* great acceleration
* very quiet and smooth
* nice looking (for a 4dr sedan)
* lots of interior rooom and trunk space
* great price for the features

* the sound system was a bit weak (nothing that an after-market 4x50W amp plus a 150W sub didn't fix!)
* brakes make a distinct 'click' when first engaged after switching from forward and reverse... the dealer can't seem to find anything wrong

We choose this car after looking at Bonnevilles, Luminas and the Camry. The dealer we purchased from also carried Lexus and the Avalon is pinched in the middle between the loaded Camry's and the low-end Lexus. As a result, they were really anxious to sell us this loaded Avalon. The fact that it was a model year 97 in Sept 1997 help!!

All the power options still work great. The fit and finish is superb. So-so gas mileage, but about what you'd expect from a bigger V6.

Trunk is huge! We added a 4x50W amp and a 12inch sub with 150W amp right behind the rear seat... and we still have plenty of room. The factory sound system was not powerful enough for highway driving with the windows open. No problem now, though ;)

Overall, probably the nicest and most reliable car we've owned. No real issues (besides the annoying brake thing) and the car looks great, even after two Wisconsin winters.

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Honda Accord

Handling, Engine, Transmission, Brakes, Back seat roominess

Cheap interior plastics, Premium Stereo

This car has enough power to satisfy your average family sedan buyer. Highway merging is simply a breeze in this car. The transmissions shifts are almost imperceptible. A very good balance between ride quality and handling is achieved here, with minimal body roll even in in very fast and sharp turns. I have heard almost no tire squeal, even when making 90º turns at close to 30mph. I drive this car very hard, and so far absolutely no mechanical failures, except for a faulty alarm system which was a dealer installed option. I currently have 25,000 miles on the odometer and hope to get 100,000 or more miles out of the car before I let it go. All said and done this car is a wonderful product, and even though I hate to say this, this car is head and shoulders above any American made family car on the market today. Try this car out, before settling on a Ford Taurus, Dodge Intrepid, or Chevy Lumina; you'll be glad that you did

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1990 Ford Taurus GL with a 3.0L OHV V-6 @145hp

Great price, strong engine, very quiet, excellent ride!
LOTS of leg room in the back, HUGE trunk, car is much larger than it looks!

Certain components feel cheap, such as cup holder, AC controls. Very minor though.

Definitely worth getting. Equipped w/ leather seats, CD Player, 6 speaker system, Alum. Alloy hubcaps, bucket seats, only cost 26K.

smooth spirited acceleration, quiet ride, great looking,very comfortable with spacious interior

rotors warp a bit as they get older, i had the same problem with my 87 camry, my power window(driver side in front) is acting up. the problem with the new toyotas now is that they're assembled in u.s.a. somewhere. noticed the quality has diminished a bit. how do i know you say, i sold them for ten years.

overall very fine car. bought mine used 2 years ago and have had very few problems. drive train flawless. need to keep fluids clean like any car. if you live in the san fernando valley, see HAMER TOYOTA, ask for jose herrera, he took great care of me

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always had toyota

Very roomy, powerful engine, low road noise, well designed dashboard

(I believe) the stereo can't be swapped out for an aftermarket unit.

Love the roomy interior. I am 5'11" and I my legs have room to spare at both the front and back seats. My wife is 5' and she has no problem seeing over the dash and hood in this full size car. The front power seats help give her a good view all around. The well designed dashboard gives me a spacious, airy feeling at the front seats. I like that the driver's window has both one-touch up and down control.

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Nissan Skyline (in Japan)

The xls has pretty peppy power and the gas mileage is great. Can get in and out of traffic pretty quick and it moves like a V-8 or Turbocharged Vehicle. The interior is still decent with it's (ULEV) and low mileage 52,000 miles.

Toyota was just a lease and i kept it for a while until the lease was up then decided to buy and unfortunately i started having problems with it now for the past six months.
-A/C doesn't blow out cold air as supposed to be (plus it's almost summer)
-High wind noise when on interstate freeway(85-above mph
-Engine needs oil change every 2 months plus the light been coming on/off
-Car starts to shake when at stoplight(have to put in neutral)
-Stereo speakers Blown out when treble was turned up and Bass halfway.

Planning on Selling The Avalon After a 1 or 2 I'm not planning to Buy another Toyota if this is what it is like after the first couple of yrs. Need something more Sufficient,Reliable,Quality,and fun to Drive without having to have a bore to drive. I kinda want that sports/luxury type. Maybe if i do get one it will be a Nissan Sentra Se-R or The Mazda Protege ES 2.0 sedans.

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Honda Accord EX V-6
Mazda 626 ES V-6
Toyota Camry XLE V-6
Mitsubishi Diamante ES V-6

Engine power and smoothness. Quiet ride. Great air conditioning and heat. Driver/passenger room in car.

Car drifts left from time of purchase. Alignment "fixed" once by dealer(under warranty). Problem better but not solved. Transmission occasionally jerky at start and stop traffic. Bucket seats could be a little bigger for a "full size" car.

Good car for the money. Quiet, smooth and powerful! Agree that it a wolf in sheep's clothing. Appearnace understated, but have received nothing but positive comments on looks, quality and reputation of vehicle. This is definitiely a Lexus chassis and engine. My extended warranty issued by Lexus. Looking for long term reliability of car. Reason I bought a Toyota.

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Chrysler Concorde previous car. Like Avalon better. Also looked at similarly priced 3 series BMW. No comparison.

I like the quiet engine and the smoothness of the transmission along with the comfortable ride. This model is much more stable over rough pavement than was my 1995 Avalon.

The steering wheel squeaks when I first start to drive but the squeak stops after making a couple turns.

Very smooth, comfortable, solid near luxury car. Being over 6'5", I enjoy the legroom and the overall spaciousness. The JBL sound system works well for my purposes and the body's integrity is very good thus far.

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I compared the Avalon with a BMW 5 series and I feel I got a better ride for a lot less money. It also has more room than a Honda or a VW Passat.

Quiet ride, tons of personal space, seemless gear shifts.

The doors seem to require a good tug to close properly. Our car annoyed us early due to a malfunctioning gizmo that controls the Variable Valve Timing.

My wife and I were searching for a comfortable commute/travel car with excellent safety features. The Avalon fit us perfectly. This car is extremely quiet with great interior personal space for taller people. Problems at work simply melt away as you drive this car home each night.

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None

Value for used car. Ride very smooth. Seats very comfortable. Excellent acceleration for larger luxury car.

Wind noise apparent at high speeds. Rear suspension sags and bounces with loads. Tire wear excessive (went through a set of after markets in 15,000 mi city driving)

Overall satisfied with value and performance. Somewhat dissappointed in the overall quality slip of Toyota in the past years. My daughter has a 1990 Camry with 100,000 mi. that will still be around long after my Avalon.

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Honda accord far superior automobile even though smaller and cheaper.