Toyota Avalon TRD a sporty cut above usual sedan

This review first appeared in the May 2021 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California ­– The Toyota Avalon has long been one of my favorite full-size sedans, and I've always said it was basically a Lexus with a Toyota badge.

So my recent week in the 2021 Toyota Avalon TRD threw me a bit of a curveball.

The TRD gave me all the usual Avalon perks: comfortable, spacious seating; downright luxurious interior appointments; a generous helping of standard comfort/convenience features and that silky-smooth ride.

But the TRD -- which stands for Toyota Racing Development -- also has sporty exterior styling/colors and a willing 3.5-liter V-6 power plant with 301 horsepower.

Think of it as the Avalon with Toyota Supra aspirations.

Starting the TRD produces un-Avalon-like, rumbling exhaust note that turns heads for a quarter-mile around.

The promise of the sound was delivered on the road as the tester blazed into small openings and zipped through dicey freeway traffic with effortless ease.

Steering was instantly responsive, and even during quick maneuvers, the tested Avalon remained perfectly balanced, with virtually zero body sway.  Strong brakes also are part of the deal. Good road manners?  Absolutely.

In other words, the racy marketing and touches are not hollow promises.  They're reality.  Kudos to Toyota for that.

While I enjoyed the Avalon TRD's sporty agility, I did take time to appreciate the small, thoughtful, luxurious things that have made the Avalon special.

Controls are within easy reach.  Stitching on the seats and steering wheel is spot-on perfection. Power lumbar support provides genuine relief, and in-car audio is expertly balanced among the spread out speakers.

Again, it's a Lexus-like experience.  And it's not just me saying so.  Motor Trend magazine ranked the Toyota Avalon as its No. 1 full-size sedan in its 2021 Buying Guide.

Even with the robust power plant, fuel mileage on the tester came in at 21 miles per gallon in the city and an impressive 30 mpg on the highway.

As sedans go, mine represented a substantial investment, priced at $46,074.

With all those SUVs screaming for your attention on dealer lots, is a sporty sedan worthy of consideration?   This Toyota Avalon TRD is, to be sure.