My Sister In law just called me......She just bought a new Avalon! She said she's giving Toyota one last chance (she was less than impressed with the 2011 Venza she traded in) She loves the interior of the Avalon, the main reason she bought it. Here's the kicker......She's 33! I told her to ask the sales rep when the last time he sold a Avalon to somebody younger than 40. She has no idea what past Avalons were like!
Now I can get a chance to really flog one of these car around without a salesman riding shotgun I really like the exterior (in pictures anyway)
What were the problems with the Venza ?
She had troubles wih the transmission holding gears when cold, it would stay in first till 4500 rpm then shift with a vibration. Toyota reflashed (maybe a software update) and flushed it (or changed the oil/added a additive) a few times to no avail. It finally improved when their house was finished and Venza got to stay in a heated garage. It would still act up time to time though and did other shift/bang/jerk things she hated.(again not my car so take what she told me about funky shifting with a grain of salt)
Rattles- She allways complained of rattles coming from the dash/glovebox/seat/cargo area.
Fuel economy- Terrible, she would get 300-350km to a tank driving in the city. About as good as her Husbands 06 Ram with a hemi. Keep in mind She's a young mom who dives nice
She just said she was glad to see it go, never felt it was put together as well as it should. It ws a awd V6 model that had 43,000kms.
PLEASE dont scourage me at the pillar for typing this! I know there must be phantom Toyota salesmen or store owners on this forum or a whole lot of die hard fanboys. These are
NOT my opinions, I found it to be an enjoyable drive and like the way it looks. But im not the one who lived with it.