Terrific Ride
It has a vast rear seat, a column shifter, and a front bench seat. It's soft, comfortable, and spacious but the car’s soft suspension and casual roll control failed to connect. Except for front legroom and rear headroom, which both shrink by 0.4 inch since the last model, every dimension inside has grown like a Chia Pet. Passenger volume is up a cubic foot to 107-about one more than a 300's but one less than a Five Hundred's-thanks in part to 0.8 inch more rear legroom. Bigger inside and out, the Avalon is superior under the hood as well. Gone is the previous car's 210-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 and four-speed automatic, replaced in the new car with a 280-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and a five-speed automatic with a manumatic feature.