2011 Toyota Avalon Limited Review

For 2011, the Toyota Avalon received a few cosmetic updates 

Updated March 1, 2026

Thanks to Toyota’s excellent reliability, used cars like this Toyota Avalon are an excellent buy. Today, the average price of a new car is about $50,000, while the average listing price of a used car is roughly $25,000. Buying a high-quality used car like the Toyota Avalon is a good way to save money. 

Today, most used Avalons are worth between $6,000 and $10,000. Many will have 100,000 or even 200,000 miles. 

Here’s what we said  when the Avalon was new: 

As  soon as my eight-year-old son opens the rear door of the 2011 Toyota Avalon, he says, "This looks like a car for someone who lives in a mansion." Is that a good thing? He sure thought so - granted, comfortable cars like the Avalon often get labeled as cars for old people, but guess what, old people have nice stuff, so I don't think of it as a slam.

For 2011, the Toyota Avalon gets a few cosmetic updates - the look is a little less generic, and it has more presence on the road. A larger grill and restyled wheels are the only real reasons for this. Plus, some of the lines are now sharper, which adds a slightly more masculine tone. The taillights have been resculpted, too. Under the hood is the same 3.5-liter V6 from before - it makes 268 hp and is good for 20 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.

Inside

The interior gets a bit of a refresh for 2011. The gauges are now separated into two distinct clusters with metallic-looking trim surrounding each. It looks good, but the materials feel kinda cheap, ditto for the faux wood trim on the dash and doors. I know it's not a Lexus, but this is the top-of-the-line Toyota; some real wood would be nice.

All Toyotas, including the 2011 Avalon, now get the company's Star Safety System. It includes stability control, ABS, brake assist, and traction control.

On the Road

Even a quick 10 min drive proves my son is right - this is a car for people who live in mansions. It just has this serene quality that oozes luxury and quality. It's not that the cabin is so deluxe, it's not really. But driving the car reveals such a purity and isolation you can't help but love it. Sure, people who still read car magazines will agree with the arrogant editors that the Avalon is basically a Japanese Buick. Again, I don't see the harm in that, but clearly that crowd does. But remember these are the same people who think spending $50,000 on a compact sedan with little rear seat room and too firm suspension is worth it because, well, it's got that blue and white logo and is rear wheel drive. Instead, for less than $40,000, I'll take the Avalon, and it's business class rear seat spaciousness and plenty of up-to-date tech features like XM nav/traffic, rear parking camera, Bluetooth, and iPod connection.

The 2011 Avalon isn't lazy or floaty, it's just smooth. Smooth acceleration, smooth ride, smooth steering. You're not going to conquer the slalom in this car - then again, who lives near a slalom? Exactly, no one. Besides, a palpable smoothness speaks to precision and quality - who could be against that?

If you have enough drama at work each day and want to feel like you live the pampered life of a mansion owner (at least for the duration of your commute), spend a little time in the 2011 Toyota Avalon's accommodating, heated, and cooled seats. It's a car that looks and feels like a real luxury sedan without the luxurious price tag.

The 2011 Toyota Avalon has two major recalls:

1. A wire in the subwoofer assembly can become loose or detached causing a short circuit

2.  Some 2011–2019 models may have a malfunctioning airbag electronic control unit, which could prevent airbags or seatbelt pretensioners from deploying in a crash

-Brian Moody 

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