To Cord: Toyota invested significant effort into capacitive switches to make sure they don't end up like the failure that the GM/Ford version was. Better sensitivity, even with light gloves, and wider spacing to avoid pressing the wrong key.
Oh there's no doubt! Now that Toyota uses the technology, it's fantastic!
I'm glad to see you're finally figuring it out.
BTW, as it turns out, the dash as well as the entire enterior was designed by a Burlington, Ontario born Benjamin Jimenez. So, yes I do believe that a Canadian did a better job than an American. Kudos to Toyota for attracting real talent.
And whether it matters or not, the Avalon will have ~90% domestic content which is higher than the "domestic" brands who outsource some critical components.
To an Albertan, Ontario born might as well be as good as Japanese, though...