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2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Full Test Review

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by Sergiospl, Dec 6, 2012.

  1. DeadPhish

    DeadPhish Senior Member

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    I think that TM may have a solid hit on their hands ^^^. We all know that the fuel economy will be excellent but the styling and execution of the rest of the vehicle shock a lot of shoppers. TM takes over the large car segment with this iteration.

    Now if they'd offer a Venza Hybrid......
     
  2. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    New Highlander is coming later this year, it same platform as Venza and RX.... RX is coming early next year.

    Both Highlander Hybrid and RX Hybrid will be built in NA. Toyota and suppliers have been announcing capacity expansions for those plants.

    So i would think that the future Venza might end up having a hybrid too...

    I just wonder if they are planing 2.5l Hybrid for Highlander as they are expanding their both factories by 100k units per year which would not make sense unless it had more sellable hybrid engine.
     
  3. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    Edmunds' Consumers' Favorites Poll: Best Hybrid
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    It'll help spread the cost of the 2.5L HSD and lower the cost of the HiHy (it's very expensive in North America. In Canada, it goes for Cdn$43,400-$52,400. In comparison, a Prius goes for $25-$34k).

    However, they do need to spread the cost of the 3.5L HSD (currently only 3 cars use it, right? HiHy, RXh and GSh?). But they may be designing a new system to use with a different engine. The 3.5L is a good engine but we'll see how long Toyota wants to stretch its life.
     
  5. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    it is just more suitable engine... they might use 2.5l HSD for Highlander and have 3.5l for Lexus for instance.

    But worldwide, they will increase their RX sales significantly by using 2.5l engine. They might offer them both.

    Question is if it makes sense due to extra weight... it probably still does, if it makes sense for GS, I dont see why not for Highlander.
     
  6. taropatch

    taropatch New Member

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    Upon telling my friend that I bought an Avalon, his reply was, "Isn't that a senior citizen car?"I'm 40 and was ready to buy a Camry Hybrid. After test driving both the 2013 Camry and Avalon Hybrids, I chose the Avalon. Quieter, better ride, more luxury interior, and a little more space made it worth the $5000 premium to me. At 40 mpg, I expect that it will serve us well as a commuter car and driving the family around on the weekends.While certainly not cheap, you get a spacious, luxurious sedan that betters the mileage per gallon of a sub-compact.

    I think its weakness is in storage space - tiny glove compartment and small slots in driver/passenger doors. Also, the 6.1-inch LCD touch-screen in the XLE Touring and Premium is small compared to what many other manufacturers are using today. Everything else, though, I like so far.

    BTW, I found that dealers will discount so don't listen to the dealer that says it is only possible to get $500 below MSRP. Test drive it before you judge.
     
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  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    They'll have to lose some weight on those vehicles. You know how NA like their power especially in SUVs. :) I think most would settle with V6 power and 4 cylinder economy rather than V8 power and 6 cylinder economy as is the current setup (well Toyota says power of an 8 and fuel economy of a 4 but that was before all of these new engines from Ford and Mazda came along that moved the goal posts of what a 4 cylinder car can sip).
     
  8. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    Don't know if anyone touched on this before, but with 20% of Avalon hybrid sales and 46,000 Camry hybrids last year, can Toyota afford not to bring a Corolla hybrid sedan and Auris/Matrix replacement because of what may happen to Prius sales. Next Corolla looks great!
     
  9. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    20% and probably will raise... ES sells more and it is 25%

    answer is yes... if you look at stats, it increases sales overall.
     
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  10. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    yeah... still, in other countries they have 2.7l Highlander/RX and they are dogs :)
     
  11. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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  12. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    I can't imagine that an RX with only 200 hp would be able to charge a premium over the 6 cylinder non-hybrid, they need at least a little more power.

    From Sergiospl's previous post last year though
    Toyota's World's Most Thermal Efficient Engine, Turbo Joining - Cars Bikes Trucks
    A new more powerful and more thermally efficient 2.5L di hsd could be created with more power from both the ice and, dare I say it, improved lithium batteries from the alpha. There is also that even more efficient new 2L turbo ice that could find its way into a hybrid. Bets are on conservative Toyota sticking with the 450h set up, but there are other possibilities.
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    We have a 2.7L Highlander in Canada as a base model (just FWD, no packages available) for ~$4,200 less than a 4WD V6 base model. I doubt they sell very many. (The 2.7 is also used in the Venza and Sienna. Works well in the Venza, not so much in the Sienna. FE in the Sienna is almost the same as the V6). RX is V6 only here because it's a premium vehicle.
     
  14. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    i can imagine how slow they are :)... i would think they could use 220hp version for RX overseas, if they wanted... plenty powerful for our markets plus a lot better mpg, especially in the city.
     
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I don't know about the Highlander but the 2,7L Sienna is reasonable around town with 6 people on board (it's the dealership shuttle service) at speeds up to 100km/h. No major hills around here though.
     
  16. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    probably drinks like an elephant compared to our diesels vans we use :).

    IS300h got pricing in Europe and it is pretty good, better than expected. Still a lot more than comparable 2.2 D4D, but they are probably making same money/margins on them, just like on Avalons. I am saying that for Rav4... it seems like it could be priced the same as 2.2 D4D 150hp with AT... which would be... excellent.
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    On the highway? Probably. It's rated in Canada at 10.4/7.5 L/100km (city/hwy). Hwy is done at 80km/h I believe. (vs. 70mph in the new EPA tests in the US)

    Not bad around town given that it's a big, heavy vehicle. Our 2002 Camry 2.4 litre (2AZ-FE) was rated at 10.1/6.7 L/100km and it weighed 1,500kg on the dot (the Sienna 4 cylinder weighs 1,900kg on the dot)

    TOYOTA CANADA: TOYOTA.CA LANGUAGE

    It'll be a tough sell, the RAV4 2.2 D4D in North America (unless Mazda brings over their CX-5 diesel and it takes off). They'll be more inclined to sell a RAV4 HSD. (again, just take the 2AR-FXE system and put it in. They can all use the 2.5 litre engine).

    I'd like to see what they do with the next Venza and whether they'll hybridise it.

    TOYOTA CANADA: TOYOTA.CA LANGUAGE

    At Cdn$28k, (2.7L, FWD), it's very reasonable. 2.7L AWD starts at Cdn$30.5k. (compares to a mid price for Camry, RAV4, Prius, Camry Hybrid). AWD V6 with Touring & JBL package tops out at $39.5k. A few more than a 2013 RAV4 Limited 4WD at $34k, Camry XLE Hybrid at $34k, Camry XLE V6 at $34k and about the same as a base Avalon Limited at $40k.
     
  18. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    probably would get 30-40% better in a diesel around the town.... at least. If i drove it in my city on my routes, it would get over 15l/100km for sure :).

    Nobody buys petrols for anything larger than Corolla in Europe anymore.

    This is why I cant wait for Rav4 HSD.
     
  19. acdii

    acdii Active Member

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    I test drove both a Camry Hybrid and an Avalon Hybrid last night. 30 minutes each city highway mix, and hands down the Avalon is a smoother, quieter car than the Camry. I owned a 2009 Camry and it was way below what I expected from Toyota, and Toyota heard, as the 2012 one I drove was so much better all around, but the Avalon, it is just so nice. Too bad its beyond my price range, but compared to my Fusion Hybrid, it is the equivalent car option wise, but a far better car overall.

    Not only that, for only having 335 miles on it, I was able to get 40 MPG on it on my 30 minute drive. The Camry was a used one with 14K miles so it was broken in and easily obtained 41.7 MPG. The guy who traded in the Camry bought an Avalon Hybrid.

    If you haven't driven one, don't knock it, drive it and see, it really is a very nice car!
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    camry only got 1.7 more than avalon? hard to believe, what is the weight difference?