to learn that the company's best-selling model – the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport compact crossover vehicle – has today been named a 2013 'Top Safety Pick+' award winner by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Outlander Sport's 2013 IIHS 'Top Safety Pick+' award comes in addition to the two straight IIHS Top Safety Pick awards the handsome 5-passenger compact crossover has a...[Read more...]
NISSAN LEAF EARNS 'TOP SAFETY PICK' FROM IIHS
Now in its third model year, the highly innovative, industry-leading Nissan LEAF pure electric vehicle added another award to its trophy case with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 'Top Safety Pick' designation, which recognizes vehicles for excellent performance in four passenger safety tests. The LEAF achieved the Institute's highest rating of 'Good' in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. Nissan LEAF joins Nissan Altima and Infiniti M37/M56 on the list of 2013 Top Sa...[Read more...]
FIAT BRAND TO DEBUT FIAT 500 DESIGN CONCEPTS AT THE 2013 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
•Two new design concepts expand the appeal of the Fiat 500 Abarth and the Fiat 500 Turbo with unique exterior and interior appointments •Fiat 500 Abarth 'Tenebra' design concept displays unique Matte Grigio (gray) paint and special appointments including a roof-size Abarth scorpion logo •New Fiat 500 'Cattiva' design concept highlights 500 Turbo's sophisticated appearance featuring sporty bi-color look and blacked-out appearance January 11, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The FIAT br...[Read more...]
Chrysler Group LLC Reports December 2012 U.S. Sales Increased 10 Percent - Strongest December Sales in Five Years
 • Best December sales since 2007
• 33rd-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
• Chrysler Group U.S. sales increase 21 percent in 2012; outpaces projected 13 percent average industry increase
• Chrysler Group U.S. market share grows to 11.2 percent in 2012; up from 10.5 percent share in 2011
• Jeep® brand sales up 13 percent in 2012; U.S. increase helps Jeep brand establish global sales record in 2012
• Editors of Motor Trend name new 2013 ...[Read more...]
Chrysler Group LLC Reports June 2012 U.S. Sales Increased 20 Percent; Best June Sales in Five Years
 • Best June sales since 2007
• 27th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
• Second-quarter sales up 24 percent versus same period last year
• Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brands each post sales increases in June compared with same month a year ago
• FIAT brand sets sales record for fifth-consecutive month
• First-half FIAT brand sales surpass total sales in 2011
• All-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact car begins arriving ...[Read more...]

Arrow Right 2011 Toyota models
Toyota 4Runner Backcountry
Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Toyota Camry NASCAR RK Collection
Toyota Corolla
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Land Cruiser 70
Toyota Oakley Surf Tacoma
Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius a
Toyota Prius C&A Custom Concept
Toyota Prius PLUS Performance Package
Toyota Prius v
Toyota Prius+
Toyota RAV4
Toyota Sequoia
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tundra Sportsman
Toyota Ultimate Motocross Tundra
Toyota Venza
Toyota Yaris
Toyota Yaris B-Spec Club Racer
Toyota Yaris GT-S Club Racer
2011 Toyota Concepts
Toyota FCV-R Concept
Toyota FT-86 II Concept
Toyota iQ Racing Concept
Toyota Prius c Concept
Toyota RAV4 EV Demonstration Vehicle
Toyota Yaris HSD Concept

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Acura TSX($29,615-38,250)
Audi A4($31,950-48,000)
BMW 3 Series($33,150-67,050)
Buick Lucerne($29,735-44,465)
Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan($35,165-62,165)
Chrysler 300($32,635-42,525)
Hyundai Genesis($33,000-43,000)
Lexus HS 250h($35,100-37,875)
Lincoln MKZ($34,335-36,225)
Mercedes-Benz C-Class($33,900-58,200)
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution($33,995-37,195)
Nissan Maxima($30,815-33,535)
 
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Toyota
Monthly Sales FiguresVolume
April 2013158,069 
March 2013182,152 
February 2013149,038 
January 2013141,514 
December 2012163,536 
November 2012138,976 
October 2012135,392 
September 2012151,524 
August 2012164,283 
July 2012146,663 
June 2012157,773 
May 2012181,510 
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